Savannah Morning News

FOUR FAMOUS PICTURES
OF LEE, BEAUREGARD, DAVIS
AND STONEWALL JACKSON.

The Group Likely to be Brought to
Savannah During Centennial Week
by the Georgia Historical Society—
The Circumstances Under Which
the Paintings Were Made.

Capt. George A. Mercer in behalf of a
number of prominent citizens who are
interesting themselves to have placed on
exhibition in this city during the coming
Centennial of the Chatham Artillery the
historical paintings of Lee, Stonewall
Jackson, Beauregard and Jefferson Davis,
painted by M. Guillaume, brought the mat-
ter before the Georgia Historical Society
at its meeting last night. M. Guillaume
is now in Savannah and is engaged in
painting a number of portraits of gentle-
men here. He painted the portraits of
Judge Erskine and Judge Nichols, which
were recently presented to the United
States Courts by the Savannah bar, and
is an artist of distinction. He made his
studies of the great historical group
above referred to from life, except that of
Stonewall Jackson, which was completed
while Jackson's body was lying in state
in Richmond after his death.

A News reporter was shown yesterday
the following note, written to M. Guil-
laume on rude Confederate paper, but in
the graceful handwriting of the daughter
of Robert E. Lee:

"My father is here, and, if you are dis-
engaged, he will be with you in course of
half an hour, and you can avail yourself
of his presence for a sitting."

The following letter, read by Capt. Mer-
cer, is from Col. Dabney, the biographer
of Stonewall Jackson, and is eloquent in
its praise of the merit of M. Guillaume's
portraiture of that great soldier:

"HAMPTON SIDNEY, VA., Dec. 20, 1867.

"DEAR SIR: It was with great pleasure
that I heard the equestrian picture of
Gen. T. J. Jackson by M. Guillaume has
been engraved and will be offered to the
public. My regard for M. Guillaume, a
deserving and skillful artist, and my ap-
preciation of the picture which I saw so
often and with ever increasing interest,
prompt me to recommend it warmly to
the admirers of our great leader. On
page 75 of my "Life of Jackson" I re-
marked on the complete metamorphosis
produced in his countenance by a change
of mood. He usually kept his spirit
under rein while in battle and his
demeanor was collected, serious and busi-
ness-like, conveying only an impression of
quiet determination and earnestness.
Hence, many who knew him in civil life
only, and many even who served under
him never saw him wear the countenance
which M. Guillaume has caught and fixed
upon his canvas with a spirit and suc-
cess so wonderful. But two or three
times, during his military career, Gen.
Jackson's fiery spirit fairly broke from
his customary restraints and bore him
away with a tempest of passion and tri-
uph by which his face and person were
literally transfigured. One of these was
at Cold Harbor, one at Cedar Mountain,
and one at Winchester. It is the last
occasion which M. Guillaume has re-
presented. I can testify as an eye-witness
to the fidelity of his general conception,
and especially to the perfect accuracy of
the main figure. He has rendered exactly
the impassioned ardor of the face, the
pose in the saddle, the well-known equip-
ments, and the sun-burnt uniform.

“The moment the artist has represented
was that when the General, after being
held at bay in his first efforts, had sent in
Taylor's Louisiana Brigade on his left,
and had by a general onset broken the
line of Gen. Banks. In the heat of the
battle I was sent by him to bring up this
famous brigade from the reserve, as we
approached the rear of Jackson's centre.
Gen. Taylor and I saw him riding rapidly
toward us alone, wearing his intent and
business-like face, coming to see whether
his orders had been obeyed. When we
reached within a few yards of him he
suddenly pulled up his horse, wheeled,
and without a word rode before us until
we reached his line, then motioning to me
to stop, he pointed Gen. Taylor to the
left and accompanied him to see his regi-
men put in position.

"Having done this, he returned rapidly
without a single attendant to the place
where he had bid me await him. Imme-
diately above and before us was the green
hill which formed the key of his centre,
crowned with two batteries which, al-
though partially shielded by the swell of
the ground on their front, had suffered se-
verely. The top had been swept up to
that moment with a storm of shot. Up the
reverse of this hill the General now rode
eagerly but cautiously seeking, as he
neared the summit, to raise his eyes above
its level and catch a glimpse of the
contested ground in front as soon as
he glanced at it. I who was close to his
elbow saw both his armed heels strike
his horse's flanks by a sort of instinctive
spasm, and he sprang at a bound to the
crest of the eminence. The sight which
there met his eyes was indeed enough to
fire the heart of a great soldier, the whole
Confederate line surging forward like a
simultaneous wave, with Taylor on the
left, the enemy breaking away in frag-
mentary masses from their defenses,
and the Southern cross on many banners
streaming forward through the smoke.
Throwing his horse on his haunches, he
paused for an instant, with his face in a
blaze of triumphant passion, and shouted:
'Forward! Everybody after the enemy!'
This is the moment which M. Guillaume
has so successfully represented. I know
that it reproduces precisely a conception
of the General's face and attitude which
is so indelibly imprinted on my memory.
The transactions from which this is taken
are detailed in the life, pages 176 to 183.

"I also had the privilege of ex-
aminlng the equestrian picture of
Gen.
R.
E.
Lee,
several
times
during
his
production;
I
was
not an eye-witness to the scene it repre-
sents, and have no knowledge of its his-
torical accuracy, but I can testify to the
correctness of the picture of the great
commander, of his manly face and form,
his imposing attitude and his graceful
horsemanship. The adjuncts of the pic-
ture are also strictly characteristic, and
just such as have accompanied the pas-
sage of the revered commander, through
his army during action. I am dear sir,
etc.,
R. L. DABNEY.

To Messrs. Goull & Co.:

The picture of Beauregard is painted
with the Confederate works around
Charleston harbor in the back-ground,
and, like that of President Davis, is noted
for its fidelity and artistic merit. These
paintings have all been engraved by Gou-
pil & Co., and every engraving has been
sold except two, which were exhibited at
the Historical Society rooms last night.
They appeal powerfully to those who were
devoted to the lost cause, and certainly
should belong to a Southern community.
M. Guillaume has been offered $5,000
for the picture of Gen. Lee, but was un-
willing to break the collection. With the
modesty of a true artist, he did not sug-
gest this exhibition of his pictures. It
originated with distinguished Southern-
ers now high in the public service in
Washington. It would be most appro-
priate could these life-like representa-
tions of these great soldiers of the South
be placed before the citizen soldiers of
the country who are soon to assemble
in Savannah.

The matter was discussed by the so-
ciety, and the suggestion of Capt. Mercer re-
ceived its approval. The board of Man-
agers will confer with M. Guillaume,
and it is very likely that the paintings
which have become famous will be
brought here for exhibition.