General James S. Wadsworth
Posted to the Project on 18 Jan 08
The monument to Union First Corps Division commander James Samuel Wadsworth is located along North Reynolds Avenue, near the Railroad Cut.
One of several portrait bronzes dedicated to New York-born Division commanders, the monument was dedicated on October 6, 1914 at a cost of$7,788.28. The base is made of dark Barre granite and was designed by Edward P. Casey. The statue itself is of standard bronze; it was sculpted by R. Hinton Perry. Perry executed several bronze busts and reliefs on display at Vicksburg (including ones to Samuel French, William “Red” Jackson, Neely, etc.). Most of these were done between 1913 and 1916.
Wadsworth, a wealthy man who contributed a great deal of money to the cause of preserving the Union, was killed leading a Fifth Corps division at the battle of the Wilderness in May 1864.