Lincoln’s now-famous Gettysburg address was given at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg. The first monument placed in the National Cemetery was the Soldiers National Monument. The cornerstone was laid in 1865 and the monument was finished four years later. The monument sits at the center of the cemetery. Burials of Union Civil War soldiers fan out from the statue in four quadrants,.
The monument is topped by the representation of liberty, crowned with a laurel wreath. She holds a second laurel wreath and a sword at rest to represent “the constant struggle for freedom.”
At the base of the column that elevates liberty, there are four other statues.
History
War
Peace
Plenty
A Grave Concern 