George McClellan was born in Philadelphia in 1826. He left the University of Pennsylvania in 1842 to continue his education at West Point Academy, where he graduated second in his class. Though trained as an engineer, McClellan was best known for his military activities during the Civil War. He had the reputation of being a brilliant but sometimes overly cautious general: one who inspired loyalty and confidence in his men.
The memorial to the general was commissioned by the Grand Army of the Republic and given as a gift to the city of Philadelphia. The artist, Henry Jackson Ellicott, completed a number of equestrian statues and memorials for cities throughout the country.
Adapted from Public Art in Philadelphia by Penny Balkin Bach (Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 1992).
Voices heard in the Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program: Gregory Urwin is a professor of history at Temple University. He has a longstanding interest in military history, especially the Civil War. Lynn D. Marsden-Atlass is the former director of the Arthur Ross Gallery at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a specialist in American and contemporary art. | Segment Producer: John Myers
Museum Without Walls: AUDIO is the Association for Public Art’s award-winning audio program for Philadelphia’s outdoor sculpture. Available for free by phone, mobile app, or online, the program features more than 150 voices from all walks of life – artists, educators, civic leaders, historians, and those with personal connections to the artworks.
This artwork is part of the Around City Hall tour
