The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-15
Preparatory Steps Taken in
1901 to Erect in the Ma
tons Capital an Enduring
Memorial to the Famous
Soldier.
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE
CARRIES OUT PROJECT
Organization Raises $4,000
and Congress Contributes
S00,000-The Contract
Awarded in l096-TWen-
tu- Six Models Submitted.

Shortly after General Sherman's death
in 1S9l-when the nation was still in
mourning preparatory steps were taken
to erect in the National Capital an en-
during memorial to the hero Of Atlanta,
made famous by reason of his triumphal
march TO the sea.
The Society of the Army Of the Ten
nessee-his old command-undertook the
carrying out of this project Through /
their efforts. the sum of $1,000 was
raised by private subscription, and Con-
gress augmented this with appropria-
lions amounting to $4,000. making a
total of $4,000
In 1895 a committee of the Society Of |
the Army OF the Tennessee invited the 1
principal sculptors of the United States |
to submit designs. Authority to super |
wise the erection and construction was
vested in a committee, consisting Of the |
Secretary OF War, Major General Miles,
commander of the army, and a special
committee of the Society Of the Army OF
the Tennessee. composed OF Gen G. NJ. |
Dodge. of New York; Col J. F. Howe. |
of ST. Louis. ex-Secretary Noble, Of st.
Louis: Col. d. B. Henderson. Of Du- |
buque Iowa; Col. Augustus Jacobson. OF
Chicago. and Col Cornelius Cadle, of
Cincinnati
Twenty Competitors.
Twenty-six models were submitted
and in January, 1896, the committee
met to examine them and decide which
one in their opinion was entitled to the
award
On May q. 1896. the design OF Carl
Rohl-smith. n Danish-American sculp-
tor. was selected, and on November Is
1896 the contract was awarded him
The site on which the monument has
been erected is one or the finest in
Washington, an ideal spot. directly
south of the Treasury. At the time OF
its selection Mr. ROhI-Smith in speak
ing of the location. said:
'',rhe gentle sloping ground south OF
the Treasury building, with its noble
Greek architecture, makes one Of the
finest sites in the city for colossal
monument, and think the classic style
OF my design the most expressive form
of representing General Sherman in
sculpture. and at the same time it will
bring the monument into artistic har-
mony and relationship with its sur
roundings."
Cost of the Statue.
According to the original plan. the
work was TO cost about $4,000. of which
sum about 81 600 was subscribed by the
Army of the Tennessee, and about see,
900 by Congress. In order to facilitate
the work a studio was erected on the
park space south of the Treasury build
ing.
Tn sculptor at once went to work
building wax models for castings. He
had finished the four heroic figures of
the soldiers on the base of the terrace
the four bas-reliefs. gathered consider
able material for the portrait medal
lions. and had built the skeleton body
for the horse. when on August 90 1900
he died suddenly.
More Money Needed.
In the meantime it was found that
the allowance Of $4,000 was entirely in
adequate. The pedestal which had been
built on a foundation twenty feet deep,
had 10 be re-enforced by a deeper con-
gt-uction Of nearly twenty feet. Other
considerations added TO the cost. so Con-
gress continued to appropriate addt-
tional sums, amounting In all to $780,
600. which. together with the increa sed
contributions from the Army of the Ten
,essee. brought the amount up to $685.
O0e-about 5000 OF which was used for
preliminary expenses, awards 10 com
peting artists. etc.-leaying the hand
some sum Of S91, 900. which represents
the present cost of the monument.
The ground covered by the monument
IS about 81 feet one way By 80 feet the
other. The pedestal which carries the
equestrian statue is Of New Hamp-
shire granite and on the east and west
sides are two allegorical groups. War
and Victorious Peace" The extreme
height OF the monument is 80 feet. tn,
statue proper being II feet inches.
In Mrs. Rohl- Smiths Hands.
On Mr. Rohl-smith's death the con
tract for completing the group was re
newed by Gen. Russell A. Alger. VIII
was then Secretary OF War. in favor o
Mrs. Sara Rohl-smith. the sculptor
widow. who then undertook to continu
the work by employing other sculptors
With the exception OF Henry H. Kitson
of Boston. no American sculptor woul
accept the commission. their position be
ing that they could not properly ente
into the spirit OF Rohl-Smith's design
About this time there was a seriou
controversy over the completion Of tn
statue. Mrs. Rohl-Smith. true to tn
artistic ideals Of her husband. decline
10 have any radical departure mad
from the conception Of the statue un
folded by the sculptor
Mrs. Rohl-Smith consequently engage
Mr.. Kitson TO execute the four bas-re
liefs representing scenes from the mill
tary experiences Of Sherman AT Look
out Mountain and elsewhere. She the
went TO Mr. Rohl-Smith's home in Der
mark TO find workmen willing 10 exc
cute her husbands designs for hors,
rider and categorical groups
Completed by a Friend.
A lifelong friend OF Roll Smith. Ste
phen Sinding, and a Danish artist Lau
ritz Jensen, were chosen. the former {
model the two groups of War an
Peace" and the latter 10 complete III
model OF Sherman and his mount
Nc G.-.-LL-... q. n-...-..---.-l....