Confederate Dead Memorial

Confederate Monument

Confederate Dead Monument in 1907

Governor Fitz Lee

Governor Fitzhugh Lee (D-Va.)

The Confederate Monument was dedicated at the Fairfax Confederate Cemetery (now the Fairfax City Cemetery) on October 1, 1890. The former Virginia governor, Fitzhugh Lee (Dem., 1886-1890), U.S. Senator John W. Daniel (D-Va., 1887-1910), and a generous supply of Confederate officers and enlisted veterans joined the crowd of two thousand, who "in their enthusiasm to view everything, delayed the parade for one and a half hour."

The $1,200 monument was presented to the Ladies Memorial Association by the president of the Monument Association, "Captain" John N. Ballard of Mosby's Rangers.
It was received on behalf of the ladies by Major General William H. F. "Rooney" Lee,
son of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Chief Marshal for the event was Colonel Arthur Herbert of
the 17th Virginia Infantry.

Senator John Daniel

Senator John W. Daniel (D-Va.)

John Ballard 1907

John N. Ballard
Fairfax Herald engraving, 1907

Monument Association

Fairfax Confederate Monument Association (circa 1890)
Standing (from left) Miss Rose Thomas, Miss Lizzie M. Burke-Treasurer, Judge James M. Love-Vice Chairman,
Mrs. Gurley, Mr. Gurley, and Mr. George Pickett. Seated (from left) Mr. George Harrison, Mrs. Thomas Moore,
Mr. F. W. Richardson, Mr. Jefferson Sager, Mr. R. Walton Moore, and Mr. George Gordon.
Photo courtesy of Lee Hubbard.

Rooney Lee

William H. F. "Rooney" Lee

This 1996 photograph shows reenactors of the 17th Virginia at the monument, giving an idea of its size.

The north-facing front panel reads:

FROM FAIRFAX TO
APPOMATTOX
1861 - 1865
--------
ERECTEDTO THE MEMORY OF THE
GALLANT SONS OF FAIRFAX, WHOSE
NAMES ARE INSCRIBED ON THIS
MONUMENT; BUT WHOSE BODIES LIE
BURIED ON DISTANT BATTLE-FIELDS:
AND TO THE MEMORY OF THEIR 200
UNKNOWN COMRADES WHOSE REMAINS
ARE AT REST BENEATH THIS MOUND.
"THESE WERE MEN WHOM DEATH
COULD NOT TERRIFY; WHOM DEFEAT
COULD NOT DISHONOR."

The west-facing panel lists 27 members of the 8th Va. Infantry, Co. G and below them:

17th Va. INFANTRY,
CO. D.

CAPT. JNO. T. BURKE.
SERG'T. JNO. R. STEELE.
SAML. L. BARNES.
WALTER S. FORD.
LYMAN KOON.
J. BEACH.
JNO. R. RATCLIFF.
CHAS. H. ASHFORD.
HENRY WRENN.
JOSEPH FREEMAN. H. T. HARMAN.
ROBT. PETITT.
JNO. NEWCOMB.
R. E. CORBETT.
SIMEON MILLS.
EDGAR THOMAS.
THOMAS W. LYNN.
MICHAEL CROWLEY.
A. DOVE.
J. W. RICHARDSON.

At the top of the south-facing panel lists three other companies of the 17th Virginia Infantry with only four names :

17th Va. INFANTRY,
CO. A.
D. MC. LEE.

CO. F.

R. M. LEE.

F. SIMMS.

CO. K.
ROBT. T. LOVE.

The remainder of the south panel lists members of the:
7th Va. Infantry, Co. E; 49th Va. Infantry; 19th Ga. Infantry, Co. K; Stuarts Horse Artillery; Kemper's Battery; Danville Artillery; Capt. Jas. W. Jackson, Washington Stuart, and two Confederate Navy Officers.

The east-facing panel lists members of the:
1st Va. Cavalry; 4th Va.; 6th Va., Co. A, Co. F and Co. K; 11th Va., Co. I; and 11 members of Mosby's Cavalry.

© 1998-2008, The 17th Virginia Infantry Regiment, Company D, "Fairfax Rifles", Living History Society
Site Design by Stephen Wolfsberger Last Revised July 3, 2008.