Discover the rich local history and evolution of the Soldiers' Plot monuments at Woodlawn Cemetery. From wooden grave markers to the grand statues, learn about the fascinating journey.
The Monuments of the the Soldiers' Plot
“Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal.”
― Ernest Hemingway
Before the Civil War, there was not a mandated procedure for marking soldiers’ graves. For those who died while in service, interment was frequently made somewhere in or near his outpost in whatever manner the commander saw fit. Also, there was no centralized system for recording those burials. On 11 Sep 1861, the U. S. War Department issued General Order 75 to meet the needs of a growing army and casualty list, providing for the marking of graves and recording of burials. The original grave markers were made of wood - a narrow board rounded at the top, bearing the soldier’s name, company and regiment. It soon became apparent that the cost of maintaining and replacing these wooden mark-ers (every five years or less) would far exceed that of stone markers. In 1873, a design was chosen for marble “or {other} durable stone” markers to be placed in the national cemeteries. They were to be 4 inches thick and stand 12 inches above the ground with a rounded top, like the familiar rows of headstones we see at national cemeteries today. On 3 Feb 1879, Congress authorized use of this stone design for veterans buried in private cemeteries, and many of the head-stones in the Soldiers’ Plot were ordered on 29 Nov of that year. It is unknown what type of grave marker was in place prior to that time. While they vary somewhat in height and design, this is a typical example:
The Civil War was essentially over in May of 1865, though it would not officially end until August of 1866. By late summer of 1865, a committee was formed in Clinton for the purpose of erecting a monument to the soldiers buried on Gideon’s hill. At their first meeting on August 26, they re-solved to accept bids from sculptors for a monument 30 feet high with a budget of $7000. By the time they
advertised it in late 1868, the specifics had changed a bit! The Monument Association also advertised for “subscriptions” or pledges of cash contributions from the general public. They made provisions to add the names of all DeWitt County soldiers to the base of the monument who died during Civil War service, plus veterans who died after the war and those who served with regiments outside DeWitt County, but were living here at their time of death. The contract was awarded to A. O. Baldwin, Esq., of Lincoln, who submitted the best design (and consequently the lowest bid). He was to be paid $2945 for his creation, but as of June 1869, they were still $745 short, so another series of ads went out imploring pledges to pay up. Eventually, the money was collected and the sculptor paid.
Meanwhile, an organization known as the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was formed and the first Post started in Decatur, Illinois on 6 Apr 1866. It was a fraternal group for Union Civil War veterans to provide assistance in a number of areas and relief for widows and orphans. It rapidly grew into hundreds of posts across several states, and the Frank Lowry Post in Clinton was a robust member. In early May 1868, the national commander-in-chief of the GAR, John A. Logan, declared May 30th to be Decoration Day, which morphed into today’s Memorial Day. It was meant for the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers to be decorated with flowers and remembered for their sacrifice. The first Decoration Day celebrated in Clinton was a grand affair with a parade that included 40 women carrying wreaths and flowers to lay at the 40 gravesites in the Soldiers’ Plot. The cornerstone for the first soldiers’ monument was set by 6 daughters of deceased soldiers on the 4th of July that year. One year later, on 3 Jul 1869, the completed monument was dedicated in a large ceremony involving a brass band, the mayor and city council, the widows and orphans of the dead soldiers, civic organizations, orators and clergymen and included the building of bleachers and printing of programs.
In 1879, the U. S. War Department began giving Parrott Cannons to GAR
Posts who wanted them for display. (This style of cannon had been replaced with a better, safer model.) The Frank Lowry Post in Clinton procured two of them for
the Soldiers’ Plot. The shipment included either 30 or 40 cannon balls (accounts vary), but those were donated to the WWI cause due to a shortage of iron. The cannons were mounted and scheduled to be dedicated on 13 Nov 1879, but the ceremony was postponed due to inclement weather. The stamped “1862 W. P. F.” on the lip indicates the year of manufacture and place – West Point Foundry.
The Frank Lowry Post GAR had an auxiliary called the Womens’ Relief Corps, formed in 1879. DeWitt County newspapers from that time through the mid-1900’s
are full of articles regarding the Clinton WRC. They met frequently, organizing fundraisers and providing support to disabled veterans, widows and orphans. (One must keep in mind there were no federal programs for assistance, and county
governments generally helped only the absolute destitute.) In 1898, the WRC raised funds to erect a 12-foot statue depicting a woman strewing flowers upon the graves of fallen soldiers. This monument and the cannons were dedicated in a ceremony that took place on Decoration Day, 29 May 1898. The WRC’s monument is meant to honor unknown Civil War soldiers and the 266 Marines whose lives were lost with the sinking of the USS Maine in February of 1898, contributing to the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Unfortunately, this lovely statue is missing her right hand.
The last monument to be placed at the Soldiers’ Plot was also the work of the Frank Lowry Women’s Relief Corps. It is a massive piece of granite with a bronze plaque that measures 5 feet in width and 4 feet, 10 inches in height. It lists the 457 names of all the Civil War soldiers buried in DeWitt County. It was dedicated in a ceremony held on Decoration Day, 28 May 1937.
In 1979, a bronze plaque was added to the base of the west cannon commemorating the origin of the Soldier’s Plot. It was donated by the “America Carter Tent 53 of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, Inc.” America Madden Carter and her husband Stephen K. Carter (also a veteran) worked tirelessly to assist veterans and their families, from securing pensions to placing headstones upon their graves. The Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War was founded in 1885, and while there is no longer a Clinton “Tent,” the organization still exists and is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois.
Many years later, a sign was put in place listing all the known soldiers in the Soldiers’ Plot as well as the location of each gravesite. By now, the lettering on many of the stones was nearly impossible to read, making documentation of those buried here even more important. The sign was dedicated on 29 Nov 2009, made possible by the Lincoln Heritage Committee of DeWitt County and Exelon Nuclear.
Over the years, the Soldiers’ Plot has been the focal point of countless
Memorial Day ceremonies. Quite a legacy from one lonely grave on a hill!
Sources:
DeWitt County newspaper archives on microfilm
Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865 (duvcw.org)
Terri Lemmel was born and raised in DeWitt County near Kenney. Upon completing her education at Clinton High School, she lived in Bloomington for several years before returning to Clinton in 1990. Her interest in genealogy was piqued in the mid-90s when she found unidentified obituaries in her late grandmother's scrapbook that family members could not identify. While she initially dabbled in the subject, it wasn't until her retirement in 2018 that she jumped in with both feet. Terri joined the Genealogical Society and has been serving as its President since 2022. Research is a passion of hers, and there are lots of interesting stories to uncover! You can find Terri in the DeWitt County Genealogical Society room at the Vespasian Warner Public Library every Thursday completing research and helping others with their family and local history research.
To learn more about the DeWitt County Genealogical Society, feel free to reach out to them via phone at 217-935-5174, email at dewittcgs@gmail.com, their website, or their Facebook page.
The Vespasian Warner Library, located at 310 N. Quincy St. in Clinton, IL, features an extensive collection of local history and archives. To learn more, visit our Local History Page on the website or stop by in person! We are always excited to showcase our local history resources and discuss DeWitt County's local history.
Until Next Time Library Friends!