Illinois Memorial

During the American Civil War, 36,325 Illinoisans served in the Union Army under general Ulysses S. Grant in the Vicksburg campaign.[1][2][3][4][note 1] This large number of troops represented approximately 20% of the Union Army's forces during the campaign.[3][note 2] The campaign culminated in the siege of Vicksburg, which ended in a Union victory on July 4, 1863, and ultimately led to U.S. control of the Mississippi River. The victory, coming a day after the Union victory at the battle of Gettysburg, is sometimes considered a turning point of the American Civil War.[2]

In 1904, the government of Illinois appropriated over $190,000 (20% of their budget for that year) for the erection of a monument on the battlefield, now known as the Vicksburg National Military Park.[3] The monument was designed by architect William Le Baron Jenney and sculptor Charles Mulligan. Jenney had previously served in the Union Army during the war and was later honored with a monument on the battlefield that was unveiled in 1911. The construction was carried out by the Culver Construction Company, with William B. Mundie serving as the general contractor.[4] An additional sculpture in the memorial was designed by Frederick Hibbard, who would later design an equestrian statue of Grant in the park.[4] Construction began in mid-1906 and was completed by October of that year.[3] The total cost for the memorial, paid for by the state of Illinois, was $194,423.92.[4]

The memorial was dedicated on October 26, 1906, in a ceremony attended by several thousand spectators, with many Illinois veterans travelling to the site via the Illinois Central Railroad. A large parade through the park was held as part of the event. A band performed several musical numbers, including "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground", "Dixie", "America", and "The Star-Spangled Banner".[3] Illinois Governor Charles S. Deneen transferred ownership of the memorial to the U.S. government, and it was accepted by J. S. Schofield of the U.S. Department of War.[4]

In the 1980s, the memorial underwent some restoration that included repointing and cleaning in the interior.[6] In 1996, members of the Illinois Army National Guard and Mississippi Army National Guard participated in a joint activity near the memorial called the Blue and Gray Staff Ride, where they reenacted part of an assault on the location and held a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial.[5] That same year, the statue of an eagle on the memorial was regilded, and several years later, additional gilding work was performed to the memorial.[6] On October 28, 2006, a rededication ceremony was held on the 100th anniversary of the memorial.[3]