The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument - Cleveland, Ohio

09/04/2023

Happy Labor Day from the Soldiers and Sailors Monument! Today also marks the beginning of Navy Week here in Cleveland! Returning to Cleveland for the first time since 2018, Navy Week brings sailors from across the country to to discuss why the Navy matters here in Cleveland. Here at the monument we will be hosting sailors from the USS Ohio as well as the USS Cleveland! Additionally, we have a display about the USS Cleveland, discussing the 3 historical ships that bear our city's name, as well as the new USS Cleveland, set to be commissioned in 2025!

09/02/2023

Capture of Atlanta

On September 2 1864, William Tecumseh Sherman and his armies captured the city of Atlanta after four months of campaigning. Atlanta was a vital rail and supply hub for the Confederacy and its capture would be a major blow against Southern forces. After fighting through northern Georgia, Sherman's armies then spent the better part of three months fighting around the city, before finally severing supply lines and forcing the defending Confederate army to retreat. Sherman's capture of Atlanta no only did material damage to the Southern war effort, but also played a major role in ensuring President Lincoln's reelection in the fall of 1864.

09/01/2023

9/11/2001 Terror Attack Remembrance Ceremony

September 11, 2023 at 11:30am

The Remembrance Ceremony will began at 8:30 am inside the memorial room of the Monument marking the time of each of the significant moments in the timeline of September 11th, 2001. At 11:30 am the proceedings will move outside to the Northwest corner of the Monument's esplanade for a formal Memorial service with keynote speaker Major P. J. Sullivan.

08/28/2023

2nd Battle of Bull Run

A little over a year after the first major land battle of the war erupted near Manassas, Virginia, an even larger battle took place on the same location. Pitting the Union Army of Virginia against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, the 3 three-day battle would cause over 21,000 casualties. The culmination of the deadly dance in central Virginia between John Pope and Robert E Lee, 2nd Bull Run would see a decisive Union defeat, though not the disorganized retreat of Union forces seen after First Bull Run. Lee's victory cleared northern Virginia of Union forces and opened the door for his fall 1862 Maryland Campaign. In the North, Pope's defeat led to George McClellan's return to command.

08/24/2023

The Ridges
In operation from 1874 until 1993, the Athens Lunatic Asylum (now known as the Ridges) was designed by Levi Scofield. Three cemeteries would eventually be found on the grounds, and in one of those cemeteries one can find the curious case of a Union and Confederate veteran buried side by side. The stories of each of these men is wildly different, and we will explore these in the pictures. Today their stories are intertwined by where they spent their final days.

08/20/2023

On this date in 1833 Benjamin Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio. The grandson of President William Henry Harrison, Benjamin Harrison graduated from Miami University in 1852 and became a lawyer. By the time the Civil War broke out Harrison was living in Indiana, where he helped raise the 70th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Benjamin Harrison and the 70th Indiana would spend the better part of two years garrisoning Kentucky and east Tennessee before taking part in the the 1864 Atlanta Campaign. Benjamin Harrison would then lead a brigade the the Battle of Nashville before mustering out with his regiment in June 1865. Active in politics after the Civil War, Harrison would be elected President in 1889, serving one 4-year term. The fourth of Ohio's Civil War presidents, Benjamin Harrison served his country both in war and in peacetime.

08/18/2023

Battle of Globe Tavern, August 18, 1864

While not one of the Civil Wars larger battles, Globe Tavern was significant when it was fought on August 18, 1864. Fighting around Petersburg, Virginia had been occurring for over 2 months by that point, with the Union Army under Ulysses Grant having little success in capturing the vital city and its supply lines into the nearby Confederate capitol of Richmond. Grant had decided his best chance of victory was to extend his lines around the Confederate potions, capturing and severing railroad and road supply lines as they went. On August 18th it was the Union 5th Corps under Gouverneur Warren who were tasked with cutting Weldon Railroad that ran to North Carolina. Northern troops reached the railroad and began destroying it, only to be attacked by Confederate forces trying to prevent the destruction. This was one of the first battles fought in months that neither side had been entrenched and the men of the 5th Corps would repulse the Southern attacks. While the Union victory at Globe Tavern did not win the war single-handedly, it did prove General Grant's tactics would work. It would be a slow process, but the cutting of supply lines at Globe Tavern led eventually to the Battle of Five Forks in April 1865, which would finally force the Confederate evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond, as well as Confederate General Robert E Lee's eventual surrender.

08/14/2023

The Grand Army of the Republic

Undoubtedly. the main attraction in the Memorial Room at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the marble panels who list the names of those who served from the county or the incredibly detailed bronze panels, bust, or medallions. However, we also display special collections and artifacts in glass cases the line the walls of the Memorial Room. Some of these are semi-permanent, while others are changed throughout the year. One of our displays currently highlights both The Grand Army of the Republic as well as the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Grand Army of the Republic or G.A.R. was a Union soldier veterans organization whose members were instrumental in having the Soldiers and Sailors Monument actually constructed. The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic were originally founded as the Loyal Ladies League before becoming the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1886. The displays showing artifacts from these organizations can be seen here at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.!

08/10/2023

08/09/2023

The Battle of Cedar Mountain, which occurred on this date in 1862, is not one of the more famous battles fought during the Civil War, but it was a bitterly contested fight that saw its fair share of casualties. Cedar Mountain was fought on a terribly hot August day in central Virginia, and began with an attack by Union general Nathaniel Banks on the Confederate forces of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The center of this Union attack contained an all-Ohio brigade, which included the 7th Ohio from Cleveland. The attack was initially successful, driving back Jackson's forces. Southern reinforcements later arrived and would turn the tide of the battle, eventually resulting in a Southern victory. The commander of the 7th Ohio that day, Colonel William Creighton, was wounded severely in the left side and arm, one of 3,600 casualties suffered that day by both sides.

08/07/2023

In our newest podcast here at the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Executive Director Greg Palumbo and the Honorable William F.B. Vodrey discuss the three governors who lead Ohio during the Civil War, William Dennison, David Tod, and John Brough. Check us out on our YouTube channel!

In this installment of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Podcast Executive Director Greg Palumbo has a conversation with the Honorable Will...

08/07/2023

National Purple Heart Day

Today is National Purple Heart Day, which is an award to given to members of the United States military who have been wounded or killed while in service. The award traces its history back to the "Badge of Military Merit", first awarded on August 7, 1782 during the American Revolution. The Purple Heart itself was authorized in February 1932 and was originally given to those who had been injured in service as well as an award for valor, though the last distinction was soon dropped. While the Purple Heart did not exist during the Civil War, wounded veterans of that conflict could apply for one retroactively. This may have been hampered by the provision at the time that the veteran had to still be living and by 1932 veterans of the Civil War were rapidly diminishing. The provision against posthumous awards was eventually removed, but it seems only a few Civil War veterans would receive the medal. Regardless of whatever conflict they have served in, we here at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument salute all recipients of the Purple Heart

08/05/2023

Battle of Mobile Bay, August 5th, 1864

Mobile, Alabama sat as one of the last remaining Confederate ports in August of 1864. Ports such as these were critical for the Confederacy that was increasingly dependent on foreign supplies to continue the war. Union Admiral David Farragut and his fleet were tasked with capturing Mobile in hopes of cutting off this trade, and to assist in the reelection of President Lincoln. In the battle, Farragut split his fleet into two columns as they sailed close to the edge of a minefield. A "torpedo"(what we would call a mine today) was able to hit the USS Tecumseh and sink the ship. It was at this point is when Admiral Farragut famously said, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" The Union fleet would prove victorious, and with the capture of nearby Fort Morgan on August 23rd, 1864 Confederate access of Mobile Bay would be closed. While the city of Mobile would not fall until April 1865, Admiral Farragut's victory was an important Union victory during the war and helped secure President Lincoln's reelection in November of that year.

08/01/2023

Robert Todd Lincoln was born 180 years ago today - August 1, 1843. He was the firstborn child of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, and the only one of their four children to survive to adulthood.

He graduated from Harvard, served in the Union army on U.S. Grant's staff late in the Civil War, and, in 1881, became Secretary of War under President James A. Garfield. After Garfield's death, Lincoln continued to serve as Secretary of War under President Chester A. Arthur. Later, he served as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom and was a successful attorney and businessman in Chicago.

On July 2, 1881, Secretary of War Lincoln was in Washington, D.C.'s Baltimore and Potomac train station and walking toward President Garfield when assassin Charles Guiteau shot Garfield in the back.

Robert Lincoln's last major public appearance was at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial on May 30, 1922. Robert T. Lincoln died July 26, 1926, just six days before his 83rd birthday. He is interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

Image: Robert Todd Lincoln (Library of Congress)

07/30/2023

The 27th U.S.C.T. at the Battle of the Crater.

A massive explosion at around 4:45 in the morning on July 30, 1864 signals the beginning of what will be hard day ahead for the Ohio men of the 27th United States Colored Troops. This regiment, the second composed of African-Americans to come from Ohio, had initially been in the first wave of attackers after the massive explosion ripped a huge whole and crater in Confederate lines outside Petersburg, Virginia. Instead, army politics and prejudice had relegated the men of the 27th to a supporting role. By the time they were finally sent in, the attack was in chaos and little headway could be made against the Southern defenders. After hours of fighting, the 27th U.S.C.T. would fall back, having suffered 12 deaths and 64 wounded. While the Battle of the Crater was the furthest thing from a victory, the courage shown by the men of the 27th and other African-American soldiers that day went some way in helping to break prejudices against the soldiers of the U.S.C.T.

07/28/2023

When visiting the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, you may wonder why there are crosses, shamrocks, and moons around the exterior walls. Coming inside, you may once again notice these shapes in the bronze grating at the base of the marble panels. These are not just decorative elements, but were in fact practical, and very beloved, symbols used by the men who served in the Civil War. These are called Corps Badges, and they were a way for men to be identified quickly, usually wearing a small felt Corps Badge on ones hat. Corps badges were first used in March 1863 in the Army of the Potomac, but by the end of the war each of the 25 Army Corps had either been assigned or had chosen a symbol to represent them. The men in these corps came to take great pride in these symbols, including them in post-war monuments and memorials. Levi Scofield would incorporate these symbols into his designs, and the flowers that surround the monument in the summer also take these shapes. You can come down to see these yourselves, ask about more information on the different corps, and even get a free Corp Badge for yourself, at the Soldiers and Sailor Monument, open daily from 10:00 - 5:30.

07/26/2023

On this day in 1861, George McClellan would take command of the Army of the Potomac in Washington D.C. McClellan had already proven successful at the head of the Department of the Ohio, leading Northern troops to victory in western Virginia, a move that would eventually help for the state of West Virginia. McClellan took command of the Army of the Potomac only a week after the defeat at 1st Bull Run and he soon began to begin training and reorganizing the soldiers. This arguably would be McClellan's greatest success, helping to mold the Army of the Potomac into a professional fighting force. His relationship with his superiors and President Lincoln worsened as time went on, and after being prodded into action in early 1862, he would prove to be overly-cautious in the field. While he did approach the Confederate capitol, he would be turned back by Robert E Lee and and then fail to completely defeat Lee's army at Antietam. He would be dismissed by President Lincoln in November 1862, and run against President Lincoln in the 1864 Presidential election, though he would lose. McClellan's lack of battlefield success stands against his undoubted skill for organization, making him a somewhat polarizing figure to this day.

07/21/2023

On July 21, 1861, Union and Confederate forces met in the first large battle of the war near the town of Manassas, Virginia. Called the Battle of Bull Run in the North, the fighting saw Union general Irvin McDowell face his 35,000 men against a Confederate force of around 32,000. Neither side had any experience controlling such large forces, and while the battle began well for the Union army, it ended in a rout and a panicked retreat to Washington D.C. 25 miles away. While Bull Run was far from the bloodiest battle of the war, it was a sobering experiences and hinted at the horrors yet to be seen in the Civil War.

07/19/2023

The largest battle fought in the state of Ohio, Buffington Island saw the effective end of Confederate general John Hunt Morgan's raid north of the Ohio River. Morgan had crossed into Indiana earlier in July and had moved into Ohio before attempting to re-cross the river back into safety. Union cavalry attacked Morgan and his men as they attempted to escape along the Ohio River, while Union infantry, including future presidents Rutherford Hayes and William McKinley, were landed by steamboat for support. While Morgan and several hundred of his men where able to briefly escape, he was captured a few days later. Around 1,200 Confederates were captured during the battle and Morgan's Raid was effectively ended.

07/14/2023

Called the "Goddess of Freedom" in monument literature or "Lady Liberty" by us here at the monument, the 15-foot tall statue on top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a depiction of the idea of the defense of our nations freedom. She is shown carrying a shield as well as a sword held in a defensive posture. The model for this statue was none other than Elizabeth Scofield, wife of monument architect Levi Scofield. In fact, the coat she wears is the coat Levi himself wore during the Civil War. Come down to the monument to see Lady Liberty standing proudly atop her column, open daily from 10 to 5:30.

07/11/2023

Men of the 150th Ohio waited in the sweltering heat at Fort Stevens, outside Washington D.C., on July 11, 1864 as Confederate skirmishers took shots at the fort. The 150th Ohio had only been recruited two months earlier and was an Ohio National Guard unit mostly from Cuyahoga County. They were part of the "Hundred-Day" men, militia from six different states organized for 100 days national service, an idea put forward by Ohio governor John Brough. The "Hundred-Day Men" would provide garrisons for cities or prisons, freeing longer-serving soldiers for front-line service. While this would have placed these part-time soldiers away from the fighting, Confederate raiders put the 150th Ohio on the front lines. Union reinforcements arrived and forced the Confederates to retreat and only a month later the 150th Ohio would muster out in Cleveland, undoubtedly proud of their short, but important, service.

07/04/2023

Happy Independence Day from the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument! We are open and also celebrating our 129th birthday! Join us at the monument, plant a flag in our garden and help us celebrate and honor those who fought for our nations independence!

07/03/2023

On July 3, 1880, Congressman James A. Garfield of Ohio-then the Republican Party’s candidate for President of the United States-traveled about seven miles from his Mentor, Ohio home to the neighboring town of Painesville. There he delivered the keynote address at the ceremony dedicating a new Sold...

07/03/2023

Thomas Galwey stared across the smoky field at the advancing enemy. By all rights Galwey shouldn't even be at Gettysburg with the men of Cleveland's Company B, 8th Ohio Infantry. Galwey was only 17 years old, but had already been serving in the 8th Ohio for two years. The men of the 8th Ohio were several hundred yards in advance of the rest of the Union army, while what looked to be thousands of Confederates were bearing down on them. As the enemy closed in, the 8th Ohio rose and poured a volley into their ranks, driving them back in confusion. Noticing that Confederate soldiers were passing them on their left flank, the 8th Ohio turned and began firing into them in turn, just as the main Union lined opened fire. The Confederate line wavered and and began to break, and soon they were streaming back to the rear. Not done for the day, men from the 8th Ohio charged forward, capturing Confederate soldiers and 4 battle-flags. Instead of being overrun, the 8th Ohio had just played a crucial role in defeating Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.

07/02/2023

Thank you for joining us for thus year's . The Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailor Monument was pleased to be one of the nearly 40 events and programs. We look forward to seeing you next year!

07/01/2023

Tomorrow is your final chance to participate in Cleveland History Days 2023! Find the schedule of events here and be sure to register for the Closing Celebration at the Bohemian National Hall at 4 P.M. http://clevelandhistorydays.com/

07/01/2023

The men of the 107th Ohio must have felt an uneasy feeling creeping over them on the early afternoon of July 1st, 1863. Almost two months earlier to the day, the men of the 107th had found themselves on the far right of the Union line at Chancellorsville when they were suddenly attacked by overwhelming Confederate forces. Now positioned on the far right of the Union line north of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the booming of Confederate artillery signaled the beginning of another attack. Caught up in the maelstrom of battle, the men of the 107th Ohio made a determined resistance, but were overwhelmed by superior numbers and forced to retreat. After attempting to make a stand near the town railroad station, the 107th would retreat back to Cemetery Hill south of town, joining the growing number of Union soldier gathering there. The terrible fighting north of town had cost the regiment dearly, as over 50 percent of the regiment was killed, wounded, or captured. Despite this, the Battle of Gettysburg was not over for the 107th Ohio. The largest battle fought in the Western Hemisphere was only just beginning.

06/30/2023

Please join us on July 4th to celebrate our nations independence and honor those who helped to maintain that freedom!

06/29/2023

With the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg only a couple of days away, why not come down to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and see our display on Ohio's contribution to this pivotal moment in United States history! We are open from 10 to 5:30 daily!

06/27/2023

June 27th Is National PTSD Awareness Day and here at the monument we currently have a display on PTSD, with a focus on one man, Daniel Stearns of the 104th Ohio. The display also includes a more general discussion on how PTSD has been diagnosed historically. Central to Daniel Stearns story is his relationship with his dog Harvey, a regimental mascot who became Daniel's comfort animal. Come visit our display and hear Daniel and Harvey's story on it's final week at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, open daily from 10 to 5:30.

06/23/2023

And we're off! The starts today with more than 50 events, including our own Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument! Learn more here: http://clevelandhistorydays.com/

06/22/2023

Cleveland History Days 2023 begins tomorrow June 23 and The Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument is proud to be one of the 50 events and 38 community partners making this celebration a reality! Learn more here: http://clevelandhistorydays.com/

06/19/2023

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free."

On June 19th, 1865, General Order No. 3 was issued by General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas. The subjct of this order is seen above, announcing to those
enslaved in Texas that slavery was abolished and they were now free. The following year the first commemoration was held to celebrate the event, called at the time
"Jubilee Day," before becoming Juneteenth in the 1890's. The celebration has grown in size and recognition over the years and in 2021 became our most recent national
holiday. Today we as a country celebrate emancipation and the ending of slavery in the United States.

06/18/2023

Happy Father's Day from the Soldiers and Sailor Monument!

06/16/2023

We would like to send a tremendous thank you to the family and descendants of Daniel Fields, Dr. Kregg Burris of the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, Milano Monuments and everyone involved in making today's headstone dedication a huge success! It is our honor to help recognize Dan Fields' life and accomplishments!

06/16/2023

Join us today at 1:00 p.m. at the Erie Street Cemetery as we dedicate a headstone to Daniel Fields and his family. Dan was a Caretaker at the monument and served as a model for one of the most prominent figures at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

06/14/2023

Born this day in 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote one of the best-selling novels of the 19th Century, one that also helped bring attention to the evils of slavery, as well as stoking the flames of national discord. First published as a weekly serial in 1851 and then as a novel the following year, Uncle Tom's Cabin was one of the
first novels to deal openly with the issue of slavery in the United States. Stowe based her novel on first-hand written accounts from formerly enslaved men and women as well as first-hand accounts from those interviewed by Stowe herself. Selling over 300,000 copies in the United States in its first year, Uncle Tom's Cabin brought the plight of those enslaved home to many white Americans who had no real idea of the horrors of slavery. It also caused a significant backlash from many in the South, who regarded Uncle Tom's Cabin as an attack on slavery, which it was. Coming at a time when the argument over slavery was growing louder and louder, Stowe's work helped to enflame passions that would ultimately lead to the Civil War.

06/09/2023

On this date in 1863, the largest cavalry battle of the Civil War took place at Brandy Station in Virginia. Up to this point of the war, the Union Cavalry in the Eastern Theater had been something of a laughingstock, usually outclassed by their Southern counterparts. The clash between the mounted arms of the Union Army of the Potomac and Confederate Army of Northern Virginia saw over 20,000 men engaged. While the Confederate cavalry would eventually hold off the Union attacks, the Union cavalry had held their own and would gradually become a dominant force during the rest of the war.

06/05/2023

Though born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, William Creighton would forever be memorialized for his service from Cuyahoga County. A printer with the Cleveland Herald when the Civil War began, Creighton helped form what became Company A of the 7th Ohio Infantry. Promoted to Colonel in March 1862,he led the regiment in some of its bloodiest battles, including Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Transferred to the Western Theater, William Creighton would be killed at the Battle of Ringgold, Tennessee on November 27th 1863 while leading the men of the 7th . William Creighton was buried in Woodland Cemetery and a bronze bust of of the colonel sits in the Memorial Room at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.