Unveiling of the Statue to Governor William Smith. 237
At First Manassas, Seven Pines, the Seven Days' Battle,
Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas, Sharpsbnrg,
Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville
and Gettysburg.
His fiery, yet "cheerful courage" was everywhere conspicuous, And the only fault imputed to him by his superior was
"A too reckless exposure of his person,"
Thrice wounded at Sharpsburg, he refused to leave the field,
And remained in command of his regiment until the end of that
sanguinary engagement.
FOURTH FACE:
Called from the army to guide again the destinies of this
Commonwealth during 1864-' 65 He displayed such energy, resource and unshaken resolution,
As drew to him the heart of the whole Southern people.
Tried by both extremes of Fortune proved equal to the trial,
And died as he had lived,
A Virginian of Virginians.
The following description of the statue was prepared for The News Leader by William L. Sheppard, who designed it in drawing and molded the clay model from which the work was made:
"The action of the figure illustrates the turn in Governor Smith's public career in which he abandoned the civil for the military office. He has seized the sword in his right hand, having freed himself of the drapery on that shoulder. With his left hand he is in the act of casting the cloak from his person. This pose was selected from several drawings from which a small model was made. This was approved by the parties in interest and several friends who were asked to inspect it, among them Colonel Cutshaw and Mayor McCarthy.
"The large figure, from the design, was modeled by William Sievers, of New York, formerly of Richmond. He was first a scholar and subsequently instructor in modeling in the Mechanics' Institute. Mr. Siever's afterwards studied in the schools of Rome. His work on the figure thoroughly represents the spirit of the design and is done with bold technique.
"W. Cary Sheppard designed the pedestal, which was cut and erected by Albert Netherwood."
