Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-14
STATUES OF WARTIME HEROES
Testimonials in Sculpture to Honor
the saviOrS Of the Republic.
SHRINE TO MILITARY FAME
Notable Memorials 20 the victors Of
the Union Located In A~pprOpri-
nte Settings in National
Capital.

81 ~ 49,
this year OF a $4,000 statue to General Phil
Sheridan, the dashing cavalry leader OF
the civil war, following close upon the
dedication OF similar bronze figures of Cen
erals Sherman and Mcclellan. betoken the
intention Of the American people to pro-
vide, through their representatives in con-
gress. a most notable testimonial In sculp-
ture to tho, leaders OF the war for the
union. No other country in the world can
boast so pretentious a tribute to the heroes
Of any conflict in its history.
To honor by counterfeit presentments In
marble and bronze the saviors of the re-
public will cost the nation ultimately mill
lions Of dollars, but unquestionably It will
be worth all II costs as a lesson In pa
triotism for coming generations. This
labor Of gratitude has been in progress
for some years past and already a dozen
or more Of the foremost warriors In the
union army have been thus honored. OF
late years. however, the Importance has
been emphasized by the increasingly elab-
crate character of the monuments erected.
The climax will come a year or two hence
with the completion Of that splendid me-
mortal to General Grant, for which the con-
gress Of the United States has appropriated
S25O.OC0 and for the foundation OF which
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The scene OF this shrine to military fame
is. appropriately enough. the national cap
ltal-the city Of wsshington-which Is COM
Ing, year by year. to take on more and
more the character Of a beautiful creation
In architecture and sculpture and landscape
gardening that is the property Of the whole
people. The statues to the victors In the
struggle between the north and the south
occupy conspicuous positions in the most
advantageously located Of the parks and
circles with which the seat Of government
abounds - verdure-clad. breathing spaces
which seem as though they might have
been specially provided as sites for just
such heroid or life-size figures. Some OF
the statues are under the shadow of the
capitol, others cluster about tho White
House and yet others are placed where
they will kindle inspiration in the patriotic
pilgrim to the nations headquarters.
Men on Horseback.
Much OF the impressiveness OF the statues
to the military heroes of the federal ar
mics is doubtless due to the fact that
almost all of them are equestrian. 1t is
customary in all countries to portray as
'men on horseback only the so-called
royal personages or men who were actual
commanders of troops or enjoyed the title
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ever erected in the Western hemisphere
was the one Of George III of England,
which stood in Bowling Green. at the foot
OF Broadway, New York City, and which:
during the war for Independence, was
melted up and cast Into bullets by patri-
otto daughters of Miss Columbia.
The oldest equestrian monument now
standing in the new world is a colossal
statue of Charles w Of Spain. in the City
OF Mexico. The initial equestrian statue
in the United States is the renowned one
OF General Andrew Jackson, which stands
IN the park directly in front OF the White
House at Washington. It is estimated
that there are 400 equestrian statues in the
world, of which number the city on the
Potomac will have, with the completion of
the Grant memorial, a total of twelve.
most of them representatives Of civil war
heroes.
The first statue arranged for in honor Of
q warrior Identified with the civil war was
that in which General Winfield Scott Is de-
picted ounted on a charger at rest. This
monument was ordered in 1867 and was
erected seven years later. General Scott
IS in the uniform Of lieutenant general.
The material for the figures Of horse and
rider was derived from cannon captured
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Scott won his greatest fame. The pedestal
for this statue is made up Of five huge
pieces OF granite cut in Cape Ann quar-
ries, and at the same time they we're OBJ
tanned from the largest single pieces Of
gatnite ever cut from quarries in this
ccintry.
Next came the erection Of a statue Ia
General James b. Mcpherson. This was
erected through the efforts OF the Society
OF the Army Of the Tennessee, and It was
Intended that the monument should con.
stitute McPherson's tomb. Beneath the
statute is a vault designed to receive tn,
body Of the gallant officer killed near At.
lanta, but such interment was never made
The statue represents Mcpherson as h,
led in battle, In his right hand he holdi
field glasses, and is portrayed as gazing
deliberately over a field Of battle.
Surprisingly inspiring and magnificent Il
The statue erected to General George H
Thomas by his comrades of the Army o
the Cumberland IN 1874. The Rock o.
C~hickamauga is represented refining In hi
horse in order that he may obtain a bette
view of the field of battle. ]. Q. A. War,
Is the sculptor of this masterpiece an,
every person who has seen II will readi,
agree with the art critics that there is no
in the whole range Of worlds sculptur
so splendid a representation OF a horse a
the charger on which the virginisn /
seated.
A fine equestrian statue of General Han
cock was unveiled in 1896 Alike TO tn
Thomas statue the pose is one Of action
the hero OF Gettysburg being portrayed a
a commander. watchful and alert in IN
center OF activities. The statue of Gen
eral Logan, the first Of the memorials I
be unveiled during the present century,
unique in many respects. General Loga
IS represented as riding along the line G
battle, his sword drawn and carried lo'
In his right hand. The horse Is repre-
sented In the attitude of moving at a slo'
trot. On one face OF the pedestal Of III
monument is a group representing Gener'
Logan with other leading officers Of III
Army OF the Tennessee. while opposite is
group representing General Logan takdn
the oath Of office as United States sent
tor. administered by Vice President A
thur.
All OF the equestrian statutes have co.
considerable sums. The General SEQ
statue cost $4,000, and the pedestal So
900 more. The bronze figure of McPhers
cost $500 and the pedestal $4,000. tt
sum OF $4,000 was paid for Wards mattel
less statue of Thomas and $500 for Il
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