44 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
The monument to be erected on the 
battlefield of Shiloh by the state of Wis- 
consin in memory of her soldiers who fell 
there, is an encouraging evidence of 
progress in designing soldiers' monu- 
ments, and shows what artistic effort can 
accomplish in this direction, even with a 
Small appropriation. 
The design is by W. R. Hodges, of St. 
Louis, who is also the contractor for the 
work. Mr. Hodges was himself a cap- 
tain in the 30th Wisconsin regiment, and 
particularly interested in the success of 
the work. The modeling, including the 
main group, three bas-relief panels rep- 
resenting battle scenes, and four inscrip- 
tion panels, has been executed by Robert 
Porter Bringhurst, of St. Louis. 
The theme is that of a dying soldier 
supported by Columbia. The color-bearer 
is mortally wounded and sinks to the 
ground, letting the flag-staff slip from his 
grasp. Columbia, catching the flag in 
one hand, supports him with the other 
arm, on which he wears a shield, the re- 
verse side of which bears the coat-of- 
arms of the United States. The lower 
part of the flag-staff, shown entire in the 
photograph of the model, will be rep- 
resented as shot away in the final bronze 
group. 
The sculptor has produced a spir- 
ited group, conceived with poetic 
feeling, and finely expressive of 
lofty patriotism and heroic sacrifice. 
The group is well-balanced and firmly modeled, and 
will be a welcome addition to our battlefield memo- 
rials. Cornelius Cadle, president of the National 
Military Park Commission, is reported as saying of 
the group : “The conception is magnificent. It will 
excel any memorial, not only on our battlefield, but 
on Gettysburg or Chickamauga.” 
The group will be thirteen feet high to the top of 
the flag-staff, and will be cast in bronze by the Gor- 
ham Company, of New York. 
It will surmount a pedestal of red Wisconsin 
granite from the Waushara quarries of the Milwau- 
kee Monument Co. The pedestal will be 9-6 x 7-6 at 
the base and six feet high, and will be inscribed 
on its front with this sentence from one of Horace’s 
odes : “Sweet and glorious it is to die for one’s 
country.” On the other three sides will be 
bronze bas-reliefs represent- 
ing : the charge of the 14th 
Wisconsin regiment in the 
battle of April 7 ; the attack 
in force on a picket post of the 
16th Wisconsin ; and the 18th 
regiment entering into action, 
April 6, 1862. 
The inscription tablets, also 
of bronze, will give a record of 
the Wisconsin troops in the 
battle. 
The monument is to be 
erected with a state appropria- 
tion of $13,000, made by the 
last Legislature. There were 
about twenty competitors for 
the contract. 
WISCONSIN STATE MONUMENT AT SHILOH. 
