Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Major General James B. McPherson

Major General James B. McPherson is a public artwork by American artist Louis Rebisso, located at McPherson Square in Washington, D.C., United States. The bronze monument depicts Civil War hero James B. McPherson seated on a horse, turned slightly to the proper right as if surveying a battlefield. He holds the reins in his left hand and field glasses in his right. The horse is shown in mid-stride with one front foot raised and its head lowered. The statue sits on a rectangular granite base decorated with wreaths, stars, and cannonballs. It was surveyed as part of the Smithsonian’s Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in 1993 and is a contributing monument to the Civil War Monuments in Washington, DC, on the National Register of Historic Places.

Major General James B. McPherson Memorial equestrian statue on a tall pedestal in a grassy park with city buildings behind it.
Major General James B. McPherson Memorial rises on a stone pedestal in a grassy park setting.
© NPS Photo · Public domain
Major General James B. McPherson Memorial, an equestrian statue on a tall stone pedestal in a park setting
The Major General James B. McPherson Memorial stands on a multi-tiered stone pedestal in an outdoor park setting.
1903 © Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
Bronze equestrian statue of General James B. McPherson with a raised horse leg, set against modern buildings.
The equestrian statue of General James B. McPherson stands in McPherson Square with city buildings in the background.
February 2013 © Sculptor Louis Rebisso (1837-1899). I took this photograph. · Public domain
General James B. McPherson equestrian statue in bronze with a green patina, shown against a tall brick building.
The equestrian statue of General James B. McPherson stands in front of a brick building in Washington, DC.
February 2013 © Sculptor Louis Rebisso (1837-1899). I took this photograph. · Public domain
Grey stone base of the Major General James B. McPherson monument with engraved inscription.
Engraved text on the base of the Major General James B. McPherson monument.
January 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleMajor General James B. McPherson
TypeEquestrian statue

Historical context

SubjectMajor General James B. McPherson, a Union major general of the American Civil War

Creator

SculptorLouis Rebisso
Sculptor nationalityAmerican

Discovery and provenance

Authorized byUnited States Congress
Authorization dateMarch 3, 1875
Commissioned bySociety of the Army of the Tennessee
Material used in castingConfederate cannons captured at the Battle of Atlanta
Base designerSmithmeyer & Pelz
Stone work providerWestham Granite Works

Physical characteristics

Base heightH. .
Base depthD. .
BaseRectangular granite base
MaterialBronze
Base materialGranite

Appearance

Depicted poseSitting on a horse, turned slightly to the proper right as if surveying a battlefield
Right handHolding a pair of field glasses
Left handHolding the horse's reins
Horse poseCaught in mid-stride, with the proper right foot raised and the head turned down
Base decorationRing of small wreaths around the top, a ring of stars around the bottom, and a ring of cannonballs
InscriptionERECTED BY HIS COMRADES OF THE SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE

Location and ownership

Historic designationContributing monument
Surveyed bySmithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey
Listed onNational Register of Historic Places
LocationMcPherson Square, Washington, D.C., United States
Part ofCivil War Monuments in Washington, DC
Installation occasion11th annual reunion of the Army of the Tennessee
InstalledOctober 18, 1876
Installation locationScott Square (now McPherson Square)
Survey year1993