Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza Confederate Troops Memorial, Phoenix

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza Confederate Troops Memorial, Phoenix

Located outside Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix a monument honoring Confederate troops was erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy on February 14, 1962. It stood in the Wesley Bolin Plaza just outside the Capitol itself until it was removed on July 23, 2020 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy once more. The monument was relocated to a private location where it exists today. Originally the United Daughters of the Confederacy gifted the monument to the state  to commemorate the brief occupation of Arizona by Confederate Troops who fought at the Battle of Picacho Pass, which is the westernmost battle fought during the Civil War. At this battle, thirteen Californian Union troops were sweeping for Confederate troops near Picacho Pass in hopes of securing Tucson. Upon spotting Confederate soldiers, the Union troop leader engaged in a surprise attack leading to the death of three Union soldiers and three Confederate soldiers. Both sides retreated with the Confederates leaving to warn of the impending siege of Tucson and the Union troops to gather reinforcements. The Confederates lacked reinforcements and as a result lost Tucson to the Union, securing Arizona as a Union territory. The monument commemorates the Lost Cause and desire for the Confederacy’s westward expansion. The monument itself cost $1000 and was created of copper and green stones in the shape of Arizona with a plaque in the center reading, “A nation that forgets its past has no future.” The monument is located at the state Capitol in order to display the Confederate mission in the public sphere.

 The Daughters of the Confederacy claimed in a letter on June 30, 2021 the necessity to remove the monument from its public location in order to repair its “natural deterioration.” Due to the political climate in June 2021 and civil unrest associated with the nature of Confederate monuments, the Daughters declared it unwise to repair it where located. They were granted permission by the Arizona state government to remove the monument, where it was moved to an undisclosed location in fear of destruction by public protestors. The state re-gifted the monument to the Daughters immediately and it was removed overnight by a hired contractor. The removal points out a lack of public process involved in the removal of monuments.

United Daughters of the Confederacy

Duda, Jeremy. “Arizona's First Capitol Monument Was to Confederate Troops. Why?” Arizona Mirror, June 22, 2020. https://www.azmirror.com/2020/06/22/arizonas-first-capitol-monument-was-to-confederate-troops-why/.

Oldham, Grace. “Confederate Monuments in Arizona: How Many Are Left?” AZCentral. Arizona Republic, July 25, 2020. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2020/07/25/at-least-3-confederate-monuments-believed-standing-arizona/5495100002/.

Oxford, Andrew, Helen Wieffering, and Grace Oldham. “Confederate Monuments Removed from Arizona Capitol at Request of United Daughters of the Confederacy.” AZCentral. Arizona Republic, July 23, 2020. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2020/07/23/confederate-monuments-removed-overnight-arizona-capitol/5494682002/.

February 14, 1962

Londyn Petero

English

Sculpture

HIST 402A Fall 2021

Phoenix, Arizona