Of Local Lore & Lawyers

OF LOCAL LORE & LAWYERS By: Joe Jarret, J.D., Ph.D.

Attorney, University of Tennessee

THE SILENT SENTINEL: KNOX COUNTY’S SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR MEMORIAL

When I first started practicing law in Knox County in 2007, and walked passed the old historic courthouse for the first time, I was delighted to see a seldom seen monument to the Spanish-American War. As an Army Veteran and a history buff, I often wondered how Knox County came to have such a memorial, considering only 50 such sculptures exist in the United States. I finally decided it was time to research the story behind the monument, and present my findings.

As you probably recall from your high school history class, the Spanish-American War was a conflict between the United States and Spain that was fought from April to December, 1898. The Treaty of Paris1 ended the war, with Spain renouncing all claims to Cuba, ceding Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States, and transferring sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20 million. Tennesseans participated in virtually every aspect of the war, and volunteered in record numbers. In fact, over 4,000 men served in Tennessee’s four Volunteer Infantry units. 2

Commander Washburn Maynard (a Knoxville native), who served on the gunboat Nashville, is credited with ordering the firing of the first shot of the war when he gave the order to “Open Fire!” on a Spanish steamer on April 22, 1898. 3 The University of Tennessee’s official records, dated July, 1898, recognized Commander Maynard as an alumni, and further read in pertinent part, “The University of Tennessee is well represented in the Spanish War in both the navy and army, and University men have already received their baptism of fire.” 4 Knoxville also boasted the existence of Camp Bob Taylor, 5 which was the musterin camp for the 6th U.S. Volunteer Infantry, and was located in what is now Chilhowee Park.

A Monument is Born

The Spanish-American War inspired celebrated artist Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson to create the statue to commemorate the American soldiers who fought in the war. The first version of it was made for the University of Minnesota in 1906. A prolific artist, Kitson was the first woman admitted to the National Sculpture Society. Her work earned praise for her realism and historical accuracy. In 1921, she sold the rights to the statue to the Gortham Manufacturing Company in Rhode Island. Over the next 44 years, Gortham cast at least 52 copies of the statue, which are installed in parks and cemeteries around the country. She dubbed her work “The Hiker,” when she learned that American soldiers gave themselves the moniker “hikers” because their campaigns often involved long marches over difficult terrain. 6

It’s important to note that Kitson’s sculpture was just one of the many created by the prolific artist. Although she was one of forty artists who contributed art to the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi, she nevertheless completed approximately three times more busts and relief portraits than the other sculptors and, until 2008, was the only woman artist represented in the national park. “Throughout her lifetime, Kitson received honors, awards, commissions, and critical praise, evidence of the complimentary characterization of her ‘genius’.” 7

Knoxville’s statue was dedicated on June 30, 1940, under the auspices of Jack Bernard Camp No. 1, United Spanish War Veterans of Knoxville. An original dedication program on file with the McClung collection maintained by the East Tennessee Historical Society reads, “Dedicatory and Unveiling Ceremonies Spanish War Veterans’ Monument.” Among those present at the dedication was SpanishAmerican War veteran and Knoxville attorney S. J. Thornburgh. The bronze statue, which stands 9 feet tall, stands on a base carved from a boulder taken from the Great Smoky Mountains. The statue is accompanied by an inscription that reads: This monument erected by veterans of the war with Spain and members of their auxiliary as a memorial to their departed comrades of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps – every one of them a volunteer – who served from 1898 to 1902 in Cuba, the Philippines, Porto Rico and China. Their battle cry was “Remember the Maine.” Their reward was duty well done in the cause of freedom, patriotism and humanity. Dedicated June 30, 1940, under the auspices of Jack Bernard Camp, United Spanish War Veterans of Knoxville.

Should you visit Arlington National Cemetery, you’ll come to an information display that reads, “Arlington National Cemetery has more Spanish-American War memorials than any other site in the United States.” Nevertheless, the silent sentinel that graces the front of Knoxville’s historic courthouse is a treasure for our viewing enjoyment that has stood the test of time. Its quality surpasses the need for quantity.

1 The Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, commonly known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898, was a treaty signed by Spain and the United States on December 10, 1898, that ended the Spanish–American War. 2 Tennessee Encyclopedia: https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net 3 Id. 4 University of Tennessee, Official Records, August 1, 1898. 5 Camp Bob Taylor was named after beloved former Tennessee Governor Robert Love “Bob” Taylor who served three terms as the 24th governor of Tennessee, from 1887 to 1891, and again from 1897 to 1899. 6 Neal, C. C. (2016). Sculptor Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson:” A Woman Genius”. Historical Journal of Massachusetts, 44(1), 2. 7 Id. at 2,3.