How to Use the Images

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Photo 3: The Confederate monument
at Rivers Bridge, front.

Photo 4: The Confederate monument
at Rivers Bridge, rear.

In 1876 the Confederate soldiers killed in the battle of Rivers Bridge were reburied in a single grave near the battlefield. Local people have come to the site every year since then to commemorate the battle and pay tribute to the dead in an annual memorial day service. Like similar services held throughout the country, these memorials recall the sacrifices made by the thousands of men who fell during the Civil War.

Inscription on front of monument:

Inscription on rear of monument:

Questions for Photos 3 and 4

1. Examine Photos 3 and 4 showing the front and rear of the monument erected in the late 1870s over the mass Confederate grave at Rivers Bridge. Read the inscriptions and look closely at the monument's shape and style. What does the monument resemble? What sentiments does it express about the dead Confederate soldiers? Do you notice anything unusual about the inscription on the front of the monument? (If needed, refer to Setting the Stage to help answer this question.)

2. There is no monument to the Union dead at Rivers Bridge. Why do you think that is so?

3. Do you think it is important for members of a community to commemorate important events that occurred there? Why or why not?

* The photos on this screen have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a larger version of Photo 3 and Photo 4, but be aware that each file will take as much as 30 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.