2. General William Tecumseh Sherman, Grand Army Plaza

Standing in the Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza, off 5th Avenue and Central Park West is the gilded statue of General William Tecumseh Sherman. It was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and was the artist’s last major work. Sherman is most famous for his service during the Civil War, especially his infamous March to the Sea, which recent scholarship has shown to be more targeted than originally thought. The quote “War is Hell” is attributed to Sherman and interestingly he was sent a letter by the man who assassinated President Garfield in hopes that Sherman would break him out of jail.

Sherman spent his post-war years in New York City, living on the Upper West Side, where he died in 1891. In 1903, New York City City honored the general with a statue of him being led by Victory. These days, the statue forms a nice contrast to the outdoor art installations just behind it by Public Art Fund – the latest, a giant granite grocery list.

Read more about NYC sites related to the Assassination of President Garfield