Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-10-18

223 of July, iss4-you appointed three Off
GERS OF your command (citizens OF his native
state TO secure the necessary funds aud
erect suitable monument TO his memory
Surrounded as We are to-day by the familiar
races OF Old army comrades, and cheered by
the presence OF so many fellow memo ers OF
nis immediate military family, IL is indeed
stewardship, and transfer 70 your care the
result OF our laoo-s.
will not more than refer to the long and
arduous task OF securing the funds necessary
totssufe success In sucn an undertaking; 10
tie difficulties attending the selection OF an
appropriate design; TO the unfortunate fail-
nIe of our hrst artists and contractors; 70
the lopg delay and tedious litigation which
followed; the fear aud trembling " tn which
We entrusted so important a WORK 10 an I'M
tr.ed and then almost unknown artist; tie
lorg yesrs of patient thought, work aud
anxiety, I'll his genius assured success; the
care and trouble of duplicating the mo lei in
plaster; It's shipment I'm sections To PnIlade,-
phia; the enforced change in pl ace OF loca-
ton; TO the casting in everlasting bronze
from the cannon which his valor had fairly
WOO; for these difficulties are almost forgot
ten In the pleasure We now feel in reporting
to you the successful completion OF the task
assigned US.
We desire, however. to return our sincere
thanks TO our comrades of the Army OF the
tennessee, who have SO generously con-
Uibuted their time and money to this I'M
oertakiDg; TO Francis ID. Kiddy for his mu-
Dificent and cheerfully bestowed contrl
button; to Louis T. Rebisso, the artist
who 10 with us here to-day-for his unpar.
alleled devotion TO the work entrusted to his
f fhIti 70 our d members OF Congress, who by
1t possible for as to locate within the ma.
tions capital the statue OF a nations hero;
for the aid and encoura cement OF that BODY
of whom IT may well be said
Tho Heaven alone records the tears,
And Fame may never know the story,
Her heart has shed drop as clear
Aseer bedewed the field of glory.
And now, with thanks TO you personally,
General Logan, for the thought which
prompted Its execution, we transfer to your
care statue significant of the unparalleled
heroism, characteristic daring, unset d sh pa
triottsm and gentle demeanOr OF our loved
lspenfed commander, Major General James
The statue was then unveiled, amidst
great cheers from the crowd, music by the
Marine Banc, ar the fIing OF guns In
lafayette Square. the flag which covered
the atue was thrown OF In an instant when
tne time came, by means OF ropes attached
10 eltner side Gen. Sherman then intro
THE ORATOR OF THE DAY,
Gen. John A. Logan, who, In loud and dis
t1nct, but somewhat husky voice, delivered
fine tribute TO the memory of Gen. McPher-
son. He sketched the life of the renowned
Genera from his earliest boy aood, describing
and drawing numerous lessons of bravery
and morality nom IL. His Grafton was fol
lowed by the Centennial Exposition
Marcnn by the Marine band. The large
The Statue.
The statue is an equestrian figure, heroic
In size. 1t 10 mounted upon q massive
granite pedestal, handsomely designed.
Mcpherson is represented as viewing the
neld OF battle. He grasps the check reins OF
the spirited horse on which he is mounted
IN bis LEFT hand, and his right hand holds q
moved from his eyes The figure ia mined
facing the west, toward which the general
ID represented as anxiously looking. The
poslllon is an easy and natural one. The
likeness 10 said TO be striking.
History or the Monument.
When the Army OF the Tennessee was
about to be disbanded at Louisville, KY, at
the clote Of the war, Gen. logan, its then
commander, issued the following order:
"HJoRs Army OF THE TENNESSEE
LOUISVILLE, KY, July 18th, 1866. {
The following named officers are an.
nouneed as committee to secure funds and
suIerintend the erection OF a suitable moa-
ument over the grave or Gen. Mcpherson.
All correspondence that may be necessary
20 the furtneIance Of the project will 6s cav
Hazep. Cleveland, OHIO; Bvt. Major General
NJ. ID: Leggett, Zanesville, Ohio; Brig. Gen.
Hiekenlooper, Cincinnati, Ohio"
active discharge OF its duties, and within the
following year had collected about "a 600.
independent efforts to attain the same OBJ
sWSiO ocAbk mduc III OtueT SoCLlOQs Dy the
Mcpherson Monument Association, Of
Clyde, Ohio, and by the friends Of the de-
ceased General residing in California, the
former having raised $500, the latter some
- 500. These sums, together with that re
cefved by the committee from various
sources, enabled the committee to select q
design and order the work. A contract was
made with F. ID. Jones, of CINCINNATI, Ohio,
for an equestrian statue, but he being imam
cially unable to comply with the terms OF
the contract, Ii was abandoned, and q new
agreement was entered into with q young
artist of Cincinnati named Louis T. Rebis
SO, who after about three years of patient
work completed the model, which was du-
plicated In bronze by Robert Wood d Co., OF
Philadelphia, 80 that as 1t now stands, over
ten years OF patient work and study, are to-
day embodied in the statue in Mcpherson
Square.
The committee having only SUN cient
funds to complete the statue proper were
unable TO provide suitable pedestal, but
through the assistance OF Gen. Belknap,
aided by Gen. Babcock and Major Elliott,
Congress was induced to make an appropri-
alton OF $4,000 for the PEDESTAL upon the
condition that the committee would place
the statue thereon. Congress also changed
the name OF Scott Square TO Mcpherson
Square.