The Blue and the Gray

TWO CIVIL WAR memorials are located near each other in Saint Louis' Forest Park. One is dedicated to the Union side, the other to the Confederate. Here are photos of these monuments, along with their inscriptions.

TO REMIND

FUTURE GENERATIONS

OF THE HEROISM OF THE

GERMAN-AMERICAN PATRIOTS

OF ST. LOUIS AND VICINITY

IN THE CIVIL WAR OF

1861 TO 1865

GENERAL FRANZ SIGEL

TO THE MEMORY

OF THE

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS

OF THE

SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY,

WHO FOUGHT TO UPHOLD

THE RIGHT DECLARED BY

THE PEN OF JEFFERSON

AND ACHIEVED BY THE

SWORD OF WASHINGTON

WITH SUBLIME SELF SACRIFICE,

THEY

BATTLED TO PRESERVE

THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATES

WHICH WAS WON FROM

GREAT BRITAIN,

AND

TO PERPETUATE THE

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE

FATHERS

ACTUATED BY THE PUREST

PATRIOTISM

THEY PERFORMED DEEDS

OF PROWESS SUCH AS

THRILLED THE HEART OF

MANKIND WITH ADMIRATION

"FULL IN THE FRONT OF WAR THEY STOOD,"

AND DISPLAYED A COURAGE

SO SUPERB

THAT IT GAVE A NEW AND

BRIGHTER LUSTER TO THE

ANNALS OF VALOR.

HISTORY

CONTAINS NO CHRONICLE

MORE ILLUSTRIOUS THAN

THE STORY OF THEIR

ACHIEVEMENTS,

AND ALTHOUGH,

WORN OUT BY

CEASELESS CONFLICT

AND

OVERWHELMING NUMBERS,

THEY WERE FINALLY

FORCED TO YIELD.

THEIR GLORY, "ON BRIGHTEST PAGES

PENNED BY POETS AND BY SAGES,

SHALL GO SOUNDING DOWN THE AGES."

"WE HAD SACRED PRINCIPLES TO MAINTAIN AND RIGHTS

TO DEFEND FOR WHICH WE WERE IN DUTY BOUND TO DO

OUR BEST, EVEN IF WE PERISHED IN THE ENDEAVOR."

ROBERT E. LEE

ERECTED IN THE MEMORY OF

THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS

 OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES

BY THE UNITED DAUGHTERS

OF THE CONFEDERACY

OF SAINT LOUIS.