''Lieutenant General George Washington'' is an 1860 equestrian statue of

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

, at

Washington Circle Washington Circle is a traffic circle in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., United States. It is located on the border of the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods, which is a part of the Ward 2 section in Washington. It is the inte ...

, at the edge of the

George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , preside ...

’s campus in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The statue was sculpted by Clark Mills.

History

In 1783, after the close of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

ordered that an equestrian statue of Washington should be erected, the base of which should represent the principal incident of the war. For some reason the subject was dropped until after Washington's death, when in December, 1799, Congress resolved that a marble monument be erected by the United States Government. This was also, however, delayed, and in May, 1800, a third time it was decided that an erection of a costly mausoleum would resolve it. After talking, 1801, an appropriation of $800,000 was made for the purpose and the issue concerning the statue ended. On February 13, 1832, a resolution of inquiry, introduced by Congressman (and later President) James Buchanan as to how the House resolution of 1799 had been carried out, was adopted. The House appointed a committee to make suitable arrangements for the celebration of the centennial anniversary of Washington's birth. This brought back to life the idea of creating a statue honoring

. The equestrian statue was finally authorized by an act of Congress on January 25, 1853, and executed by sculptor Clark Mills, and dedicated on February 22, 1860, by President Buchanan. It cost $60,000. Washington is pictured advancing in front of the American lines toward the British, with shot and cannonballs, at the Battle of Princeton and Trenton. He calmly hold the reins as he surveys the battle with unflinching determination. The horse's mane is modeled on ''

Napoleon Crossing the Alps ''Napoleon Crossing the Alps'' (also known as ''Napoleon at the Saint-Bernard Pass'' or ''Bonaparte Crossing the Alps''; listed as ''Le Premier Consul franchissant les Alpes au col du Grand Saint-Bernard'') is a series of five oil on canvas e ...

.'' Washington's rank during the war was not "Lieutenant General," but "General and Commander-in-Chief." In 1798, during the

Quasi-War The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congress ...

, he was appointed to command the army with the rank of lieutenant general. After years of guarding Washington Circle for over a century, this equestrian statue was temporarily moved to allow for the construction of the K Street Underpass. In 1936, Washington and his horse were released from their wooden cage and returned to the center of the Washington Circle.''Washington sculpture: a cultural history of outdoor sculpture in the nation's capital'' As part of

American Revolution Statuary American Revolution Statuary is a group of fourteen statues in Washington, D.C., listed with the National Register of Historic Places. The statues are scattered across Washington, mainly in squares and traffic circles, with four statues of Europea ...

in Washington, D.C. the statue is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

References

External links

* http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0001420.htm
"George Washington statue in Washington Circle"
''DC Guide'' *http://xenophongroup.com/patriot/washington/rank.htm {{DEFAULTSORT:Lieutenant General George Washington 1860 sculptures 1860s establishments in Washington, D.C. Washington, G Bronze sculptures in Washington, D.C. Equestrian statues in Washington, D.C. Historic district contributing properties in Washington, D.C. Monuments and memorials on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Monuments and memorials to George Washington in the United States Northwest (Washington, D.C.) Sculptures of men in Washington, D.C. Statues of George Washington

History

See also

References

External links