General John Frederic Hartranft - Harrisburg, PA
Posted by: 
jiggs11
N 40° 15.795 W 076° 53.005
18T E 339846 N 4458677
Large bronze statue of Union Major General John Frederic Hartranft, Medal of Honor recipient and two-term Governor of Pennsylvania.
Waymark Code: WM10V3P
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 06/25/2019
Views: 6
John Frederic Hartranft led an adventurous life. Born in Montgomery County, he would earn a degree in Civil Engineering and work for two railroads before the outbreak of the Civil War.
After the war broke out, he commanded a regiment of local volunteers. When their 90-day warrant was up, they elected to return home. Hartranft remained with the Union Army, and was eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Bull Run on 21 July, 1861.
He eventually rose to the rank of Major General, and held several key appointments. However it was his actions after the assassination of President Lincoln where he is best remembered. He was the General Officer who delivered the death sentences to the conspirators of the assassination.
After leaving the Army, he ventured into politics, becoming Governor of PA in 1873 and serving two terms. After, he was appointed US Postmaster General.
In 1886 he was presented the Medal of Honor for his actions at Bull Run. He died in 1889, aged 58.
The equestrian statue was commissioned in 1897 by the Sons of the Civil War Veterans (SOCVW) - the precursor to the Grand Army of the Republic. It was completed in 1899 and originally placed in front of the Capitol Building. It was moved to its current location in front of the Matthew J. Ryan Building in 1927.
The base features the inscriptions John Frederic Hartranft, Brevet Major General United States Volunteers, and Commander Third Division Ninth Corps army of the Potomac.
The bronze marker, placed in 1995 by Camp Curtis Historical Society misspells Frederic as "Frederick" (noted on Smithsonian site).
It reads:
John Frederic(k) Hartranft
1830 - 1889
1861 - Raised 4th and 51st Pennsylvania Volunteers
1865 - Special Provost Marshall for Lincoln Conspirators
1866 - 1872 - Auditor General of Pennsylvania
1873 - 1879 - Governor of Pennsylvania, State Constitution Revised
1879 - Father of Modern National Guard of Pennsylvania
1886 - Medal of Honor for Valor at 1st Battle of Bull Run
TITLE: General John Frederic Hartranft
ARTIST(S): Ruckstull, Frederic Wellington
DATE: 1899
MEDIUM: Bronze
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 77006082
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
Front of the Matthew J. Ryan Building, State Capitol grounds, Harrisburg.
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
None.
|
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.