Connecticut's Civil War Monuments

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Glastonbury Green
Hubbard Street
Glastonbury, CT

Erected: 1913
Type: Granite pedestal and standard-bearer figure
Height: Approximately 18'

STANDARD-BEARER, Glastonbury, is significant historically because it is a tangible symbol of honor and respect paid, at a late date, to an officer, Captain Frederick M. Barber, and all other Glastonbury men who died in the Civil War. Remarkably little information about the monument is known, but Mercy Turner Barber was a member of the Turner family, who were related to the Welles family, both being long prominent in Glastonbury history. The name of the Glastonbury public library is the Welles-Turner Memorial Library. The date for the monument's erection is given by lettering in the stone.

Frederick M. Barber, originally from nearby Manchester, Connecticut, was a captain in Company H, 16th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, a company of Glastonbury men. Barber was wounded September 17, 1862, at Antietam and died three days later. He is buried in the Glastonbury Cemetery adjacent to the monument, near the Turner Memorial Gateway, which was erected in 1912.

The design concept of STANDARD-BEARER, Glastonbury, is the customary pedestal and figure with flag, but the monument is significant artistically because of the sophisticated execution. The massive plinth gives great weight to the base of the design. The ogee curve of the dado base is aggressive, while the fasces molding at the bottom of the convex curve introduces a Roman reference to the bold lines of the stone. The anthemia frieze is a companion feature to the fasces, while the ogee shape of the middle stage of the base carries embellishment to an area usually left plain. The figure and flag, again typical in concept, are articulated with more vigor and realism than are found in most standard-bearers; see, for example, DEFENDERS OF THE FLAG, Plainville, and SOLDIER'S MONUMENT, Jewett City in Griswold.

Use of the term Civil War in the plinth of the monument is not surprising, considering its late date of 1913.

STANDARD-BEARER, Glastonbury, is sited in the center of the Town Green, a long narrow parcel of 5.7 acres. Old Town Hall, which now houses the Historical Society of Glastonbury, faces Main Street at the western end of the park. Glastonbury Cemetery adjoins the Green to the north. The monument is set at the back of an area of half-round flagstone paving, in front of a tall segmentally shaped hedge.

STANDARD-BEARER, Glastonbury, consists of plinth, dado of curved shape, and figure holding the colors, with sophisticated classical revival moldings. It is dedicated to a single officer, who is buried in the nearby cemetery, and all Glastonbury men who gave their lives in the war.

The plinth is substantial in size. On it rests the ogee-shaped base of the die. The bottom of the die forms a convex curve which rises from a horizontal fasces molding. Lettering, as recorded below, is on the front and west faces of the die; the other two sides are plain. The frieze of the die is a curved surface embellished with a band of raised anthemia.

The statue base is in three stages, the middle stage in an ogee shape. The top stage is cracked. The soldier stands with his left foot forward. He wears an overcoat with collar closed at the top of a row of raised buttons and with cape thrown back over the shoulders. There are sergeant's stripes on his right arm consistent with the Civil War practice that sergeants generally carried the flags, although stripes were not sewn on overcoats. His right hand is on the hilt of the sword, which is disproportionately small in size, at left hip, ready to draw in defense of the flag. The left arm is around the thick and voluminous flag, which falls to the ground. Stars on the flag are raised. The soldier wears moustache and kepi, turning his head slightly to his right.

On tread of plinth, front (south) side, incised caps:

    Above, face of dado, rounded raised caps:

West, incised caps:

Baruch, p. 10.