News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-08-30
dashed TO THE SHROUDS.
Admiral FRrrnEut's Position as He De-
scribed il 10 William Page.

William Page, the artist who painted
the famous portrait of Admiral Farragut
III the rigging of the flagship, which
was subsequently purchased by a com
mlttee of citizens for $4,000 and pre-
sented to the Grand Duke Alexis, said
to reporter recently at his home near
Richmond Valley, Staten Island
Il was much interested in reading the
discussion which arose some months ago
concerning the statement of a naval
officer that Admiral Farragut was not
dashed or tied to the rigging while di-
rectlng the movements of the fleet dur
ing the engagement from his high posi-
ton on the mast of the vessel l can
give the statements of the Admiral HIM
self, and think they will settle the ques-
ton. L have often wanted to explain
what Admiral Farragut said to me about
this matter. When he was sitting for
that painting [ was living at Eagleswood,
n. j., and he came regularly from New
York for the sittings. When they began,
asked him to describe his actual posi-
| ton during the conflict.
Gle then explained how he had first
| assembled the rigging on one side OF the
vessel to give orders to the men below.
He found, however, that the smoke
lnterfered with his view, and the Off
| GERS on deck could not see his move
ments or motions correctly. While he
was in the rigging he noticed piece of
shell strike a few feet above his head
and cut away portion of the maintop,
beneath which he was standing with his
feet resting on the rope ladder. Glanc-
i1OCr lNa1O ho not l no
be wounded or killed, as he merely held
on by his hands, he might roll down the
shrouds overheard, and his body might
not be recovered owing to the smoke
and quick movements of the manmuvrlng
fleet As his son was on board, he de-
sired to prevent such Il result, so that
on finding the smoke so thick as to in
tercept his view where he was he de-
scended to the deck and crossed to the
opposite side, but on his journey across
the deck he found a piece of rope, which
was precisely what he wanted, and took
it aloft with him, tying the knot him
self which fastened him to the rigging.
~ procured for him piece of rope,
to use in the posing for the painting,
and the knot shown there was the one
made by himself. Probably any sailor
will recognize it as a nautical knot, OF
one likely to be made by seafaring man.
When 1 went to unite it, its formation
puzzled me, and the Admiral himself
had to undo it.
''When he was relating these details
to me he did so without any manner
isms other than candor and quiet mod
esty, giving the impression that he
possessed a brave and subdued temper
ament The Admiral was rather short
in stature, but was a very rare exception
to artists subjects in that his figure was
of the exact classic or Greek proportion
called eight heads, meaning that his
head was precisely one-eighth the length
of the entire body"
There are two of those life-size
portraits in existence. One is in the
court of st. Petersburg, and the Other
is in the possession of Mrs. J. W. Wat
son of New York city, a daughter O.
Mr.. Page, and whose husband is Treas
urer of the Central Railroad of New
TarSav