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On the Imperishable Face of Granite: Civil War Monuments and the Evolution of Historical Memory in East Tennessee 1878-1931

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On the Imperishable Face of Granite: Civil War Monuments and the Evolution of Historical Memory in East Tennessee 1878-1931 East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 12-2011 On the Imperishable Face of Granite: Civil War Monuments and the Evolution of Historical Memory in East Tennessee 1878-1931. Kelli Brooke Nelson East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Cultural History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Nelson, Kelli Brooke, "On the Imperishable Face of Granite: Civil War Monuments and the Evolution of Historical Memory in East Tennessee 1878-1931." (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1389. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1389 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “On the Imperishable Face of Granite”: Civil War Monuments and the Evolution of Historical Memory in East Tennessee, 1878-1931, _____________________ A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of History East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in History _____________________ by Kelli B. Nelson December 2011 _____________________ Dr. Steven E. Nash, Chair Dr. Andrew L. Slap Dr. Stephen G. Fritz Dr. Tom D. Lee Civil War, East Tennessee, memory, monuments ABSTRACT “On the Imperishable Face of Granite”: Civil War Monuments and the Evolution of Historical Memory in East Tennessee, 1878-1931 by Kelli B. Nelson After the Civil War individuals throughout the country erected monuments dedicated to the soldiers and events of the conflict. In East Tennessee these memorials allowed some citizens to promote their ideas by invoking both Union and Confederate Civil War sympathies. Initially, East Tennesseans endorsed the creation of a Unionist image to advertise the region’s potential for industrialization. By 1910 this depiction waned as local and northern whites joined to promote reconciliation and Confederate sympathizers met less opposition to their ideas than in the past. After 1919 white East Tennesseans, enmeshed in the boom and bust cycles of the national economy, reasserted “traditional” values. Local women of the United Daughters of the Confederacy mythologized Confederate soldiers, antebellum white women, and humble slaves of the past to calm the tensions of the present. By 1931 they ensured that the region’s history was unequivocally tied to a Confederate image despite its Unionist heritage. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge those who helped make this thesis possible. First, I would like to thank my thesis advisor Dr. Steven Nash who consistently challenged and encouraged me to improve throughout this process. His knowledge, willingness, and dedication made this project possible. I would also like to thank other members of the East Tennessee State University History Department faculty and staff, including my thesis committee: Dr. Andrew Slap, Dr. Stephen Fritz, and Dr. Tom Lee. In addition, Dr. Melvin Page played an important role in my career at ETSU and I would like to express my gratitude. Both Sharon Chandler and Kathy Hurt also lent great amounts of encouragement and assistance. I appreciate everything they have done for me and for all us on the first floor of Rogers-Stout Hall. I also want to extend my thanks to my graduate colleagues, many of whom have become close, and life-long friends. I would especially like to acknowledge Brandi McCloud who reminded me that there was hope even when I was “lost in the ocean,” and Kim Woodring who consistently encouraged me “on to the next.” I would also like to thank the staff of the Heritage Alliance of Jonesborough, Tennessee for their support. In addition I want to express many thanks to the staff of the Sherrod Library for their assistance with circulation, microfilm, and Inter Library Loans. The ETSU Graduate School also provided me with financial assistance that greatly aided in my research endeavors. Lastly, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to my family: My father David Nelson, who taught his children to work hard; my sister Cortney Nelson, who has always been there to laugh with me; and my mother Terri Nelson, who is my inspiration and strength. 3 CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. 3 LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 7 2. “IN BRONZE AND STONE”: UNIONISM AND MONUMENT BUILDING IN EAST TENNESSEE, 1878-1901 ............................................................................................ 19 Andrew Johnson Gravesite Monument, 1878 .......................................................... 25 Ohio’s Tribute to Andrews’s Raiders, 1891 ............................................................. 28 Bethel Cemetery Monument, 1892 .......................................................................... 34 Farragut Birthplace Monument, 1900 ....................................................................... 39 Knoxville National Cemetery Monument, 1901 ....................................................... 43 3. “NOW CLASP A BROTHER’S HAND”: MONUMENTS AND THE PROGRESS OF RECONCILIATION, 1910-1919 ................................................................................ 48 New York Peace Monument, 1910 .......................................................................... 52 Cleveland Memorial to Confederate Dead, 1911 ..................................................... 58 Confederate Fort Sanders Monument, 1914 ............................................................ 64 New York Highlanders Monument, 1918 ................................................................. 68 Greeneville Union Soldiers Monument, 1919 .......................................................... 73 4 4. “TO KEEP GREEN SOUTHERN VALOR”: EAST TENNESSEE UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY AND THE MAKING OF A CONFEDERATE TRADITION, 1920-1931 .................................................................................................................... 80 Erwin Memorial, 1930 ............................................................................................. 87 General Morgan Monument, 1931 ........................................................................... 92 Johnson City Training Camp Monument, 1931 ....................................................... 96 5. EPILOGUE ................................................................................................................... 102 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 112 VITA .................................................................................................................................... 122 5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Andrew Johnson Grave ..................................................................................................... 26 2. Andrews’s Raiders Monument .......................................................................................... 29 3. Bethel Confederate Monument ......................................................................................... 35 4. Farragut Birthplace Monument ......................................................................................... 40 5. Knoxville Union Soldiers Monument ............................................................................... 44 6. New York Peace Monument ............................................................................................. 53 7. Cleveland Confederate Monument.................................................................................... 59 8. Fort Sanders Confederate Monument ............................................................................... 65 9. New York Highlanders Monument ................................................................................... 69 10. Greeneville Union Soldiers Monument............................................................................. 74 11. Erwin Confederate Monument .......................................................................................... 88 12. General Morgan Monument .............................................................................................. 93 13. Johnson City Training Camp Monument .......................................................................... 97 14. Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Map .................................................................. 105 15. Pottertown Bridge-Burners Monument ........................................................................... 108 16. East Hill Confederate Monument .................................................................................... 110 6 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION “This morning a man (southern) [sic ] named Cox was in Tooles store when a Lincolnite named Foster came in shook hands with him, inquired after
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