Every monument and memorial is a site of contested meaning. This is literally true in the case of Santa Fe’s Soldiers’ Monument. The monument presents a different message depending on which side one stands. Looking north in the direction of the Palace of the Governors, we read: TO THE HEROES OF THE FEDERAL ARMY WHO … More Making Sense of Santa Fe’s Soldiers’ Monument: Part One
Part Two: The Civil War in the West Two of the tablets affixed to the Soldiers’ Monument commemorate the “heroes” who died who died fighting with “rebels” at the battles of “Valverde,” “Cañon del Apache,” “Pigeon’s Rancho (La Glorieta),” and “Peralta.” For most observers, the meaning of these texts is utterly opaque. Few have any … More Making Sense of Santa Fe’s Soldiers’ Monument: Part Two
Part Three: The Monument Col. John Slough, who had led the Union forces at the Battle of Glorieta, resigned his commission shortly thereafter due to “an unfortunate difference between him and Gen. Canby concerning the conduct of the New Mexico campaign…”[1] However, he was subsequently commissioned Brigadier-General and assigned to serve as the military governor … More Making Sense of Santa Fe’s Soldiers’ Monument: Part Three
Part Five: Controversies and Interventions The first controversy that engulfed the Soldiers’ Monument arose not from the reference to “savage Indians,” but rather from the word “rebels.” In 1909 a resolution was introduced in the New Mexico territorial legislature to replace the words “rebels” with the terms “confederates,” on the basis that “the time has … More Making Sense of Santa Fe’s Soldiers’ Monument: Part Five