Button Gwinnett Monument: Can’t a Fellow Have a Moment’s Peace?

THIS IS AN EDITED EXCERPT FROM SAVANNAH'S MONUMENTS: THE UNTOLD STORIES

 Button Gwinnett was Savannah’s only signer of the Declaration of Independence—and also the signer we know the least about. He died before the signers would become revered as they are now. His life was cut short by a duel, making him the first signer to die. The short life and the few copies of his signature is why it is the most valuable of all of the signers. In his fleeting moment on this earth he was able to accomplish a lot. He wrote the draft of Georgia’s first state constitution, was a prosperous planter, became speaker of the general assembly in Georgia, and the governor of Georgia. The infamous duel was with his chief political rival Lachlan McIntosh. While in Congress, Gwinnett was in line with McIntosh to be the Brigadier General of the Georgia Continental Brigade, which was being organized. Gwinnett was passed over and McIntosh was made the general. While in office, Gwinnett organized an invasion of the British-held east Florida to ensure that the Spanish did not hold any ideas of invasion or encroachment, while the colony was at war with Britain. Gwinnett wanted to lead these troops himself, but as a busy governor it was not possible. Bypassing rival McIntosh, Gwinnett appointed another officer to lead the military effort. The invasion was a disaster. This was the likely reason Gwinnett lost his re-election as governor in 1777. During Gwinnett’s run for office, McIntosh openly blamed Gwinnett for the failed campaign. Gwinnett, who was cleared of wrongdoing in a formal inquiry, felt that McIntosh’s public criticism questioned his honor. He formally challenged McIntosh to a duel. The two met on May 16, 1777, at the estate of Governor Wright near Thunderbolt outside of Savannah. Both men fired almost simultaneously and both were struck. McIntosh survived, but Gwinnett died three days later, when his shattered leg bone turned gangrenous. McIntosh was later accused of murder, but was exonerated in an official inquiry.
 Many years later, in 1957, retired school principal Authur Funk was at the National Portrait Gallery gazing at a painting of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Being a Savannahian, he noticed the absence of Button Gwinnett. When Funk asked the curator why this was, the curator stated that there was not much information about Gwinnett and especially how he looked. This sparked an interest in Funk that would lead him in search of the historical Button Gwinnett and to the development of a monument to Gwinnett. One of the first things Funk decided to do was to locate where Gwinnett was buried. It turned out no one really knew. In a city that prided itself on preserving its history, they had no idea where its signer of the Declaration of Independence was buried. Funk eventually came across some documents that led his search to the historic Colonial Cemetery in downtown Savannah. After much exploration, Funk found where he believed Gwinnett was buried and, upon digging, found what he believed were the remains of Gwinnett. The bones he found were to create quite a stir.
He immediately sent the bones to an expert affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute. The Smithsonian expert said these were not the bones of Gwinnett. But some of the expert’s findings were based on false and misguided premises. Other experts would contradict the Smithsonian’s expert. Eventually, to try to get clarification on the matter, the state of Georgia would create a commission to make the final official judgment of whether these bones were indeed Gwinnett’s. . The state commission disputed the findings of the Smithsonian expert point by point in their report and declared that most likely they were the bones of Gwinnett.
 To add to the intrigue, the city of Augusta, Georgia, laid claim to the bones. Augusta had a signer’s monument in their downtown that already had Georgia’s other two signers (Lyman Hall and George Walton) buried beneath it. Therefore, in a formal letter, Augusta’s mayor and city council contended they had rights to the remains to Gwinnett’s remains. The Savannah and Augusta papers were filled with editorials claiming the bones for their respective cities. This is how the great battle for Gwinnett’s bones began.
The battle pressed on but, in truth, no state official wanted to handle this hot potato. During all of this, Funk ran for state representative from the Savannah area. He won. Although he said it was not the reason he had run for office, he put forth legislation for funding a monument in Savannah to honor the remains of Gwinnett. It passed. But not before Spencer Grayson, another Savannah delegate, declared jokingly, “I only voted for this measure to get Gwinnett’s bones out of Senator Funk’s living room.” Because the issue of the true proprietorship of the bones was in question and the fear of grave robbers, Funk had the remains in a sealed coffin in his house for the prior five and a half years. Legend says Funk replied, “Why sir, I am too much of a gentleman to leave such a prominent guest in the living room; he is in my guest room.” The Augusta mayor, upon hearing the decision replied with a pout, “If we do not know they are Gwinnett’s bones, we do not want them anyway.”
The monument was placed where Funk originally found Gwinnett’s bones in Colonial Cemetery. An engraving of a copy of Gwinnett’s signature sits on a plaque underneath the Roman style monument. Many tourists make rubbings of this signature. Today, years later tourists visit historic Colonial Cemetery and see the monument honoring Gwinnett. Few will realize that his remains had been lost, found, fought for, and legislated as being his. No, a tourist will simply think, nice monument, and believe Button Gwinnett has always been known and honored at this his gravesite.

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