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Vicksburg National Military ParkWisconsin Memorial
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Vicksburg National Military Park
Wisconsin Memorial
Wisconsin memorial
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Wisconsin Memorial

The Wisconsin State Memorial is located on Union Avenue at milepost 2.9 of the park tour road. It was constructed from Winnsboro, SC, granite and stands 122 feet in height. A bronze statue of "Old Abe" the war eagle, mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry, sits atop the monument. It was erected at a cost of $90,644 and dedicated on May 22, 1911. The memorial features bronze tablets with the names of the 9,075 Wisconsin troops who fought at Vicksburg, and a relief tablet at the base of the column picture a Union and Confederate soldier with hands clasped in friendship to symbolize the peace which now exists between the states. The sculptor was Julius Loester.

Did You Know?  

Did You Know?
President Abraham Lincoln, in speaking of Vicksburg's importance, is reputed to have stated early during the Civil War, "See what a lot of land these fellows hold, of which Vicksburg is the key, the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket."

Last Updated: October 15, 2008 at 14:48 EST