The Friend to Friend Memorial in the Gettysburg National Park was dedicated on August 21st 1993 and is located in the corner of the park that is to the direct left of the entrance. When you are in the park it is hard to find as the area is behind a stone wall and there is not, as of my last visit a few years ago, any clear marking or pathway to it while you walk on National Cemetery Drive. There is an entrance and walkway from the street it faces, Steinwehr Avenue, but it is easy to miss you you enter through the parks main entrance. The statue itself is huge and is surrounded by a wall featuring every state that was in the union at the time of the Civil War.
The site used to be an old garage and gravel parking lot before the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania had a statue design approved by the National Park Service and, together with other Grand Lodges, contributed enough for the redesign of the space. Gone were was the run-down garage and in it's place a beautiful monument was erected. Not only that but the Masons involved also raised enough funds to construct a new entrance plaza, hand-capped accessible parking lot as well as providing a $25,000 maintenance endowment. Well done brothers, well done!
Here is a narrative of the event that inspired the memorial by Sheldon Munn and is located at this web site.
The memorial conceived and sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania, centers on a monument of two sculpted bronze figures atop a large granite base. The figures portray the historically verified encounter between Confederate Brigadier General Lewis Addison Armistead and Captain Henry Harrison Bingham. Bingham was an aide to Union Major General Winfield Scott Hancock on Cemetery Ridge during Pickett's charge of July 3rd, 1863. This attack became known throughout the world as the "High Tide of the Confederacy."
Although Armistead and Hancock had been friends and fellow officers for many years, their political differences came between them at the outbreak of the Civil War. Armistead joined the newly formed Confederacy while Hancock chose to stay by the flag of the United States. Both officers served their countries well and were promoted into leadership positions.
After the two men went their separate ways, it was twenty-seven months before they were to meet again. This meeting finally took place on the battlefield remembered forever as "Gettysburg." During Pickett's charge, both officers were wounded. Armistead was mortally wounded and Hancock received a wound from which he would be in hospital care for many months. Armistead's cries for help were heard by several officers nearby, and it was a fellow fraternity brother, Captain Bingham, who arrived and offered aid to his fallen comrade-in-arms.
Armistead spoke of his close relationship with Hancock and he asked Captain Bingham to relay a message to his old friend. He entrusted his personal effects to the captain. Armistead died two days later at the George Spangler farm hospital site.
Read the Gettysburg Times newspaper featuring a cover story about the dedication.
Visit the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to read an article on the monument.
If you do visit try to stop by the towns lodge, Good Samaritan Lodge #336.
No comments:
Post a Comment