Gettysburg Sculptures
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Gettysburg Sculptures
United States
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Featured Monument:
Brigadier General James S. Wadsworth Monument
by sculptor R. Hinton Perry
Located on the east side of North Reynolds Avenue 100 yards north of the Chambersburg Pike ( RT 30 ).
(see Google map link at bottom of page)
(hover over the lower right corner of photo and a magnifying glass icon will appear. Click on the icon to enlarge the photo)
Major - General James Samuel Wadsworth Monument
Dedicated: October 6, 1914
This early Tipton photograph was taken soon after the formal dedication of the monument.
Sculptor of the statue: R. Hinton Perry
Bronze Castings by: Gorham Company, New York
Bronze statue stands 9 feet in height.
Granite Base: National Granite Company, Montpelier Vermont.
Base measures 12 feet square and stands 10 feet 2 inches above the foundation. It consists of six courses of highly polished Barre granite.
Brig. - General James S. Wadsworth
October 30, 1807 - May 8, 1864
The chiastic pose the sculptor chose to portray of Wadsworth is similar to the Brigadier General George S. Greene monument located on the summit of Culp's Hill. Both monuments have the subjects standing and pointing with the right arm. Keep in mind that Perry would do both the Wadsworth and the Greene monuments.
A determined but calm looking Wadsworth sends in his 1st Division on the morning of July 1, 1863. The monument is located along the infantry line occupied by a portion of Brigadier General Lysander Cutler's 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division, 1st Corp.
An often overlooked feature of the Wadsworth Monument is the officers style forage cap known as the "McDowell." Made famous by General Irvin McDowell, the hat features a 1/2 moon crescent shaped visor. Wadsworth would serve under McDowell in the early months of the war.
Perry would include a watch chain and key on the bronze statue. This detail can be seen in several original images of Wadsworth. 
At Gettysburg Wadsworth was a Brigadier General. Officers in the Civil War would wear a sash made of silk. The sash would be Crimson in color for Line Officers and Buff color for General Officers. The sculptor has captured the details of the sash as well as the sword and gauntlets.
When you stand in front of these magnificent works of art and study the details, one can only be in awe of the skill of these 19th and 20th Century sculptors. Note how the sword scabbard "splits" the tassels of the sash.
Even though the monument has Wadsworth standing, Brigadier Generals would have been mounted on horseback, thus the need for spurs. Another detail captured by the sculptor. 
Gettysburg Sculptures
United States