Society Snippets: History of the Partisan Monument Part 10

1913 Oct 24 The State

The various sections of the monument arrived in Columbia yesterday and the first work was done towards its erection.  J.F. Hummel of the Davis Granite company of New York was in charge of the work.  He brought with him testimonials from the chairman of the Vicksburg National Park commission about his work on the 13 Wisconsin monuments and 7 Wisconsin markers for the government in the National cemetery in Vicksburg, Mississippi for the members of the monument committee to review.

Excavation for the foundation was dug with the center of the monument in a direct line with the center of the front of Trinity church and about 8 feet from the Sumter Street pavement.  The hole was 6 feet square and 4 feet deep and was to be filled with concrete into which the base was to be sunk.

The red Missouri granite shaft was cut at the Davis Granite Company’s Massachusetts quarry.  The concrete platform upon which the monument was to stand was to be 23 feet square and pebbled in white with a dark pebbled border with one end rounded.  Hummel was unable to locate suitable pebbles in the Columbia area and was forced to order them from the North.  A turfed area around the base was to be surrounded by a one foot high bronze fence which was placed upon a coping of Fairfield granite.  Three massive Roman benches were to put the finishing touch to the memorial. Ruckstuhl was to arrive on November 8 to supervise the finishing touches and see to it that all was in order before turning the monument over to the monument committee.

an example of a quarry of red Missouri granite

1913 Oct 24 The Columbia Record

Ruckstuhl was expected to arrive to supervise the finishing touches to the monument on November 8.   The granite shaft from the Davis quarry had arrived in Columbia on Thursday [the day before] when the excavation of the site was dug.  It was said the Victory statue was one of the most beautiful examples of his art. J.F. Hummel of the Davis Granite Company was in Columbia and was in charge of the work.  The Winnsboro Granite Company had sent a number of expert workmen from their quarry to lay the foundation of Winnsboro granite.

An old United States flag would veil the monument with cords holding it in place until four young gentlemen, descendents of the three generals, would unveil the monument.  A seat of honor during the ceremony would be given to Bacon as well as Mayes and other members of the monument committee.  The Masons of Columbia would be invited to take part in the ceremony to lay the cornerstone for the monument.

State Regent Mayes

The remainder of the article concerned the state conference.  One aspect that brought concern was that several chapters had not yet reported their delegates which would need to be placed in homes of the city.  These chapters were encouraged to do so at once.

1913 Nov 2 The State

Visitors from all part of South Carolina were expected to be in attendance at the state convention in Columbia November 11-14.  The highlight of the convention would be the unveiling of the monument on Tuesday, November, 11 at 4:00 P.M. The article assigns the state officers as well as regents and delegates to the homes of different members in Columbia.

1913 Nov 2 The Columbia Record

In the society section, the fall season of society didn’t begin until after fair week.  A number of parties were being planned; however, the most interesting event of the season would be the state convention of the SCDAR at which time the monument would be unveiled on Tuesday.  This would be the most notable feature of the convention.

1913 Nov 4 The State

Everyone was invited to attend the unveiling of the monument.  Large numbers from the counties named for the Partisan Generals were expected to be in attendance.

1913 Nov 5 The State

A picture of the figure that would adorn the top of the Partisan Monument was placed in the paper.   The description is as follows: “The beautiful figure, the grace of the lines, the sweep of the flowing garments, the poise [pose] as if the wings had but a second before been [being] in motion, has attracted a great amount of admiration since it was hoisted to its place, surmounting the granite column to the three partisan generals on the capitol grounds.  F.  Wellington Ruckstuhl, who designed and executed the Hampton statue and the woman’s monument, is also the sculptor of this new memorial.  He describes the victory as ‘just alighting from the skies and holding in her right hand a palm of glory and in her left hand a wreath of immortality.’  The figure is five feet tall, the whole monument measuring 27 feet.”

1913 Nov 5 The Columbia Record

A relative furnished the newspaper with an authentic record of the origin and career of Pickens in anticipation of the unveiling of the Partisan Monument.   This brief accounting does not include his service in the Cherokee War, the War of Independence, or his civil capacity.  It states: “General Andrew Pickens was the youngest of the three partisan generals of the American Revolution.  He was born in Pennsylvania.  His family came to America.  They were French Huguenots.  His mother’s family, the Bonneaus of La Rochelle, France, belong to the French navy.  He married Rebecca Calhoun, of South Carolina, sister of the Hon. John Ewing Calhoun, of the first United States Senate.  General Pickens, while in Congress, was presented a handsome silver-mounted sword.  He was nominated for governor, but declined to run.  His descendants were prominent people and married into prominent families.”