The Civil War Soldiers’ Memorial in White Plains, New York is itself a product of the Reconstruction Era. Erected by the veterans of the war in 1872, it turned 150 years old on July 4 of this year! It is easily reached by visitors to White Plains and it is located in TIbbits Park on the corner of Main Street and South Broadway. White Plains is a thriving city in Westchester in New York’s attractive Hudson River Valley.
The statue is set in a well-visited park promenade called Tibbits Park which has a number of historical monuments and plaques, including signage describing the Revolutionary War Battle of White Plains. The location in the park where the Civil War is commemorated is beautifully landscaped with a fountain bursting forth right across the street.
The city has a number of buildings nearby from the time of the Civil War, but it also is a center of modern business. Gatherings are held in the park that can be well-attended. There are many benches here for relaxation.
Here is the view from the statue.
The 150 year-old memorial is well-maintained and there are extensive floral plantings around it.
A variety of old-growth trees provide shade for those strolling the park on a sunny day.
Here you can glimpse the statue to the right of the fountain and flag pole.
The front of the base of the statue contains the dedication: “To the Soldiers of White Plains who died in the Service of their Country in the Civil War 1861-65.”
The rear of the base memorializes the erection of the statue: “Erected by their Late Comrades and the Town of White Plains July 4, 1872.”
The sides of the base list those soldiers from White Plains who gave their lives in the service of the the United States.
The Historical Marker Data Base has transcribed the names of the dead listed on the base as:
(South face)
6. N.Y. Heavy Artillery • 1st Lieut. Horton R. Platt Co. C • Sergt. Andrew M. Bocart. Co. B • Corpl. Francis Breckels Co. B • Frank Bleakley Co. B 6 • Joseph T. Hatfield Co. B • Daniel O. Creeno Co. B. 6 • Abraham S. Dobbs Co. B • Simeon See Co. B • Victor M. Collins Co. B • Thomas G.S. Yerks Co .B • Patrick Burns Co. B • Stephen Odell Co. B • William O’Brien Co. B • Adam Fowler Co. K
(North face):
2nd Lieut. George F. Rysdyk Co. K 67 NYI • Corp. Richard Shampnois Co. M 7 NYHA • William Dibble Co. A 27 NYI • Jesse Hoyt Co. A 27 NYI • Azariah Horton Co. B 48 NYI • Michael Donovan Co. F 164 NYI • Abijah Wilcox Co. I 95 NYI • Frederick Y. Fountain Co. E 16 NYSY • George Weeks Co. C 1 MRS • Christopher Pausch Co. F 9 NYI • Henry Alexander Co. K 95 NYI • Samuel Lyon Co. K 95 NYI
Many were members of the 6th New York Heavy Artillery, known as the Anthony Wayne Guard. The unit was originally recruited as the 135th New York Volunteer Infantry and mustered into service in nearby Yonkers. Recruited in 1862, this Hudson Valley unit spent most of its time guarding important infrastructure until 1864 when it joined Grant’s Overland Campaign and the 1864 Campaign in the Valley.
According to the New York State Military Museum, the regiment was assigned to these brigades, divisions, and corps over its three year existence:
“the regiment served at Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., defenses of the Upper Potomac, from January, 1863; in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Corps, from March 27, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Corps, from June, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 3d Corps, Army of Potomac, from July 10, 1863; with the Reserve Artillery, Army of Potomac, as Ammunition Guard from August, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, Reserve Artillery, Army of Potomac, from April, 1864; in the Heavy Artillery Brigade, 5th Corps, from May 13, 1864; in the 3d Division, 5th Corps, from May 30, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, 5th Corps, from June 2, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, Harden’s Division, 22d Corps, from July, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, Kitching’s Provisional Division, Army of the Shenandoah, from September 27, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, Ferrero’s Division, Army of the James, at Bermuda Hundred, Va., from December, 1864. It served as heavy artillery and infantry.”
While the statue appears to be stone, it is, in fact, Zinc. Statues of Zinc were erected in a number of New York sites after the war. Zinc allowed for very realistic depictions of soldiers. Unfortunately is has not proved to be as durable as granite or other metals used for statuary.
Near the Civil War Memorial is a festively decorated gazebo that is sometimes used for events.
If you have visited the statue at Tibbits Park, let us know what you thought in the comments.
White Plains is a city of 60,000 people, but more than two hundred thousand more people come to the city each day to shop, work, or dine. At the time of the Civil War, the entire County of Westchester only had 100,000 people.
Note: All color photos were taken by Pat Young.
Thank you for writing this. I’ve driven by this monument countless times but didn’t know it had a list of WP’s fallen. The 6NYHA was a huge reserve unit (about 4000 men served in it at various times) that had three bad days where it suffered almost all its combat casualties: Harris Farm at Spottsylvania (5/19/64); Totopotomoy Creek (5/30/64); and their disaster at Cedar Creek (10/19/64) where they were overrun and lost their young commanding officer Col. J. Howard Kitching (post prom to BG).
I did not know it had nearly 4,000 men. Thanks.