Who was Willie Shipp? by Jim Williams (MHA History list) Based on Eminent Charlotteans, Twelve Historical Profiles from North Carolina’s Queen City by Scott Syfert (Jefferson, N. C, McFarland, 2018) There is a 30 foot high granite obelisk weighing 15 tons in front of the Federal Courthouse on West Trade Street. It was erected in honor of Lieutenant William Ewen Shipp who died in the Spanish American War, in July, 1898. This is the only Spanish American War memorial in Charlotte and one of the very few in the US. Willie Shipp was born in Charlotte in 1861, descended from a long and distinguished line of American patriots. A great-grandfather was General Peter Forney who commanded the Lincoln County Militia during the Revolution. A grandfather served in the NC Assembly and in the War of 1812. Shipp’s father was a noted lawyer, politician and judge and a captain in the Civil War. Later he was a Judge in Charlotte. Willie’s mother died when he was four and he was raised in Lincolnton by his grandmother. He attended the Carolina Military Institute in Charlotte, which had been founded by Daniel Harvey Hill some years before, and then won a competitive appointment to West Point in 1879. He was the first southerner to attend the Academy after the Civil War. Graduating near the top of his class, he had his pick of assignments. He chose the 10th US Cavalry, the Buffalo Soldiers. Serving on the western frontier, these former slaves, many of whom had been Union Soldiers in the Civil War, earned this name from the enemy they fought. The Indians said that their hair looked like buffalo fur and they were of great courage. He served at Fort Apache, Arizona with distinction as a second lieutenant, was commended for gallantry fighting against Geronimo and was promoted to First Lieutenant. Later he served in Montana with his West Point classmate Lieutenant John J. (Blackjack) Pershing. When the Spanish American War broke out in 1898 Shipp was offered a staff position but volunteered to lead his Buffalo Soldiers, Troop F of the 10th Cavalry, to fight the Spanish in Cuba. At the battle of Santiago he rode through shot and shell to carry orders to Colonel Theodore Roosevelt to lead his Rough Riders in the assault up San Juan Hill. He then returned to his company and led them on the left flank of the Rough Riders as they climbed the hill, won the battle and ended the Spanish American War. Advancing up the hill, Lt. Shipp was killed by rifle fire at the head of his beloved Buffalo Soldiers. Willie Shipp was buried in Lincolnton with 3,000 in attendance, including Confederate veterans and the Lee Rifles of Charlotte. The school children of Lincolnton and Charlotte raised money to build a memorial to Shipp and to his honor and bravery. On May 20, 1902 this magnificent monument was installed and dedicated near the Charlotte Branch Mint on Trade Street. Five thousand people attended the unveiling with a military band, mounted police, marshals, and military units from all over North Carolina. Colonel Roosevelt, by now US President Theodore Roosevelt, was unable to attend the unveiling of the Shipp Monument but he did bring Lt. Shipp's widow and two sons to the White House that October. Roosevelt said to Shipp's widow Margaret, "He took breakfast with me on the morning he was killed. He was as true and brave a man as ever lived." In 1905 President Roosevelt made a state visit to Charlotte where he stood in front of the monument recounting the bravery and dedication of his friend Lieutenant William “Willie” Ewen Shipp. William Ewen Shipp, Jr. was three years old when his father died on San Juan Hill. He grew up to attend West Point, was promoted to Captain and commanded troops in the first world war. In his military career he became military attaché in a number of countries before, during, and after the Second World War.
Very respectful gentlemen. Pretty smooth. I'm so happy it was replaced in another location to be appreciated
Who was Willie Shipp?
by Jim Williams (MHA History list)
Based on
Eminent Charlotteans, Twelve Historical Profiles from North Carolina’s Queen City
by Scott Syfert (Jefferson, N. C, McFarland, 2018)
There is a 30 foot high granite obelisk weighing 15 tons in front of the Federal Courthouse on West Trade Street. It was erected in honor of Lieutenant William Ewen Shipp who died in the Spanish American War, in July, 1898. This is the only Spanish American War memorial in Charlotte and one of the very few in the US.
Willie Shipp was born in Charlotte in 1861, descended from a long and distinguished line of American patriots. A great-grandfather was General Peter Forney who commanded the Lincoln County Militia during the Revolution. A grandfather served in the NC Assembly and in the War of 1812. Shipp’s father was a noted lawyer, politician and judge and a captain in the Civil War. Later he was a Judge in Charlotte.
Willie’s mother died when he was four and he was raised in Lincolnton by his grandmother. He attended the Carolina Military Institute in Charlotte, which had been founded by Daniel Harvey Hill some years before, and then won a competitive appointment to West Point in 1879. He was the first southerner to attend the Academy after the Civil War.
Graduating near the top of his class, he had his pick of assignments. He chose the 10th US Cavalry, the Buffalo Soldiers. Serving on the western frontier, these former slaves, many of whom had been Union Soldiers in the Civil War, earned this name from the enemy they fought. The Indians said that their hair looked like buffalo fur and they were of great courage. He served at Fort Apache, Arizona with distinction as a second lieutenant, was commended for gallantry fighting against Geronimo and was promoted to First Lieutenant. Later he served in Montana with his West Point classmate Lieutenant John J. (Blackjack) Pershing.
When the Spanish American War broke out in 1898 Shipp was offered a staff position but volunteered to lead his Buffalo Soldiers, Troop F of the 10th Cavalry, to fight the Spanish in Cuba. At the battle of Santiago he rode through shot and shell to carry orders to Colonel Theodore Roosevelt to lead his Rough Riders in the assault up San Juan Hill. He then returned to his company and led them on the left flank of the Rough Riders as they climbed the hill, won the battle and ended the Spanish American War. Advancing up the hill, Lt. Shipp was killed by rifle fire at the head of his beloved Buffalo Soldiers.
Willie Shipp was buried in Lincolnton with 3,000 in attendance, including Confederate veterans and the Lee Rifles of Charlotte. The school children of Lincolnton and Charlotte raised money to build a memorial to Shipp and to his honor and bravery. On May 20, 1902 this magnificent monument was installed and dedicated near the Charlotte Branch Mint on Trade Street. Five thousand people attended the unveiling with a military band, mounted police, marshals, and military units from all over North Carolina.
Colonel Roosevelt, by now US President Theodore Roosevelt, was unable to attend the unveiling of the Shipp Monument but he did bring Lt. Shipp's widow and two sons to the White House that October. Roosevelt said to Shipp's widow Margaret, "He took breakfast with me on the morning he was killed. He was as true and brave a man as ever lived."
In 1905 President Roosevelt made a state visit to Charlotte where he stood in front of the monument recounting the bravery and dedication of his friend Lieutenant William “Willie” Ewen Shipp.
William Ewen Shipp, Jr. was three years old when his father died on San Juan Hill. He grew up to attend West Point, was promoted to Captain and commanded troops in the first world war. In his military career he became military attaché in a number of countries before, during, and after the Second World War.