About the Sculpture
⎯⎯⎯
About the Artist

About the Sculpture, also, About the Artist. . About the Sculpture The First Volunteer statue represents no specific individual. Instead, the sculpture embodies the volunteer spirit made synonymous with Tennessee during the War of 18 12. To portray the typical citizen-soldier of the era, the sculptor collaborated with a team of historians and a frontier artist, and collectively performed intensive research of museum collections and documents. The work culminated in this bronze piece, which exhibits the small details that capture the essence of the first Tennessee volunteer. While he mustered into military duty here at Camp Blount, the First Volunteer stands poised for action at the 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend. His sense of movement and intense engagement commands the viewer's attention and pulls us into the action of America's second revolution. , This rendition of the volunteer soldier is outfitted with several items typical of the era, including his short-fringed attire and common shoes. He dons a hat fashioned to resemble those of felted beaver and a rendered wooden canteen. As a soldier on the move, he carries all his necessities, including the bedroll and haversack, as well as a working- type tomahawk, hunting pouch and powder horn of a common Southern style. The depicted soldier carries a rifle, modeled upon the original, that replicates one owned by David Crockett. Although the rifle is of an earlier design, many volunteer soldiers carried weapons handed down from family members. With the artist's utmost attention to detail, The First Volunteer provides a realistic and historically accurate depiction of the citizen-soldier called to action by Governor Willie Blount in 1813. , , About the Artist , Wayne Hyde , Mann's Choice, Pennsylvania , From his body of sculpted works, Wayne Hyde Has developed a significant reputation as a sculptor of historic military pieces. With works ranging from the French and Indian War through the Vietnam War, he seeks to capture the movement and action of his subjects. Wayne was chosen for The First Volunteer project from among a nation-wide pool of applicants. It was his outstanding prior work depicting historic figures within Tennessee that ultimately led to his selection. , In designing The First Volunteer, Wayne and the team consulted with renowned frontier artist David Wright of Gallatin, Tennessee. Wright's painting. Crossroads to Destiny, served as a centerpiece of inspiration for the statue. The painting depicts the artist's rendition of General Jackson, David Crockett, Sam Houston, and local resident Dr. Charles McKinney at Camp Blount during 1813. The combined research and experience of Hyde, Wright, and a team of historians resulted in the sculptor's ultimate rendering of The First Volunteer statue. , The statue's stone base was made possible by the successful fundraising efforts of the 2016-2017 Leadership Lincoln class. , This statue is dedicated not just to Tennessee's early volunteers but to all our volunteers that have stepped forward through the present time.