The first

outdoor sculpture in Peachtree City was unveiled last

Saturday morning.

The

memorial sculpture of Gen. William J. Hardee, a

Confederate general from South Georgia was unveiled by

Hardee descendants, including Peachtree City resident,

Gail Hardee Broderick and her husband, Pat.

They

spearheaded the drive to bronze the wax sculpture done by

Newnan artist Michael Pate. It took a fund of nearly

$10,000 to do everything that needed to be done so it

could be mounted and set outside. It is on Gen. Hardee

Square in North Cove, on North Peachtree Parkway.

About 70

people braved extremely inclement weather to participate

in the ceremony and afterward the five homes on the

square had a variety of refreshments on their front

porches.

The speaker

was Scott Gilbert, lieutenant commander, Hardee Chapter,

Military Order of Stars and Bars. Councilwoman Annie

McMenamin welcomed everyone on behalf of the city of

Peachtree City, and bagpiper Ryan McMahon led reenactors

to the site where colors were posted.

The Rev.

Richard D. Brigham, rector of St. Andrew's-in-the-Pines

Episcopal Church, Peachtree City, extended the invocation

and David Helm, chaplain, Hardee Chapter MOSB, delivered

the benediction.

The

committee spent 18 months working on the project and it

includes Carolyn Cary, Scott Gilbert, Geraldine Holt,

Bobby Kerlin, Annie McMenamin and Nan Padgett, as well as

the Brodericks.

There were

more than 40 individual contributors as well as six

county businesses who donated materials, foods and labor.

The

sculpture was cast in bronze by the Inferno Art Foundry

in Union City, making the entire sculpture 100 percent

Georgian. Entitled "Going Home Proud," it

depicts the general sending a private on his way home

after the War Between The States, along with a horse.