The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-25
GENERAL R. E.LEE
ACL0SE OBSERVER.
Criticized the Color Of the Cannon
in An Artists Draw
ing.
NEITHER BRONZE NOR BRASS.
Rccollcctions Of a Northern
Soldier Of the Great South
ern Chi;eftian.

sI The recent death OF General yitzhugh
Lee. arousing 30 many old war time
memories, prompts me to send q little
"Reminiscences Of my art-student days.
partly relating to his uncle General Rob-
ert e. Lee promising that after my art
student days, served four years and
FIVE months actively In the field. having
been captain Of cavalry over two years
in the First New York Mounted Rifles.
It was in 1854 that met and conversed
with Robert L. Lee, George Fl. Thomas
and Irwin Mcdowell. all afterwards so
conspicuous in the war as general COM
manders. This occurred when I was a
student, learning portrait painting in Mr..
A. J. Conant's studio in Troy, N. Y. His
studio was In q new erected bank build
ing, corner Of First and State Streets,
and the upper story was constructed as
q studio under his direction TO suit him
as tenant. His rooms. therefore. were
all that could be, desired for painting
portraits; the ceilings very high, with
north light
While I was with Conant he painted
full-length, life-size portrait OF General
John z. Wool, then one of the senior
generals in the regular army with de-
partment headquarters on First Street,
in Troy. The portrait was nearly fin
5ished when first went into Mr.. Cos
nant's Studio. though there were several
sittings afterwards and l came to know
with awe the old general when he called.
One day when Conant was absent three
members OF the generals staff called to
see the portrait. and asked them to
remain until he returned, as expected
him every minute. The portrait wa 8
draped. They waited some time, and one
OF the party, becoming impatient asked
IL I could not show 1t to them. ! pulled
the gdrapery aside, much regretting that
Mr.. Conant was not there himself to ex-
plain details in his usual interesting man
ner. for he had been expecting a visfe
from the officers of the stan and tod me
TO detain them II they called until his
return. They were all tall, distin-S
guished looking men. .s50ir3
They asked me several questions IN a
criticising way. remember one-whetn q =
er the cannon upon which the general
rested his right hand was Intended to rep
resent brass or bronze. But was too
shy to give a definite answer. expecting
Conant every minute to answer for him
self. They had a discussion among them
selves whether the color OF the cannon
was not incorrect representing dehnltely
neither bronze nor brass-"too light for
bronze and not light enough for brass"'--s
and there was some quiet laughter when
r declined to commit myself. after re-
peated questioning, for p was trying to
protect Commits reputation as correct
colorist. One of the officers whom they
called colonel had, ~ inferred from what
they said come UP % sTryo from West
Point on a short visit Che had been for
merly on Wool's staff. and could not call
to see the portrait again. AS was 4
learning to observe features and paint
portraits from life, remember BENG I'M
pressed by his refined features, express
slye dark eyes and a general military
bearing. He was the one who had asked
me SO pointedly whether the color OF the
cannon was intended to represent brass or
bronze. He was sLieutenant-Colonel Rob-
ert E. Lee. The one I most fully recall
because Of his large figure, square face,
beetling brows and abrupt nose, and be-
cause he called at the studio two or three
times afterwards. was Major George q.
Thomas, called in history The Rock OF
Chickamauga."5 Often afterwards. In
meeting him In the street, he inyar'ab ply
nodded recognition.
Colonel Sumner and sat on our
horses on slight eminence oT aa OK Irl
the whole open field VASE cear' sam
ment was over and the Copfede era sat 9fe
cupied Johnson,s farm. me rea wv oa ~ Nc
the onfederate lines Of infantTfy tnrmi fn
before the farm house , and Il 1aff l NEE
Gnts s. comprising Fields and Hoke's
divisions. as i knew later. With y tatte area
Ike most armies. there were no perymatd-
Ing tint Of uniforms along the lines. t ras
noe fellows looked dingy and mottled
enough. More than a Thousand Of those
saw, standing there in the ranks INK, ,o were
killed or wounded on thai day: Our losses
were also henvy--sOO, according to CEN Gen,
cral Grants official report AS We e JOKES Sa
Richmond road and as they aneared . me
Confederate lines they were ,o raceva az
them through his field glass and then
handed It to me It brought them tha ~ nery
of this group and the details OF their uni
forms. One of them, as we learned a aitere
wards, was General Lee in the MIDST lll'. OF
thought Of the painted, cannon nm H. .too
though none Of the cannon that we saw
that day ESCAPED our frr criticisms a
iassness I whclh characterized their dis.