The IL State memorial overlooks federal trenches and earthworks at the Vicksburg National Military Park. It is easily one of the grandest monuments here. There are layers and layers of symbolism inside and outside, quotes, lists, mosaics, friezes, and bronze tablets. It is an amazing memorial.
The entire quote from Lincoln reads as follows:
"[bust of Lincoln]
The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.
[signature] -A Lincoln"
From the free google e-books website, this page from the periodical The Monumental News, volume 16 (1904) lays out the meaning and symbolism in this monument in exquisite detail: (
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"Illinois State Monument at Vicksburg.
The design for the imposing memorial to be erected by the state of Illinois on the battle?eld of Vicksburg has been accepted and bids for its erection are now being received by Architects Jenney & Mundie of Chicago, the designers. Work is to begin July 1, and it is expected that the structure will be completed next year. The memorial will be a circular temple suggesting in general design the Roman Pantheon or the Temple of Minerva in Rome.
The body of the temple will be 48 feet in diameter, surmounted by a hemispherical dome, the crown ofwhich will be about 58 feet in height. It will face the south, and the entrance will be under a Tetra Style Doric portico 32 feet wide and extending I4 feet on the south facade of the temple.
The pediment of the portico is supported by four Roman Doric columns. The summit of the pediment will be crowned by an eagle seven feet high. On the pediment will be symbolic sculptures, consisting of the ?gure of a scribe, supported by Fame and Valor, representing history enrolling the names of the Illinois soldiers and sailors and recording their deeds as they march by.
On the frieze under the center of the pediment will be inscribed in large raised letters "Illinois."
Beneath the ceiling of the portico and above the entrance to the temple will be three marble tablets 31/; x 7 feet. Upon one of these will be a bas-relief representing Richard Yates, the war governor of Illinois, presenting Ulysses S. Grant his commission as colonel of the 1st Illinois infantry. Upon the central one will be represented in bas-relief the gunboats running the batteries at Vicksburg on the night of April 16, 1863, and on the other will be a scene representing the surrender of Vicksburg by Gen. Pemberton to Gen. Grant under the tree which stood not far distant from the site upon which this temple will be located.
The main external cornice of the temple proper will be surmounted by a cresting, consisting of eagles interwoven with shields, and suggestive both of attack and defense. At either side (if the broad ?ight of steps leading up to the portico from the Jackson highway to the terrace from which the temple will rise will be placed two bronze groups, one representing war and the other peace. These groups and the other sculpture will be modeled by Lorado Taft. The temple will be lighted only from the top by an eye 11 feet in diameter which will be placed in the apex of the dome.
Around the base of the dome will be cut, in sunken letters, beginning on the right, this sentiment from Lincoln's second inaugural. “With malice toward none. with charity for all.” and ending on the left hand with the last phrase in Gen. Grant's farewell order to the army, “Let us have peace.”
The structure will be built either of light granite or marble, with sculpture of bronze. The wall space of the interior along its entire circumference to the height of about feet from the ?oor will be ornamented with a chastely designed frame, consisting of bronze panels between a base and cornice of green marble. These panels will contain about 60 bronze tablets, bearing the names in letters large enough to be easily legible of every of?cer and enlisted man from Illinois who participated in that campaign.
Illinois was represented by ?fty-?ve infantry regiments, ?fteen batteries of artillery, and ten regiments of cavalry, making eighty distinct military organizations. It is estimated that these panels will contain the names of more than 35,000 soldiers and sailors.
The entrance to the rotunda of the temple will be 6-feet wide, but there will be no door. Directly opposite the entrance will be a bronze panel, upon which will be inscribed the dedication by Illinois of this temple to the memory of her sons. Above this panel will be inscribed the names of Abraham Lincoln, War Governor Yates, General Grant, the twelve general of?cers from Illinois who commanded Divisions, and the colonels who commanded brigades.
The memorial will stand on a small knoll near the Shirley residence, on the Jackson highway leading from Vicksburg to Jackson, Miss."
A shorter but less lyrical description can be found on the National Park Service website: (
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"The Illinois State Memorial is located on Union Avenue at milepost 1.8, tour stop #2. Dedicated on October 26, 1906, the monument was transferred to the United States by Governor C.S. Deneen and accepted by J. S. Schofield of the United States War Department. It was erected by the firm of Culver Construction Company with William B. Mundie contracting the designers and sculptors. The design was by W. L. B. Jenney and sculptor was Charles J. Mulligan.
Stone Mountain (GA) granite forms the base and stairway. Above the base is Georgia white marble. There are forty-seven steps in the long stairway, one for each day of the Siege of Vicksburg. Modeled after the Roman Pantheon, the monument has sixty unique bronze tablets lining its interior walls, naming all 36,325 Illinois soldiers who participated in the Vicksburg Campaign. The monument stands sixty-two feet in height, and originally cost $194,423.92, paid by the state of Illinois."