In the context of this artwork, discuss the Design of the Early history, 1909–1913.
Unlike his earlier Daniel A. Bean sculpture (an unarmed 15-year-old Union enlistee), John A. Wilson depicted the infantryman armed with a rifle, but with no cartridge box on his belt. This has been explained as a choice to make the soldier "silent" by not providing ammunition to fire his gun. However, historian Adam H. Domby suggests that the lack of a cartridge box stemmed from Wilson's lack of knowledge about the requirements of mid-19th century weaponry, saying "In fact, he was never meant to be silent, and those who organized, funded, and dedicated the monument would be horrified at the thought that future generations would see Sam as a pacifist." As with the Bean sculpture sculpture, Wilson used a northerner, Harold Langlois of Boston, as his model. That was part of a tradition of "Silent Sentinels," statues created in the North, often mass-produced, depicting soldiers without ammunition or with their guns at parade rest. As with the other statues, the memorial was positioned to face north, towards the Union.A bronze plaque in bas-relief on the front of the memorial's base depicts a woman, representing the state of North Carolina, convincing a young student to fight for the Southern cause as he drops his books, representing students leaving their studies. A smaller bronze plaque on the left side of the base says:Erected under the auspices of the North Carolina division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy aided by the alumni of the university
Another bronze plaque on the right reads:To the sons of the university who entered the War of 1861–65 in answer to the call of their country and whose lives taught the lesson of their great commander that duty is the sublimest word in the English language "Duty is the sublimest word in the English language" is a quote from a letter attributed to Confederate commander Robert E. Lee, but revealed in 1914 to have been a forgery.Pedestal plaques
United Daughters of the Confederacy Boston Robert E. Lee right infantryman Confederate bas-relief John A. Wilson