James McPherson Statue

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Erected in 1876, this equestrian statue of Major General James B. McPherson serves as the centerpiece of McPherson Square along Vermont Avenue between K and I Streets N.W. General McPherson commanded the Army of the Tennessee and distinguished himself at the Battle of Atlanta where he was tragically killed on July 22, 1864, making him the second-highest-ranking Union officer to be killed during the Civil War.

This statue of General McPherson was sculpted by the Italian-born artist, Louis Rebisso and paid for by the Society of the Army of the Tennessee at a cost of $32,000. It is also notable for the fact that it was cast from bronze Confederate cannons captured during the Battle of Atlanta: the same conflict at which McPherson was killed. The General is depicted atop his horse, surveying a battlefield with field glasses in hand. His uniform is wrinkled, with his coat and trousers blown back by the wind.

Congress contributed $25,000 for the granite base and pedestal. The statue was dedicated on October 18, 1876 in a ceremony attended by President Rutherford B. Hayes and presided over by General William Tecumseh Sherman and General John A. Logan – both of whom are also commemorated with statues in Washington, D.C.

Part of Civil War Monuments
DC Inventory: March 3, 1979
National Register: September 20, 1978