The Irish standard., 1897-07-31
HIS EQUESTRIAN STATUE UNVEILED.
BRILLIANT TRIDlTi: TO MS MEMORY
by AN OLD CoMRADE.
RICH CELTIC BLOOD IN HIS VEINS.
THE HERO OF ATLANTA WAS BORN
TO IMMOHTALITY.

The statue Of Gen. John A. Logan,
dedicated in Chicago on July 22, was
designed by st. Gaudens and is the
largest equestrian statue in America.
The figure of Gen. Logan as it stands
on its granite pedestal is dressed in
the uniform OF a major general. He
Sits erect and bareheaded, with his
left hand grasping the bride rein while
with his right hand he bears aloft the
flag. The endeavor of the sculptor was
to reproduce as nearly as possible the
scene presented as Logan rallied the
troops before Atlanta after Gen. Nc
Pherson's death.
From the base to the top of the
horses withers is II feet inches and
to the top of Logan's head is Is feet II
inches. The entire weight is 14,2O0
pounds. The statue stands "a feet
above Lake Michigan. Through the
center of the mound a foundation of
brick has been built within which is q
crypt for the reception of Gen. Logan's
remains. The approach leading up to
the monument is by series of steps and
terraces So feet long. The statue faces
Eldredge court, about in the center of
Lake Front park and in full view of
Gen. Logan's old home in Park Row,
The entire expense of erection and
unveiling was $4,000 of which the
state appropriated $4,000.
Judge Blodgett made the formal
speech presenting the completed monu-
ment to the state of Illinois on behalf
of the Logan commission, and Gov,
Tanner in an eloquent address accepted
it on behalf of the state. George r.
Peck, an old army comrade of Logan,
was the orator of the day, and paid
a grand tribute to the military hero,
saying in part:
Once upon day like this, the pulse
of summer was beating hot and fierce,
when a great leader fell, as leaders
must fall, if it be so appointed. Some
are here to whom it seems but yesterday.
They remember the clustering pines
the thickets, dark with the foliage Of
July, the spires of Atlanta, wooing them
forward, yet a little further, and they
remember too, as they will remember
always, the message, speeding like an
arrow in its flight, that told how Nc
Pherson lay dead in his harness, ere
yet his fame had passed its dawn.
Surely, am not wrong in saying that
never was this nation in more deadly
peril than when the army of the Ten
nessee was left like some great rudder-
less ship, in the grasp of the storm.
"Of what avail are men," says Car
lyle, when we must needs have a
MANI" But the man came; nay, he was
already there, flashing as was his wont
in that imperious way which scorns to
parley with fate, but subdues it with
a glance On that day-July %, 1864
John A. Logan was born to immortal
tty.
Out Of the past the battle Of Atlanta
comes back, distinct and clear, though
then but a weltering struggle. The
years give us the perspective; and now
we see, as we could not, when the
smoke of battle was over us, that de-
voted army-whlch was the incarnate
West-desperately facing the foe, while
one thought filled every heart, Logan
is here! In that agony, having no
other refuge, they took counsel in faith
and bravely trusted that all would go
well, if he guided their fortunes
The soldier in battle does not, con-
sciously, arrange dramatic situations.
When John A. Logan summoned Des-
tiny, rode, sabred and spurred along
those bleeding lines, beautiful in the
deep sense that makes the heroic al
ways beautiful, he little thought of the
banners that wave for him today.
Goethe declared that genius could all
ways be known by doing It's duty first,
the duty that was nearest. "The 1ead-
mess is ALL" is Shakespeare's way OF
speaking the same great truth. The
Greeks believed that ships steered b,
the gods always came to port; but a
truer knowledge counts upon the prac-
tical skill of the man at the helm
That day at Atlanta had none of the
romantic surroundings which give arti-
fetal renown to battleields. No pyra-
mids, hiding the grim secrets of the
centuries, looked down upon them. II
was not place where a general could
dash across bridge to victory. There
were no narrow paths to glory. 1t was
breast to breast fighting, such as sell
dom comes in any war; confused
mass, struggling against an enemy that
was everywhere. And, in the midst
of them, was Logan, chief-not because
Of his epaulets, but because the COM