The ''Four Southern Poets Monument'', also known as the ''Monument to Southern Poets'' and ''Poets' Monument'', is a granite monument in

Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...

, in the United States.

Description and history

The memorial was unveiled in April 1913 and commemorates

Paul Hamilton Hayne Paul Hamilton Hayne (January 1, 1830 – July 6, 1886) was a poet, critic, and editor from the American South. Biography Paul Hamilton Hayne was born in Charleston, South Carolina on January 1, 1830. After losing his father as a young child, Hay ...

(1830–1886),

Sidney Lanier Sidney Clopton Lanier (February 3, 1842 – September 7, 1881) was an American musician, poet and author. He served in the Confederate States Army as a private, worked on a blockade-running ship for which he was imprisoned (resulting in his catch ...

(1842–1881),

James Ryder Randall James Ryder Randall (January 1, 1839 – January 15, 1908) was an American journalist and poet. He is best remembered as the author of "Maryland, My Maryland". Biography Randall was born on January 1, 1839, in Baltimore, Maryland to parents, ...

(1839–1908), and

Abram Joseph Ryan Abram Joseph Ryan (born Matthew Abraham Ryan; February 5, 1838 – April 22, 1886) was an Catholic Church in the United States, American Catholic poet, priest, journalist, orator, and former Congregation of the Mission, Vincentian. Historians disa ...

(1838–1886). All four poets lived in Georgia and loosely associated with the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...

. The monument was donated by Anna Russell Cole, the wife of Confederate veteran and railroad executive

Edmund William Cole Colonel Edmund William "King" Cole (July 19, 1827 – May 25, 1899) was an American Confederate veteran and businessman. He was the president of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway, and the founder of the American National Bank. Ea ...

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, "as a memorial to her father", Henry F. Russell, who was the first Democratic mayor of Augusta after the Civil War. According to ''

The Tennessean ''The Tennessean'' (known until 1972 as ''The Nashville Tennessean'') is a daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky. It is owned by Gannett, w ...

'', it was also meant as "a memorial to the men who have preserved the gallantry and chivalry of the

Old South Geographically, the U.S. states known as the Old South are those in the Southern United States that were among the original Thirteen Colonies. The region term is differentiated from the Deep South and Upper South. From a cultural and social s ...

in the lyric sweetness of their songs." The monument was made by the Tennessee Granite & Marble Company. Its dedication on April 28, 1913 was attended by a thousand people, including Mrs Cole, Augusta's mayor, and

James Hampton Kirkland James Hampton Kirkland (September 9, 1859 – August 5, 1939) was an American Latinist and university administrator. He served as the second List of Chancellors of Vanderbilt University, chancellor of Vanderbilt University from 1893 to 1937. ...

, the chancellor of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

, who gave a speech.

References

{{Portal bar, Georgia (U.S. state), Poetry, Visual arts 1913 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 1913 sculptures Buildings and structures in Augusta, Georgia Confederate States of America monuments and memorials in Georgia Granite sculptures in Georgia (U.S. state) Outdoor sculptures in Georgia (U.S. state)

Description and history

See also

References