The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-03
LOUISA MONUMENT.
High Commentator AS a Work
Of Art.

" ~ ~
Especial to The Times-Dispatch)
Il LOUISA. VA. August 2.-The follow
Ing is a communication to Mrs. Wilmer
Sims, chairman of the Louisa Confcder-
alto Monument Association Committee.
from Mr.. Elmer Burruss. an artist of
Philadelphia, who Is a native OF Louisa
and has won distinction and success in
his chosen profession:
THE people Of Louisa county have a
right to be proud of the Confederate
monument recently erected In their
midst (Which Will be unveiled on Au-
gust 18th next. that is In every way de-
serving Of unique distinction among
monuments of Its class, not only
in the South, but throughout the whole
country. Especially should they be con-
graduated In this at Il time when there
is so much that is bad and meaning
less In sculpture.
1T has been n source OF modification
to art lovers that so many monstrositles
In bronze and marble have found a place
on American soil. Critics have sneered,
and justly so. ut the bronze carlcaturcs
intended to adorn Central Park. New
York--a place where one would look for
good taste at least and sound artistic
| Judgment While many Of liz In tho
South, who love the refined and stand
| for sentiment In art, have had our
artistic flesh creep as we have gazed
upon some insIpid cfflgy in soldiers uni
form, placed upon pedestal and called
| a Confederate soldier" AS matter Of
| fact many OF these figures do not rep-
resent Confederate soldier, They arc
usually the product of some entcrprising
bronze, foundry, which casts them In
! carload lots and sells them to any COM
munity soullcss or gulible enough to
buy. Those who travel arc often struck
With tho nconsruity OF seeing ono OF
these figures North. erected TO conf
mcmorate the courage and devotion Of
the Federal soldier, which he recognizes
as the exact duplicate Of one seen South
doing service as q Confederate.
"1'o those who love facts and senti-
ment this seems like mockery. and LOU
lisa county Is to be congratulated that
consistent with the means at hand. she
has secured a figure highly typical OF
| the real "Johnny Reb. Together with n
design strictly original we arc fortp-
! nate In this, rs nofsstcrcotype bronze
could ever really portray our hero IN
gray. For above all things the Conied-
crate soldier was mn Individual; unlike
! the soldier OF any other army on earth.
An individual who could not become tho
indefinite portion Of mass, but, Ike
Harry of the Wynd, fought for his own
hand lie was a Belf-sacrlficlng hero,
who claimed no distinction and desired
only that lac should be In tho line OF
duty to himself. his country and his
God Wo owe It to him to keep his
memory green Dying. his head pllloWed
ON tho bosom OF his mother virginia,
we owe II Ia ourselves that his name
should be honored, This Louisa county
has beautifully and lovingly done.
I'm the selection Of hand 10 exc
cute the design. tho committee has acted
with great wisdom and sentiment, WIS
dom, in that no moro able artist could
| be found to execute such a design IMAM
Mr., William l.. Sheppard who Is recos-
nizcd tho world over AZ n postmaster IN
the portrayal OF the Confederate tyne.
With sentiment In that Mr.. shepphrn
Was himself lieutenant n tho second
company OF the Richmond HoWityrrs.
aud all old Confcdorates VIII fsel decp
| pride that this beautiful hronze, eroc'eu
10 perpetuate their patriotism, conrae"
| and devotion. is the creation Of u COM
| radc.
,"rhe bronzs was modelled from MI,
sheppard's design, ny MI, Wl!llanl
sicyers, formerly a pupil ana laLor ~.
instructor at tho Virginia Mcc''an1oa