Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-07-20
THE RED BANK BATTLE MONUMENT

Trenton aud Camden papers have adj
vanced the suggestion that the erection Of a
monument at Red Bank should not be
merely matter of State and county inter-
est but that both the National government
and the State Of Rhode Island might con-
slider ii 4 privilege to be invited to contrib
ute to the erection Of the monuments that
is TO mark an event in which all have a
common patriotic interest. We haye seen
sketches Of two designs for the monument
that the committee have in contemplation.
They provide for shaft forty feet high,
surmouuted by soldier in Colonial uni
form
They are both very pretty and as far as
they 60, very appropriate designs. But
when compared with monuments that mark
the fields Of the battles Of Monmouth and
Trenton will be insignificant, indeed.
The shaft at Monmouth is near one hum
dred feet in height and description there
of viii be interesting in this Connection:
s.The monument is located in beauti-
full triangular park Of little over three
acres at the junction of Court and Monu-
ment streets, Freehold Its base cores
ponds in form to the Park, being an equi-
lateral triangle composed of three massive
spurs Of granite, surmounted at the point
Of contact by a large drum-shaped block on
which are FIVE bronze tablets five feet high
and six feet wide, illustrative Of scenes OF
the battle Above these is a smaller drum
sloping to contact with the shaft and sur
mounted at the intersection with ring Of
bronze shields bearing the arms of the
thirteen original States. Springing from
these comes the shaft proper, consisting Of
three sections OF eleven feet each, joined
together by rings Of bay leaves cut in the
granite Surmounting the shaft is a COM
posite capital, with flying eagles springing
from its interstices- Upon the capital
stands colossal granite statue, Liberty
Triumphant The height to the top of the
statue is within a fraction Of one hundred
feet.
sThe design is a simple one and yet it
has distinct character in its details and
general appearance, that distinguish it from
any other monuments. The shaft is Of Con-
cord granite and the base Of Quincy granite
both fne-axed. z
The contract price of the monument was
S36 600 of which $4,000 was contributed
by the State, 500, 900 by Congress and the
sum Of $40, 1000 by private subscription.
The dedication took place in 1884
The GLOUCESTER COUNTY DEMOCRAT has
no idea of ~butting into'' the plans Of the
Red Bank Monument Commission, but we
beleye the battle Of Red Bank is as big in
the true history of the Revolution as Mon
mouth; we believe Congress is as patriotic
in 1905 as in 1884 and would freely supple
ment new Jerseys appropriation with not
less than $50, 900 and that Rhode Island
would consider it privilege to be invited
to aid in marking the spot on Jersey soil
where her sons won imperishable renown.
We suggest that this subject be brought
to the attention Of the q. S. Senators and
Congressman of New Jersey, also the sena-
tors, Congressman and Governor Of Rhode
Island, and that the nation, and Little
Rhody' be given an opportunity Of joining
our State in the erection of a monument in
harmony with the event it is designed to
commemorate.
Monuments are built for all time and are
an index of the spirit Of the age in which
they are erected, hence let US make this
monument true measure Of the patriotism
of the generation of 1905.
The DEMOCRAT opens its columns for ex-
| pressions Of opinions on this subject
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