INTHE KNOW
M
DID YOU KNOW
Fame Statue that
stands in Sewickley
Cemetery pays
homage to those who
served long ago.
by Pamela Palongue
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ore than 150 years have passed since the beginning of the war in
which our nation turned upon itself, leaving more than 600,000 dead
in its wake. Although the names of those who fought have largely
faded from memory, the Fame Statue that stands in Sewickley Cemetery pays
enduring homage to those who served long ago.
Originally created in marble in 1866, the statue was carved by Isaac
Broome, who won a competition to create the sculpture. The names of
soldiers from the area who perished in battle are inscribed on the base of the
structure. Also on the base of the statue is a partial stanza of the poem The
Bivouac of the Dead. (A bivouac is a temporary camp without tents or any
type of overhead covering, usually associated with soldiers or others who
must travel lightly and quickly.)
The poem is frequently quoted on military memorials across the country,
including Arlington National Cemetery. The poet, Theodore O’Hara, was
himself a Civil War veteran.
The poem reads:
On Fame’s eternal camping ground
Their silent tears are spread,
And Glory guards, with solemn round,
The Bivouac of the Dead.
The statue itself features a solemn angel clutching a wreath in one hand,
likely symbolizing remembrance, and a tru \][