Before the 250th Anniversary of the start of the Revolution, my wife and I visited Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. During my planning for the trip I saw that there were a number of Civil War memorials in the two towns. Only one was erected by a private individual. The others were erected by the governments or historical organizations. In Sleepy Hollow Cemetery on the edge of Concord you can explore a number of Civil War graves, as well as famous authors connected to the war like Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau. But I noted that there was a monument there that is so prominent that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has a copy of it!
We went into the cemetery and saw off to the left of the access road a large sign explaining the monument.
The sign tells about the monument and the three brothers whose death during the Civil War led to its erection.
The monument was restored and rededicated in 2019, so it has had a lot of attention.
The monument, called Mourning Victory, was designed by Daniel Chester French. He was the artist who sculpted the seated Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. According to the Metropolitan Museum, by “1897, the Boston businessman James C. Melvin had commissioned a funerary monument from French to honor his three brothers who had died in the Civil War.” The monument in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery was unveiled in 1908. In 1912, Melvin donated money to the Metropolitan to have a replica carved.
The Mourning Victory stands over the three Melvin Brothers who died in the Civil War. You can see the three graves below the statue. According to the Metropolitan Museum; “The massive figure of Mourning Victory emerges from the block of stone projecting two moods: melancholy, in her downcast eyes and somber expression, and triumph, in the American flag and laurel she holds high. French captured the sense of calm after the storm of battle, which must have referred to the pride, after the sorrow of grieving, felt by the surviving brother.”
There were four brothers. James C. Melvin became rich after the war and he wanted to remember his brothers Asa H., John H., and Samuel Melvin. They died in the three most common ways. John died of disease in a Union hospital in New Albany, Virginia. Samuel died in prison at Andersonville, and Asa died from battle wounds.
The brothers enlisted in Company K, First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. As you may know, when Ulysses S. Grant became the Union commander, he took many companies away from manning the heavy artillery outside of Washington and converted them into improvised infantry. That is what happened to the brothers’ unit.
The First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery joined the Overland Campaign in May of 1864. Its heaviest loss came at the Battle of Spotsylvania. Below is a photo taken in 1864 showing the men of the First Massachusetts burying their wounded comrades at Spotsylvania.
Asa was the oldest brother. He enlisted right at the start of the war in April, 1861.
Samuel Melvin was in the Overland Campaign and on May 19, 1864, he was taken prisoner during the Battle of Spotsylvania. He was taken to the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Ga. on June 3. He developed diarrhea on Sept. 13. In his diary on Sept. 14 he said his condition was “very bad and will soon carry me off, if it is not checked, I am afraid. It is too bad, for I should hate to have my anticipations fail now, for they are so near their termination or beginning.” On September 15, 1864 he wrote “Lay on my back all day… can’t eat much… for it goes directly through me… As things look now, I stand a good chance to lay my bones in old Ga., but I’d hate to as bad as one can, for I want to go home.” He died on Sept. 25, 1864.
An inscription tells the purpose of the monument:
IN MEMORY OF THREE BROTHERS BORN IN CONCORD
WHO AS PRIVATE SOLDIERS GAVE THEIR
LIVES IN THE WAR TO SAVE THE COUNTRY
THIS MEMORIAL IS PLACED HERE BY THEIR SURVIVING
BROTHER, HIMSELF A PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE SAME WAR.
“I WITH UNCOVERED HEAD
SALUTE THE SACRED DEAD
WHO WENT AND WHO RETURN NOT.”
James, the surviving brother, was too young to enlist at the start of the war. When he got older he joined the army in 1864.
The First Massachusetts took it greatest loss at Harris Farm on May 19, 1864 at Spotsylvania. The First Massachusetts lost 55 men killed, 312 wounded, and 27 missing or captured, more than half of its troops. This is where Samuel was captured.
Asa was killed on June 16, 1864 during an attack at Petersburg.
When I travel with my wife, as I am taking a picture of a monument she is taking a picture of me taking a picture of a monument. Michele Ascione took the picture below.
Sculptor Daniel Chester French is best known for the Lincoln Memorial, but his second most popular work is just a ten minute ride from the Melvin Memorial. This is the famous Minuteman statue at Concord Bridge.
All color photos (except the picture of me) are by Pat Young. The picture of me was taken by Michele Ascione.
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