Capitol’s Bryan statue has new home in Seward

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 William Jennings Bryan is on the move. At least his statue is.

On Sept. 18, 2019, a dedication will take place in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as the statue of William Jennings Bryan is replaced with Chief Standing Bear, the famous Ponca leader whose fight for justice is summed up in his famous statement at trial, “I Am a Man.”

The statue of Bryan will return to Nebraska to its new home at the Nebraska National Guard Museum in Seward. The story of Col. William Jennings Bryan can now be told at the museum as the statue will take its place in the Early Guard (1854-1900) section of the facility. 

William Jennings Bryan is most noted for two things: three-time unsuccessful Democratic candidate for president (1896, 1904, and 1912) and the Scopes Evolution Trial. Not many people know about his military experience in Nebraska.

After the start of the Spanish-American War, Bryan helped form the Third Regiment of the Nebraska National Guard and was elected by his peers to their colonel. On July 13, 1898, the unit was mustered into federal service as the Third Nebraska Volunteer Infantry. On July 16, they boarded trains to head to Jacksonville, Florida, to become part of the Seventh Corps under Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee.

After training around the city, they staged at Camp Onward, Savannah, Georgia, on Oct. 24 to await orders for combat. President William McKinley (Republican) was not going to let his political opponent Bryan (Democrat) become a war hero. The president held the Nebraskans in Florida. In the meantime, the United States and Spain signed a peace treaty in Paris on Dec. 10. Following the peace treaty, Bryan resigned his commission, and McKinley then sent the Nebraska unit to occupation duty in Cuba on Dec. 31. 

Bryan’s historical legacy is his ability to inspire others to join the regiment in Nebraska. He had over 30 companies of volunteers that wanted to serve under him. Many Republicans volunteered to serve with him, including Capt. George L. Sheldon – later governor from 1907 to 1909.

Bryan initially signed with the volunteers as a private, but Nebraska Gov. Silas Holcomb appointed him a colonel.

Holcomb knew he lacked the military background and assigned as his assistant regimental commander the Civil War Medal of Honor recipient and Nebraska’s former adjutant general from 1891 to 1892 Victor Vifquain to serve with him. The both of them picked 12 of the best units from the 30 that were offered.

Vifquain took care of the training to prepare the Nebraskans for combat. Bryan was the populist leader of the regiment of volunteers that fought in the Spanish-American War. 

On April 27, 1937, two statues were dedicated in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.: J. Sterling Morton and William Jennings Bryan.

The ceremony was attended by Gov. Robert LeRoy Cochran; the Nebraska Memorial Commission: J.P. O’Furey, T.S. Allen, Arthur J. Weaver, Val J. Peter, E.H. Luikart; and the Congressional Delegation: Sen. George W. Norris, Sen. Edward R. Burke, Rep. Henry C. Luckey, Rep. Charles F. McLaughlin, Rep. Karl Stefan, Rep. Charles Binderup and Rep. Harry B. Coffee.

The sculptor for both statues was Rudolph Evans, a nationally renowned artist whose work is featured around the country. The two statues represented Nebraska in Statuary Hall. Each state has two statues on display. 

The Bryan statue is set to arrive in Seward the week of Sept. 16. The floor under the statue had to be reenforced to accommodate the 6,000 pounds. The base is made of marble and the statue is bronze. The statue and base are over 9 feet tall.

Once inside the museum, the staff will prepare the accompanying information, storyboards and wall wraps to help tell the story of Bryan and his Nebraska National Guard service. No date has been set for the re-dedication of the statue at the museum.