Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-03-31
STATUE OF GEN. mcPHsRSoN,

sum of about &25, 600 for an equestrian
statue of Major General Joseph u.
Mcpherson, tho former commander of
that army. A sufficient sum could not
be obtained to pay for both the monu-
ment and base, and it was suggested
to the the proper committees Of Con-
gress that IT an appropriation could be
made for q base and q site given by
Congress in the city Of Washington
for the statue, that the society might
agree to erect II here. An appropria-
ton was made In the following terms |:
"For the construction Of pedestal
for an equestrian statue, to be furnish.
ed by the association hereinafter nam.
cd, of Major General Joseph b.
MCPHERSON. who was killed at the
battle of Atlanta, twenty. We thousand
dollars; Provided. That the design
of said pedestal shsll be approved By
the Secretary OF War, the officer in
charge OF public buildings and grounds
and the corresponding secretary Of the
army of the Tennessee, or q majority
Of them; And provided. further. That
It shall DO erected in Scott square, in
the city OF Washington, in or near its
centre, the ground of which shall be
adopted to such erection by the dis.
continuance Of the carriageway con-
meeting Vermont avenue, now run.
ming through said square, and said
square shall be hereafter known ~
McPherson Square,"
The statue proper has been modelled
by an artist of considerable reputation
10 the West, named Rebisso, of Gin.
cinnati, under tho personal supervision
and inspection offs committee Of the
Society of the Army of the Tennessee,
BY whom the full-sized working
model has been completed. 1t 10 I'M
derstood that 1t 10 contemplated to
have the statue, which IL to be bronze,
cast In the East. An artists model,
half life size, is now in possession Of
the War Department, and IL ON exhi-
bition In the ordinance museum,
In Winder's building. 1t represents
the General ON horseback, with glass
in his hand, gazing at distant objects.
The whole statue is spirited in re.
markable degree, and the likeness Of
the figure to Gen. Mcpherson is said
to be excellent. The following il the
military history of Gen. Mcpherson
as furnished by the official records on
file in the War Department:
In recommending him for promo.
ton to the rank Of brigadier general
General Grant said: "He has been
with me in every battle since the com.
mencement Of the rebellion, except
Belmont. At Forts Henry and Donel-
son, Shiloh and siege OF Corinth, ~
staff officer and engineer, his services
were conspicuous aud highly meritor-
i0us. AT the second battle Of Corinth
bis skill asa soldier was displayed in
successfully carrying reiuforcements to
the besieged garrison whom the enemy
was between him and the point to be
reached. In the advance through cen.
trail Mississippi Gen. Mcpherson com.
manded one wing Of the army with
all the ability possible to show, he
having the lead In advance, and the
rear retiring. u. " :.
"In the campaign and siege termin.
ating with the fall of Vicksburg, Gen.
nsP phs Sss..s l II Fort ii Was
under his direction that the enemy
was driven, late III the afternoon, from
position they had succeeded in hold
ing all day against an obstinate attack.
His corps, the advance, always under
his immediate eye, were tho pioneers
in the movement from Port Gibson to
Hawkinson's ferry. From the north
fork of tho Bayou Pierre to Black riv-
er it was constant skirmish, tho
whole skilfuily managed. The enemy
were so closely pressed - to be I'M.
able to destroy their bridge of boats
after them. From Hawkinson's Ferry
to jackson, the Seventeenth army
corps marched on roads not travelled
by other troops, fighting the entire
battle of Raymond alone, and the bulk
of Johnson's army was fought by this
corpse, entirely under tho manage
ment of Gen. Mcpherson. At Cham.
pion Hills the Seventeenth army corps
and Gen. MCPHERSON were conspicu.
Gus. All that could be termed q bat
tie there. was fought by the divisions
Of Gen. McPherson's corps and Gen.
Hovey's division Of the Thirteenth
corps. In the assault Of tho ed of
May on the Notifications Of Vicksburg
and during the entire sisgc, General
Mcpherson and his command took
unfading laurels. He 10 one Of the
ablest engineers and most skillful gen.
erals. I would respectfully, bat urg.
emily recommend his promotion to
tho position Of Brigadier General In
the regular army.
Soon after his death, General Grant
addressed the following letter to the
aged grandmother OF General Nc.
pherson:
HEADQ'Rs ARMIES OF THE u. s.
Cry POINT, Va, Aug. 10. 1854.
MY DEAR MADAM Your very wei.
come letter Of the Sd inst. has reached
me. am glad to know the relatives
Of tho lamented Major General Nc
Phers0n are aware OF the moro than
friendship existing between him and
myself. A nation grieves 1t tho loss
of one 30 dear to our nations cause.
1t is selfish grief, because the nation
had moro to expect from him than
from almost any one living. / join In
this selfish grief, and add tho grief of
personal love for the departed. He
formed for some time one Of my mil.
itsry family. knew him swell. To
know him was but to love him. II
may be some consolation to you, his
aged grandmother, to know that every
officer and every soldier who served
under your grandson: felt the highest
reverence for his patriotism, his zeal,
hls great, almost unequalled, ability,
his amiability, and all the manly viz
tues that can adorn commander.
Your bereavement is great, but can.
not exceed mine,
Yours truly, u. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant Gen.
Honesty is the best policy"is now
construed "policy is better than hon.
esty." A transposition that plays the