General George Doles – Antietam National Battlefield – Sharpsburg, MD - Etched in Stone on Waymarking.com

The Georgia State monument can be found on The Cornfield Avenue, on the left or south side of the road if traveling west along the Cornfield. The monument is surrounded by scores of other monuments, memorials and markers. Parking is available intermittently on the side of the road in the form of small dirt cutouts as well as a nearby, small parking lot which can accommodate several vehicles.

The monument was erected at a cost of $7500, designed by Harry Sellers and dedicated on September 20, 1961. The memorial is identical to Georgia Memorials at Gettysburg, PA, Vicksburg, MS and Kennesaw Mountain, GA. The monument is constructed of gray granite and stands approximately 18' high. It exhibits the State Seal and bears the inscription: We sleep here in obedience to law; When duty called, we came, When country called, we died.

From 1890s to 1960s veterans’ organizations erected monuments to commemorate the people and actions associated the Battle of Antietam (16-18 September 1862). The Georgia State Monument contributes to the National Register District under Criterion A. The monument is designated as structure number 029-A.

The Georgia State Monument (1961) is significant under Criterion A because of its association with the commemoration of the Battle of Antietam. The monuments and markers at Antietam represent a wide sampling of late 19th and early 20th century military memorialization from the period when such monumentation was in its heyday.

The Georgia State Monument was placed on the south side of the Cornfield because that is the point where the Georgia soldiers first engaged the enemy. The monument commemorates the Centennial of the Civil War and was dedicated on 20 September 1961. It was designed by Harry Sellers.

Short Physical Description

The Georgia State Monument is located on the south side of Cornfield Ave. It is constructed of blue Elbeton, GA, granite and stands 12’ tall. The shaft is about 1.5’ square and rests on a two stepped base and platform. It features Art Deco stylistic elements with no plaques.

The Georgia State Monument is located on the south side of Cornfield Avenue. It was designed by Harry Sellers out of polished blue Elbeton, Georgia granite.

Long Physical Description

The monument consists of a 12’ tall, 1’6” square shaft resting on a 7’6” square base. The north elevation of the monument contains decorative engraving, the Georgia State seal, and the text: “GEORGIA/ STATE OF GEORGIA 1776 (state seal)/ GEORGIA CONFEDERATE/ SOLDIERS/ WE SLEEP HERE IN OBEDIENCE TO LAW/ WHEN DUTY CALLED, WE CAME/ WHEN COUNTRY CALLED, WE DIED.”

The monument is slightly discolored due to water damage and two pieces of granite from the NW and SE corners have been chipped off.

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My Source
1. NRHP Nomination Form
2. Stone Sentinels
3. Virtual Antietam
4. Historical Marker Database
5. National Park Service

Address: The Cornfield Avenue Sharpsburg MD 21782 Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/02/2021 petendot visited it