Gettysburg Daily

John C. Robinson Statue Cleaning

The statue to Brigadier General John Cleveland Robinson on Oak Ridge. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

As warmer weather comes to Gettysburg, National Park Service maintenance staff are able to devote time to cleaning many of the battlefield’s statues and memorials. Over the last two days, they have carefully cleaned the bronze statue to Brigadier General John C. Robinson on Oak Ridge.

This photo was taken in April of last year — if you enlarge it you will notice the green patina developing on the statue. The powerwashing and cleaning efforts undertaken this week have removed the offending green color entirely. To see that particular post by Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski, click here. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.

The statue to Robinson was erected in 1917. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

It was sculpted by Scottish-American Massey Rhind (son of Scottish sculptor John Rhind). This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

Rhind is responsible for four statues to Union generals on the Gettysburg Battlefield. This view was taken facing west at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

He sculpted the statues to Robinson, Alexander Webb, Abner Doubleday, and Francis Barlow. This view was facing west at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

Of the four sides to the monument’s base, one contains biographical information on Brigadier General Robinson. This view was facing south at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

Robinson died at age 79, twenty years prior to the placement of the bronze statue in his honor. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

Rhind’s name appears here at the statue’s base, reading “Massey Rhind Sculptor.” This view was taken facing north at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.

The monument also bears the state seal of New York, of which Robinson served as Lieutenant Governor after the Civil War. This view was taken facing east at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, April 29, 2011.