Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-13
THREE GREAT GENERALS.
Portraits to Adorn the Mess Hall at
West Point.
GRANT, SHERMAN AND SHERIDAN
The Gift of George W. Childs to the
National Military Academy-
How They Came TO BE
Painted.
History of the Portraits.

THE BEE I'm connection with the presenta-
tion by MIR. George W. Childs Of the three
portraits of Grant, Sherman and Sheridan,
TO the United States military academy, Major
John M. Carson, Washington correspondent
Of the Philadelphia Ledger, who represents
MIR. Childs, furnished THE BEE correspondent
the following interesting history:
The creation of the portraits of Generals
Grant, Sherman and Sheridan, to be hnng IN
the cadet mess hall-now known as Grant
hal-at the United States military academy,
West Point, was begun about three years ago,
The original purpose was confined TO por-
trait of Grant. The portraits OF sherman
and Sheridan sprang from this purpose, and,
considering the relations of MIR. George w.
Childs, to whose patriotism and iperallty
the military academy is indebted for these
portraits, with those three military chief
tains the Sherman and Sheridan paintings
were an easy and logical outgrowth. The
scheme from which these three valuable
paintings emenated was evolved from COM
paratively unimportan incident About four
years ,ago, with that skill and ingenuity
which has made him famous in the manage
ment Of the cadet mess, Captain William f.
Spurgin, treasurer and commissary of ca
diets, succeeded in giving the mess hall
new floor and having its walls frightened
with fresh fresco
Captain Spurgin next conceived the idea of
making the hall still more attractive by hang
ing pictures and portraits upon the walls.
new idea was suggested to Captain Spurgin,
and he concluded that it would be most ap
propriate to collect for the hall portraits and
photographs of the distinguished graduates
of the academy. 1t was naturally thought
that the daily presence with the cadets of
these exempars of the academy could not
fail to exercise wholesome influence upon
the corps. They would furnish cadets, when
at meals, suggestions for thought and con-
versaton, and those who occupied seats at
tables once occupied by Grant, Sherman,
Sheridan, Thomas, Meade and other emf
nent graduates, as they looked upon the por-
traits, would be encouraged to emulate the
lives of these great chieftains. In addition
to this, it was thought that such a gallery
might be collected through relatives and
friends, without expense to the government
or the academy.
During one of my periodical visits to the
academy Captain Spurgin outlined his
scheme and said he would like to obtain Il
good picture of General Grant. 1t was sug-
gested that Mr.. George w. Childs had sew
erai good large-siZed photographs of GRAFT,
and would doubtless be glad to contribute
one of them for this use. Captain Spurgin
wrote Mr.. Childs, who agreed to comply with
the request made Shortly thereafter Mr..
Childs mentioned this matter to Mrs. u. >.
Grant who said that she would like, above
all things, to have good likeness of the
general at the military academy, for which
he always entertained a feeling of admira-
tion and love. Some years prior to this Mr.
Childs had Leutze, who painted westward
the Course of Empire'' upon the wall
of the west stairway to the gallery of
the house of representatives, paint portrait
of General Grant, and suggested that
the Leutze painting be appropriated for the
cadet mess hall. The Leutze portrait was
not liked by Mrs. Grant, and she did not,
therefore, care to have 1t used for this pur-
pose. Mr.. Childs then said he would have
portrait of the general made for West Point,
p from any picture Mrs. Grant might select.
The photograph made by Gutekunst, of Phil
adelphIa in 1865 was selected by Mrs. Grant,
and Mrs. Darragh, of Philadelphia, was
commissioned to paint a portrait from it.
The general stood for this photograph, and
it is regarded by his family and most init.
mate friends as the most correct likeness OF
the general, as he appeared at the close of
the war. When the photograph was taken
General Grant wore upon his left arm
badge of mourning fer President Lin
coin. This emblem of mourning does
not no many anpe"r of those the who p"ilaeE knew
General Grant after he became president,
the Darragh portrait is not considered good,
but by the family of the general, and those
who were intimate with him during and i'm
medlately after the war, it IS regarded as
faithful likeness and an excellent portrait.
1t was sent to the academy in May, 1887, and
hung on the north wall of the cadet mess
hall. General Merritt, 'in honor of the
great graduate of the academy, whose por
trait, a present to the academy from Mr..
George w. Childs, sanctities the hall as a
gallery for the portraits of graduates {"
issued an order directing that thereafter the
cadet dining-hall should be known officially
as "Grant hall.n
In June, 1857, a few days after the Grant
portrait had been hung, Mr.. Childs visited
the military academy as member of the
board of visitors, upon which occasion
accompanied him. General Sheridan also
visited the academy at that time in his Off
cial capacity as acknowledgement conf
manding the army, and 1t proved to be his
last visit to the institution. In company
with Mr.. Childs, General Sheridan visited
tho dining hall to inspect the Grant portrait
md during this inspection MIR. Childs said to
the General, in his quick but cheerful man
ner in conversation, General, if | outlive
you will have your portrait painted and
hung there beside that of Grant"
Sheridan responded; "Mr. Childs, If you
Intend to have painted portrait OF me /
would like TO see it before IT is hung in this
hall"
"All right said Mr. Childs; ''you shall
soe it. l would prefer to have you painted
while living"
After further conversation about the
Grant portrait the two gentlemen left The
hail and walked TO the house of the superin-
tendent, General Merritt, at which Sheridan
was guest. MIR. Childs proceeded to the
West Point hotel. Sheridan arrived at the
Point that morning, and was 10 review the
corps of cadets in the afternoon, and, as it
was near the hour fixed for the parade when
General Merritts house was reached, he
went directly TO his room to don his uniform.
While thus engaged he sent a message to
Mr. Childs, asking that gentleman to join
MIN before parade and. mt the same
lime, invited the board of visitors, through
Ar Childs who was president of the board,
o attend him during the ceremonies Of
parade and review.
When MIR. Childs joined the general on
he porch OF the superntendent's house, the
after sand: "Mr. Childs, while putting on
NY uniform. could not help musing about
Iur conversation in the mess hall If you
ire in earnest about painting my portrait for
ihe academy, / want TO be painted from
Ife."
~ am in earnest" replied Mr.. Childs.
"The portrait shall be painted, upon one
.ondition-t must please Mrs, Sheriden. /
think il would be good idea TO paint Sher.
man also and to hang him on the one side of
Grant and you on the other"
THAT certainly would be a generous act
,npon your part" said Sheridan, 'and one
whioh would be appreciated by Sherman and
myself. | would rather have you do this
service than any other man, because no man
could do 1t with so much proprety, The
relations between Grant and YOU were
bound by strong ties of mutual affections.
Those between you. Sherman and myself
have heen most Intimnte We have all been