James A. Garfield Memorial 1st Street and Maryland Ave. SW Architect: Richard Morris Hunt Date: 1887 Medium: Bronze

---member of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland

---at Society’s annual reunion in Chattanooga, TN (Sept 19, 1881) the Society learned Garfield had died, before adjourning they voted to establish a Garfield Memoria Committee to establish a memorial in the nation’s capital

---the opening prayer at the reunion had been for Garfield’s recovery after having been shot by Charles Guiteau eleven weeks earlier in Washington

---fund raising was difficult and slow, in 1882 Congress contributed $7500. Major money appeared only after the Garfield Memorial Fair was held that year. Organized by committeemen, but runby their wives the event raised $15,000. The Society raised another $25,000 while Congress appropriated an additional $30,000 for the monuments base in 1884.

---at the 1883 reunion of the Society of the Army, New York Sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward selected as sculptor and paid $60,000 for statue and pedestal

---the committee and Ward had worked together before on the equestrian statue of General H. Thomas in Thomas Circle which this Society had also commissioned

---Ward had another thing in his favor, one year older than Garfied, they had grown up together on the Ohio frontier and had much in common

---Ward’s previous works included not only Gen. Thomas in Thomas Circle, WDC but also the 1861 Freedman Monument in Lincoln Park/DC. His first statue was the 7th Regiment NY Infantry Memorial in NYC’s Central Park which was followed by his statue of Major John F. Reynolds at Gettysburg, where he had fallen. Ward also worked on an equestrian statue of Gen. Phillip Sheridan that had been intended for Washington, but was cast after he died and finally erected in Albany, NY. Ward died in 1910 at age 80 after having just completed his 3rd equestrian statue of Gen. Winfield Scott for Fairmont Park in Philadelphia

---Ward worked with his friend and partner architect, Richard Morris Hunt who designed the base

---Garfield stands 9’ tall on the pedestal and looks as though he is pausing in the middle of an address

---Garfield is holding his text across his chest, his gaze is direct and steady--into space, not to an audience

---This statue is considered on of Ward’s best

---the three larger than life bronze figures seated at the base represent the three phases of Garfield’s life: First: the scholar: his career as student, professor, and school principal before the war…the figure is contemplative, barefoot, draped in sheepskin, reading from a an unrolled parchment

Second: the soldier …the powerful, bearded warrior with a furry wolfskin draped over his head and shoulders as he warily looks over his shoulder, clutching the hilt of his sword

Third: the statesman representing the Congressman and President …a mature man in a toga and sandals, his right foot resting on a stack of books, holding a tablet inscribed “Law-Justice-Prosperity”

---Ward labored the longest on these three figures causing him to fall behind on the deadline for casting to make the absolute deadline set by the Society for its dedication on May 12,1887. Many extensions were granted but the deadline was a firm one which he made

---May 12, 1887 dedication day…parade formed at 11am, marched down Pennsylvania Ave to foot of Capitol Hill where the statue was concealed behind huge American flags.

---The Society of the Army of the Cumberland showed up in mass and filled the first rows