Hello my name is Alissa Kane. I'm standing here in front of
the Hazen Brigade Monument a cube shaped limestone structure with
inscriptions carved into each side. The monuments is
surrounded by a limestone brick wall that's approximately 4 feet
tall. Now this monument has a complicated yet rich history. In
fact, the Hazen Brigade Monument is one of the earliest Civil War
monuments to be built and remains the oldest still
standing in its original place
of construction. Historians who study the Battle of Stones River
agree that Hazen's forces were pivotal in that line of blue,
staying strong on the first day
of the battle. Later in Hazen's career, he was even noted as
saying that the best service rendered at his command was at
the Battle of Stones River.
After Union Victory, General William S Rosecrans occupied
Murfreesboro and set his men to work in building a large earthen
fortress. This fortification, later named Fortress Rosecrans,
would serve as a vital supply depot for the Union push to Tula
homa and Chattanooga.
As soldiers set to work on building this fortress, others
set to work on burying the dead.
Captain Amasa Johnson of the Ninth Indiana Infantry in a crew
of officers and men from Hazen's Brigade set to work on burying
their own dead. They chose the same spot where they
had fought so well right here in the Round Forest.
Now it's unknown who came up with the idea of building the
Hazen Monument, or when the idea came to fruition.
However, the idea came about construction on the monument
began in the summer of 1863, and the major work on the
monument was done between July to November of that year.
Men from Hazen's brigade who fell at the Battle of Stones
River were buried on the North side of the monument.
Others from Hazen's brigade who fell out later battles
are buried within these walls as well.
By 1985 it became clear that significant repairs needed to be
done to the monument because the upper portions were extremely
damaged from rainwater that had been seeping into the interior
and the fill.
At this point, it was determined that a full
archaeological study needed to be done, partially due to the
oral tradition that there may be human remains inside of the
monument.
On July 29th, 1985, as workers were starting to remove some of
the monument's fill two cannonballs were partially
uncovered. At this time, work was halted until National Park
Service archaeologist John Walker could arrive on the scene
to continue the investigation.
By the time he finished leveling the fill in clearing various
debris, Walker had uncovered 9 objects total, including three
cannonballs, 3 artillery shells and three elongated objects
including two musket barrels in a cedar rod or staff.
According to Walker's report, because all nine of
these objects were placed in the same level within the
fill, he concluded that they were placed there
intentionally, that they held some sort of symbolism
and that this was most certainly time capsule.
Upon further investigation of the objects themselves, Walker
concluded that the artillery shells were most definitely of
Confederate manufacture, and that the muskets may have been
used by Confederate soldiers as well.
So what does all this mean?
At the end of his report, Walker offers a few explanations for
the possible significance of these objects. First, because
most if not all, of the objects were Confederate in origin
Walker hypothesized that some of Hazen's men went out into the
field after the battle collected some of the enemy's weapons that
had been dropped or left behind and place them within the
monument to be preserved as a symbol of their victory.
Another possibility is that they are Christian symbols.
There were nine objects total found within the
monuments, and Walker tells us that nine is regarded as
an angelic number. In addition to this, there were
three sets of three similar objects found within the
monument, which could possibly be interpreted as
symbolic of the Trinity.
Walker ultimately concludes his report by saying that an
acceptable interpretation of the symbolism behind these objects
remains elusive. In his report, Walker concludes that these
objects were placed there intentionally, but the purpose
or potential symbolism of these objects remains unknown and
widely undocumented. Visitors, what do you think? Do you
believe that these objects carry a deeper meaning?