Civil War Monument Dedication
New Plaques for the ‘Old Soldier’ in Grand Traverse County
On the Old Courthouse Lawn at the corners of Washington and Boardman rests the ‘Old Soldier’ monument and the Civil War Naval Cannon. This morning, August 23, 2008 the Robert Finch Camp No. 14 presented two bronze plaques to Grand Traverse County as part of their Monument Restoration Project. These commemorative plaques explain the history and significance of each monument.
The 100 Pounder Parrot Rifled Naval Cannon served on the U.S.S. Sabine during the Civil War. Commissioned by the U.S. Navy on August 23, 1858, the U.S.S. Sabine played a significant role in the Civil War. Assigned to secure the Federal garrison at Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island to blockade Pensacola Bay, Florida. She joined the Atlantic Squadron and came to the rescue of the transport Grovernor after a hurricane hit Cape Hatteras. This rescue save 500 Marines and crew. Some of Sabine’s crew were transfered to the iron-clad U.S.S. Monitor and experienced the clash with the C.S.S. Virginia (Merrimac).
U.S.S. Sabine was decommissioned in 1887 after continuing to serve the Navy as a training ship through the end of the War. Her last remaining cannon was donated to Grand Traverse County by Senator William Alden Smith in 1910.
On May 30, 1890 the Mayor of Traverse City, Perry Hannah, welcomed the Civil War Soldier statue to the grounds of the original courthouse on Cass Street. 4,000 citizens and over 300 Civil War veterans attended the unveiling. Exactly 115 years later, to the hour, over 1500 citizens gathered once more to ‘welcome home’ the return of the statue after it received some much needed restoration.
Today the ‘Old Soldier’ Civil War Monument received a plaque to represent it’s significance to the community. The Robert Finch Camp, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, organized the fundraising effort to have the original statue repaired and restored. Support from local businesses, charities and citizens made their effort a success.
This statues represents the 171 volunteers from the Traverse Area who marched in the War. The side of the monument lists the major battlefields where our region’s soldiers fought from 1861 to 1865. Thirty-two local men gave their lives in the conflict.
For more information on the Robert Finch Camp No. 14, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, visit their website. To check out some of the other monuments in Traverse City visit our Photo Gallery.
