Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth Monument and Grave

The Elmer E. Ellsworth Monument is a granite structure with columns and ornamental features located within a cemetery in upstate New York. A bronze eagle crowns the top of this memorial building.

The officer died in 1861 as the first Union casualty in combat during the Civil War. His monument was constructed about a decade later to honor his place in the conflict's early history.

The monument honors a young military officer whose death early in the Civil War marked a turning point in how Americans mourned their fallen soldiers. This form of public remembrance became a common way communities expressed their sacrifice and loss.

The cemetery welcomes visitors at no cost and does not require advance registration. You can view the monument during standard cemetery hours throughout the week.

The bronze eagle perched at the summit vanished in 1997 and remained missing until 1998. An antique dealer spotted the sculpture and helped restore it to its rightful position.