The Daniel Bean Sculpture

Dear Diary,

In my on-line course, Tangible Things, we were asked to seek out a local monument to comment on.  I chose the Daniel Bean sculpture not too far from my home.  I've driven by it hundreds of times and really took no great notice of it.  This course asked me to look at with new eyes and in context with history.

I've found out that it is, in fact, a very unique Civil War sculpture.  Dedicated in 1911 the young soldier is depicted with no gun.  He is shown taking his oath at induction to uphold the union.  It is not just a generic representation either, it is the only Civil War statue in Maine that represents a real young man, only 15 years old at the time of swearing in and he was the first Brownfield soldier to die in the war.  It was commissioned by his best friend, Elias Morton, who also joined up at the same time and who many years later wanted to give the town this memorial to the brave young man and to the idea it represents. 

I've added a photo of a memorial service at the statue c.1920 and Daniel's portrait taken by renowned Civil War photographer Mathew Brady which shows how well the sculptor achieved a likeness in the statue.

The plaque says it all, "To her sons who upheld the flag."  Above all, it was the Union that had to be preserved otherwise there would be no America of any kind.  You can read about Daniel here.  The sculptor, John Wilson, also created a Confederate memorial which, although holding a gun, has no cartridge case and is therefore disarmed.  It is known as "Silent Sam".

Now, this familiar statue holds an entirely different meaning for me but isn't that what taking a course of study is supposed to do...open our eyes to view the world from a different perspective?   It has succeeded.