“He looks majestic doesn’t he?” I ask the group. Before you stands the Artemas Ward Statue a bronze giant in Ward Circle. This ten-foot-tall monument isn’t just a pretty face. It’s a testament to a largely forgotten hero.
Artemas Ward wasn’t just some minor player in the American Revolution. He was the very first Commander-in-Chief of the colonial forces. That’s right. Before George Washington there was Artemas Ward. He led the troops defending Boston during the siege. His health failed later in the war. He still served though. He served in Congress.
Now look closely at the details. The sculptor Leonard Crunelle based Ward’s uniform on actual clothing. Crunelle even used an oil portrait by Charles Willson Peale as a model. See the cannonball at the statue’s base? A subtle nod to Ward’s military career. The inscription on the pedestal is clear. It lists his impressive achievements.
The statue itself is a fascinating story. Congress authorized its creation in 1928. Harvard University funded it fulfilling a will’s terms. The will was from Artemas Ward’s great-grandson. He donated millions to the university. The unveiling in 1938 was a major event. The Secretary of War himself was there.
Why was Ward largely forgotten? Historians overlooked his contributions. This statue though ensures he won’t be. He was a Massachusetts son a Harvard graduate a judge and legislator. He was a soldier in three wars. Most importantly he was the first commander of the Patriot forces.
This statue isn’t just bronze and granite. It’s a story. A story of a man a war and a nation’s founding. It’s a story waiting to be discovered. Remember the name Artemas Ward. Remember his sacrifice and leadership. He deserves it. He deserves to be remembered.