When I arrived in Mechanicville, I saw (literally) signs of Elmer Ellsworth everywhere. Ellsworth Avenue is one of the first street signs travellers from the south see upon arriving in the community.
The city has erected an historical marker letting you know that this is his final resting place. The marker needs repainting.
When I drove into the Hudson View Cemetery where his remains were laid to rest, the first thing I saw was a sign directing me to “Col. E.E. Ellsworth Grave Site/Monument.” I actually turned left before the sign and drove up a short paved road that turned into a dirt road to get to his grave. The entrance to the cemetery that is closest to the grave is on S Street.
Elmer Ellsworth was not a professional soldier, but he had become famous even before the Civil War as the organizer of a military drill team modelled on the French North African Zouaves. A law clerk in Abraham Lincoln’s Springfield office, Ellsworth made appearances in packed houses with his company of men demonstrating the new light infantry drill imported from the Old World. When the Civil War erupted, he organized a regiment of Zouaves, drawing volunteers from New York City’s firemen. The Fire Zouaves were among the first units to arrive in Washington to defend the Capital and Ellsworth became symbolic of the young men, he was only 24 years of age, willing to lay down their lives for their country. As a friend of Abraham Lincoln, he had ready access to the highest levels of government and many expected him to have a bright and heroic future.
On May 24, 1861, the Fire Zouaves crossed the Potomac River from Washington and landed in Alexandria, Virginia. Ellsworth had seen a Confederate flag flying over the Marshall House hotel in Alexandria and when his regiment passed the hostelry he went into the building and climbed up the stairs to remove it. As he came down the stairs, the owner of the Marshall House, James Jackson, fired his shotgun into Ellsworth’s chest, killing him. The murderer was himself killed by Corporal Francis Brownell of the Fire Zouaves.
As I made the brief drive along the dirt path, a white sign pointed me to the Ellsworth plot in the Hudson View Cemetery. Ellsworth was brought to the cemetery after funerals forr him in Washington, New York City, and Albany. A flagpole was put up and a volunteer raised and lowered the flag each day. In 1874, thirteen years after his killing, the Ellsworth Monument was unveiled. In the photo below, its is to the rear left, the tallest monument, with an eagle topping the column.
I walked to the Ellsworth grave and was impressed by the large and extremely well-cared for monument to the young colonel often described as the first Union officer to die in the Civil War. The New York Times described the monument in an 1874 article on its unveiling:
The monument is an octagonal shaft of Quincy granite and has what is called a “ten-cut” finish. It stands on an eminence and is plainly visible at a great distance. On the west side of the base is the word “ELLSWORTH” in relief, in polished letters. Set into the west face of the die is a bronze medallion of Ellsworth. It is a faithful likeness. The north front of the die has this inscription:” Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth, commander of the regiment of the New-York Fire Zouaves. Born at Malta, Saratoga County, N.Y., May 11, 1837. Killed at Alexandria, Va., May 224, 1861, in taking the first rebel flag of the war for the Union. The Volunteer Fire Department of New York co-operated in the erection of this monument.” On the east side of the die is a slab of white marble, on which is carved a unique and beautiful coat-of-arms, copied from a drawing made by Ellsworth. A rifle, sword, pistol, bayonet, flag, and other implements of war are tastefully arranged underneath a shield, on which appear the initials, “E. E. E.” Underneath this coat-of-arms is the well-known extract from a letter written to his parents a little before setting out on the expedition on which he met his death—“I am content, confident that He who noteth even the fall of a sparrow will have some purpose even in the fate of one like me.” Directly in front of the east side is the grave of the patriotic young soldier. At the head stands a granite slab bearing the inscription, “Elmer.” On the south side of the shaft gilt letters tell that, “The State of New-York united in commemorating the patriotism of Col. Ellsworth by contributing out of the public funds to the erection of this monument. —Chapter 760, laws of 1873.” A beautiful shield is carved midway up the shaft, and surmounting allis an eagle in bronze, with outstretched wings.
The grave is inside a small enclosure with the “Ellsworth” name on the gate. You can open the gate to walk inside.
The front of the monument has a bas relief portrait of Ellsworth. The column is emblazoned with an American shield. To the right of the Ellsworth monument are two graves marked “MOTHER” and “FATHER.”
The Ellsworth portrait has a streamer with the word “EXCELSIOR” on it. This is the state motto of New York meaning “Ever Upward.”
Ellsworth’s head is encircled with a laurel wreath. The medallion is bronze.
The monument is made of Quincy Granite. It is five feet square at the base and twenty-five feet high.
The three-hundred pound bronze eagle atop the monument was the pride of Mechanicville until 1997 when it was stolen. Fortunately, an antique dealer returned it a year later.
The monument was erected in November, 1873. Because of delays in finishing the monument, the Ellsworth Monument Association decided to delay the official dedication until May 27, 1874, the anniversary of Ellsworth’s burial thirteen years earlier.
On the day of the dedication, special trains arrived bearing guests from Albany and Troy. Many local people also attended, as did veterans of the Fire Zouaves. An estimated six to eight thousand people filled the cemetery.
Before the ceremony, a parade with marching bands headed from the Mechanicville train station to the cemetery. At the gravesite a number of prominent men spoke, including Francis Brownell, “Ellsworth’s Avenger.” Brownell had accompanied Ellsworth into Marshall House and had killed James Jackson.
Next to the monument to Ellmer Elworth are the headstones to his mom and dad.
On the reverse side of the monument is a white marble coat of arms based on a drawing by Ellsworth. Beneath it is a quote from a letter from Ellsworth to his parents sent shortly before his death.
The coat of arms includes weapons ancient and “modern.” On the shield in the foreground are the letters E E E, Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth’s initials.
During the ceremony at the grave, Lincoln’s letter to Ellsworth’s parents was read:
After the monument was unveiled, the crowd marched back into town to a giant tent erected for a commemorative dinner.
After the ceremony, the Association published an account of its handling of the money it had raised.
The monument is a fine example of Civil War Era commemorative art and well-worth visiting.
About fifteen minutes away in Malta, New York is the site where Ellsworth was born. A bell marks the old parade ground where Civil War soldiers trained in 1861. Of course Ellsworth did not train his men here, they were recruited and trained in New York City. The bell is at the intersection of Dunning Street and U.S. 9.
Near the bell is an historical marker identifying this as the area where Ellsworth was born, although his childhood home does not remain and other 19th Century structures have been cleared for strip malling.
Malta’s Ellsworth Blvd. marks where the Zouave was born.
Here is pre-Civil War Elmer Ellworth.
Sources:
Exercises Connected with the Unveiling of the Ellsworth Monument
Good Book on Elmer Ellsworth:
First Fallen: The Life of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, the North’s First Civil War Hero (2021) by Meg Groeling is a terrific biography of the young man.
Follow Reconstruction Blog on Social Media:
I drove by Ellsworth’s sign in Mechanicsville NY yesterday, but didn’t have time to circle back to read it. On line, I found the sign and your article. I will definately visit the cemetery on the hill next time in area. I knew most general things about Elmore including that he was from NY but not where he was born and buried,
Thanks for the post.
I saw your excellent article and rode my bike up from Delmar to see the monument. Glad I did. Great American hero. Thanks for posting
Very good.