American School,  Late 19th Century 

Major General Gouverneur K. Warren

Cast bronze

Unsigned

Height 17 x width 19 x depth 9 inches.

A study for a bust portrait of Major General Gouverneur Kemble Warren (1830–1882), most notably remembered as the "Hero of Little Round Top" for his critical role at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Graduating second in his West Point class of 1850, Warren served as an engineer before entering the Civil War as colonel of the 5th New York Infantry. He capably led troops through the Peninsula Campaign, Second Bull Run, and Antietam. By July 1863, he was serving as Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac. On the second day of Gettysburg, Warren recognized that the undefended high ground of Little Round Top was vulnerable to a Confederate attack. On his own initiative, he rushed troops to defend the position, arriving just before the Confederate assault began. This timely intervention secured the Union's hold and averted a potential disaster.

Two full-length bronze statues of Warren were erected during the 19th century, one by  Karl Gerhardt (American, 1853–1940) at Gettysburg National Military Park on Little Round Top itself, and the second by Henry Baerer (American, 1837–1908),  in the Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, New York. In both monumental works, Warren is depicted in uniform with a hat, in marked contrast to the more informal, almost Romantic presentation seen in this example.