Iowa State Memorial Monument: Shiloh National Military Park

The state monument was designed by F. E. Triebel of New York City and is composed of Barre, Vermont, granite and United States standard bronze. The base is thirty-four feet square and rests on a solid foundation of concrete nine feet thick. The monument is seventy-five feet high. Surmounting the main shaft is a bronze capital, globe and eagle fifteen feet ten inches in height—the wings of the eagle are fifteen feet from tip to tip. Ascending the steps at the base of the monument is the symbolical bronze statue of “Fame” inscribing a tribute of homage in the granite. The height of the figure “Fame” is twelve feet six inches. The monument stands upon a commanding eminence overlooking the National Cemetery and the Tennessee River. The cost of the monument was twenty-five thousand dollars.

The inscriptions on the monument read:

[On shield and ribbon at top of monument:]

E PLURIBUS UNUM

[On the front of the monument:]

THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED

BY THE STATE OF IOWA

IN COMMEMORATION

OF THE LOYALTY PATRIOTISM

AND BRAVERY OF HER SONS

WHO ON THIS BATTLEFIELD

OF SHILOH

ON THE 6th AND 7^th DAYS OF APRIL

A D  MDCCCLXII

FOUGHT TO PERPETUATE

THE SACRED UNION

IOWA

[On the left side of monument:]

THE WORLD

WILL LITTLE NOTE

NOR LONG REMEMBER

WHAT WE SAY HERE

BUT IT CAN NEVER FORGET

WHAT THEY DID HERE

[In the bronze wreath of oak and laurel]

IOWA

IN

MEMORY OF SHILOH.

[On the back of the monument:]

REGIMENTS ENGAGED

2d INFANTRY, Lt. Col. JAMES BAKER,

3d INFANTRY, Maj. W. M. STONE,

6th INFANTRY, Capt. J. W. WILLIAMS,

7th INFANTRY, Lt. Col. J. C. PARROTT

8th INFANTRY, Col. J. L. GEDDES

11th INFANTRY, Lt. Col. WILLIAM HALL

12th INFANTRY, Col. J. J. WOODS

13th INFANTRY, Col. M. M. CROCKER

14th INFANTRY, Col. W. T. SHAW

15th INFANTRY, Col. H. T. REID

16th INFANTRY, Col. ALEX. CHAMBERS

IOWA SOLDIERS COMMANDING BRIGADES

Col. A. M. HARE, 11th IOWA, (Wounded)

1st BRIG., 1st DIV.

Col. M. M. CROCKER, 13th IOWA.

1st BRIG., 2d DIV.

Col. J. M. TUTTLE, 2d IOWA.

1st BRIG., 4th DIV.

Col. N. G. WILLIAMS, 3d IOWA, (Wounded)

3d BRIG., 4th DIV.

Brig. Gen. J. G. LAUMAN

1st BRIG., 5th DIV.

Col. J. A. McDOWELL, 6th IOWA.

[On the right side of monument:]

[A bronze figure of fame engraves the following:]

BRAVE OF THE BRAVE, THE TWICE FIVE THOUSAND MEN

WHO ALL THAT DAY STOOD IN THE BATTLE'S SHOCK

FAME HOLDS THEM DEAR, AND WITH IMMORTAL PEN

INSCRIBES THEIR NAMES ON THE ENDURING ROCK.

SOURCES: Alonzo Abernathy, Editor, Dedication of Monuments Erected By The State Of Iowa, p. 289-91;  Shiloh Monument Location Stystem;  My own transcription taken directly from the monument itself.