Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-09
CAMPFIRE STORIES.
GRANT AND SHERIDAN.
An Artists Experience in Posing the Two
Famous Warriors.

sketches OF some OF the greatest Oener-
ais Of the civil war, that gentleman
spoke of his experience in posing Gener-
ais Grant and Sheridan. On the latter
he said:
Il was introduced TO General Sheridan
by a staff officer. He had soft, low
voice, though he has too often been
represented as a loud-mouthed, swagger-
ing bully. He had peculiar, soothing,
quieting way about him, and when he
finished a sentence would partly close
one eye and drive his idea into one with
the other. 1t was the only eye among
all the officers which seemed to comprise
the whole head, the most remarkable
eye known to my experience. He had
very fine, expressive hands and a grace
full way of using them; but toward the
end these became fat and fluffy. In
photographs the expression of his face
always looks set, because, 1 suppose, the
muscles of his forehead were always
moving. had to catch his expression
as l might the movements of fly on a
horses leg.
He posed splendidly, and did exactly
as he was told-a military trait. He
once sent man after me on the run,
who said that General Sheridan desired
to see me in haste. When l entered his
hands were filed with dispatches, and
an orderly stood behind him. He said
that in fifteen minutes he was to start
South with General Grant, and in that
time his posing must be completed.
Then he adjusted his eyeglasses, began
reading his dispatches, and debating
replies. He would hold dispatch in
one hand, read it, and pass it to the or
derby over his shoulder with the other.
Still he managed to divide his glances
with me. Strange to say, the sketch
completed under these circumstances
brought out kind word from General
Warren, whom Sheridan relieved of his
command in the field in almost the last
battle of the war and in sight of Apo
mattox Court House. Warren said it was
the ideal Sheridan At the time, Gen
eral Sheridan supposed l was merely
making a picture of him, and was greatly
pleased when Mr.. Ward sent word to him
to come to the Academy of Design and see
Kelly's very meritorious statue, 'Sheri-
dams Ride 1 requested him to make
some suggestions for alterations before
the statue was cast. He had nothing
to criticise,' he said, and, instead, APP
proved the work over his signature"
On the outside cover of Sheridan's
memoirs there is a reproduction of
Kelly's statue in gilt No credit what
ever is given 90 the artist in the book
and his name was cut out of the plate.
Mr.. Kelly says: 81 demanded of Web
ster & Co. to know why my copyright
and General Sheridan's instructions to
them were ignored. They replied that
he had given no instructions. l then
asked to see the photograph of the
statue which accompanied the manu-
script. When produced, there on the
back of the photograph were instruc-
tions written by the General to credit
the artist. Webster's people then said
if 1 went to law about it 1T wouldn't
come out of their pockets, but Mrs.
Sheridan's.' 1 then replied that they
were perfectly safe to go ahead.
81 first met General Grant at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel during 1881. He
agreed to give sittings, and began on
him the following morning. I found
him perfectly immovable and unrespon-
sive. My first attempt was failure.
Tearing up the picture, / asked him to
smoke. He lighted a cigar and then
seemed to unloose himself somewhat,
though not enough. Suddenly l sprang
to my feet to arouse him, and said
would like to make series of sketches
showing where his personality decided
battles; that desired to represent him
as he appeared when he rode up to the
lines at Donaldson and ordered the ad-
vance; at Belmont, where his horse was
shot from under him; at Shiloh, etc.
Then he completely awakened, crossed
his legs and began to detail events,
holding meantime his cigar in one hand
and using the other by way of gesticu-
latory illustrations. He elaborated on
many scenes in his memoirs" which
he afterward said he had never done
previously. He gave such details as he
could remember of his dress, ETC., re-
ferring to General Hawley for matters
in doubt. This sketch, of course, made
while he was enthusiastic, was success
full. So much SO that he signed it on the
spot, even using the title of 'General'at
the bottom, although he remarked at
the time, 4 have no official signature
He was then neither President nor of
fcer
Ga-a,o1 IL
necessarily. During this time his little
Japanese servant was bobbing up all
around US, greatly astonished at the
posing process and its results on paper
The General was not in the least an
noyed by the boys antics and allowed
him full rope. Indeed, while with him,
General Grant apologized at some length
to bell-boy for calling him unneces-
sarily. The General having no horse
left over from the war, it was somewhat
difficult to get an animal which would
answer to pose my Grant on Horse
back" which is nearly completed in
plaster. Happily, Captain William H.
Gunther's horse Don,' probably the
most perfect charger in the country was
available, and his action 1 secured on
the track in Central Park. Of course,
have Grant covered in detail by numer-
Gus sketches and designs in plaster. He
had two prominent profiles, one very
narrow and two very long. While not
either of the strong charac-
of Sheridan or Sherman, his
outline from the bridge of the nose up
was more perfect than either. Neither
had he so many Municipalities. While
his hands were remarkably fine and full
Of expression, his face depended on the
of the moment."-N. Y.
sun.