Sharon Volunteer of 1861 (Sharon, Massachusetts)

Union

The Volunteer is a copy of Kitson's sculpture in Newport, but unlike the original, this figure has a mustache and looks slightly older. It is possible that the committee wanted their statue to be unique, whilst basing a design on an existing monument would have been more cost-effective. It was a gift from George Washington Gay and his wife Eunice Lyon Gay. George H. Gay, was mortally wounded at the Battle of Dallas in Georgia on May 25, having enlisted with the 33rd Massachusetts Infantry when he was 18 and a student. The monument is dedicated to George H. Day and all of Sharon's "sons who fell in the Great Civil War 1861-1865'. The left panel of the Sharon Soldier's monument bears a plaque dedicated to of Deborah Sampson Gannett, the grandmother of G.W. Gay, who was also from Sharon and disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the Revolutionary War.

Inscription:

(On bronze base of sculpture:) THEO A RUGGLES KITSON (On bronze base, left side:) BUREAU BROS. PHILA PENNA (On front of granite base:) ERECTED BY THE TOWN OF/SHARON A.D. 1906(sic) COMMEM/ORATIVE OF HER SONS WHO FELL IN THE GREAT CIVIL/WAR 1861-1865/FROM THE/BEQUESTS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON GAY/AND HIS WIFE/EUNICE LYON GAY (On plaque, left side of wall:) DEBORAH SAMPSON GANNETT/WOMAN SOLDIER OF THE WAR OF THE/REVOLUTION ENLISTED UNDER THE NAME/OF ROBERT SHURTLEFF-SEVERAL YEARS/IN ACTIVE SERVICE-WOUNDED IN THE/BATTLE OF TARRYTOWN - HONORABLY/DISCHARGED IN 1783 - PENSIONED BY/CONGRESS IN 1803/THIS TABLET IS PLACED HERE/BY BEQUEST OF HER GRANDSON /GEORGE WASHINGTON GAY (On plaque, right side of wall:) MEN OF SHARON/WHO THERE LIVES THAT THEIR/COUNTRY MIGHT REMAIN UNDIVIDED/ROLL OF HONOR/TO THE END THAT THEIR SERVICES/AND THE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH THEY/FOUGHT MAY BE KEPT IN REMEMBRANCE/(list of names) signed Founder's mark appears.

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