learned the profession of land surveying. But a strong bias toward art drew him away and he soon opened a studio where he did. portrait painting. This soon gave place to historical painting, he having discovered the bent of his genius in that direction. Besides the two pictures in the Capitol at Washington "De Soto Discovering the Mississippi" and "Patrick Henry Before the Virginia House of Burgesses"-Rothermel painted many others, chief among which are: "Columbus Before Queen Isabella," Martyrs of the Colosseum, "Cromwell

frontier, and was wounded in a fight with Comanche Indians in Texas, May 13, 1859. In January, 1861, he became major of his regiment, but resigned April 9th to follow the fortunes of the southern cause. He was appointed brigadier-general in the Confederate army and served in Virginia. At the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, he arrived on the field late in the day, but was soon disabled by a wound. He was made major-general in 1862, and being transferred to East Tennessee, was given command of that department. Under General

Breaking Up Service in an English Church," | Braxton Bragg he led the advance in the and the famous picture of the "Battle of Gettysburg." The last named was painted for the state of Pennsylvania, for which Rothermel received the sum of $25,ooo, and which it took him four years to plan and to paint. It represents the portion of that historic field held by the First corps, an exclusively Pennsylvania body of men, and was selected by Rothermel for that reason. For many years most of his time was spent in Italy, only returning for short periods. He died at Philadelphia, August 16, 1895.

Ε
ED

DMUND KIRBY SMITH, one of the distinguished leaders upon the side of the south in the late Civil war, was born at St. Augustine, Florida, in 1824. After receiving the usual education he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, from which he graduated in 1845 and entered the army as second lieutenant of infantry. During the Mexican war he was made first lieutenant and captain for gallant conduct at Cerro Gordo and Contreras. From 1849 to 1852 he was assistant professor of mathematics at West Point. He was transferred to the Second cavalry with the rank of captain in 1855, served on the

invasion of Kentucky and defeated the Union forces at Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862, and advanced to Frankfort. Promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, he was engaged at the battle of Perryville, October 10, and in the battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, and January 3, 1863. He was soon made general, the highest rank in the service, and in command of the trans-Mississippi department opposed General N. P. Banks in the famous Red River expedition, taking part in the battle of Jenkins Ferry, April 30, 1864, and other engagements of that eventful campaign. He was the last to surrender the forces under his command, which he did May 26, 1865. After the close of the war he located in Tennessee, where he died March 28, 1893.

made secretary of the territorial council, and in 1861 was secretary of the state senate. The next year he was duly elected to the legitimate state senate from Atchison, where he had made his home. From that time he was the leader of the radical Republican element in the state. He became the editor of the "Atchison Champion" in 1863, which was a "red-hot free-soil Republican organ." In 1862 he was the antiLane candidate for lieutenant-governor, but was defeated. He was elected to the United States senate to succeed Senator Pomeroy, and took his seat in the forty-third congress and served until the fiftieth. In the forty-ninth congress he succeeded Senator Sherman as president pro tem., which position he held through the fiftieth congress.

In

BENJAMIN WEST, the greatest of the

early American painters, was of English descent and Quaker parentage. He was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania, in 1738. From what source he inherited his genius it is hard to imagine, since the tenets and tendencies of the Quaker faith were not calculated to encourage the genius of art, but at the age of nine years, with no suggestion except that of inspiration, we find him choosing his model from life, and laboring over his first work calculated to attract public notice.

called at once to pass upon the boy's conduct in thus infringing the laws of the society. There were judges among them who saw in his genius a rare gift and their wisdom prevailed, and the child was given permission to follow his inclination. He studied under a painter named Williams, and then spent some years as a portrait painter with advancing success. At the age of twentytwo he went to Italy, and not until he had perfected himself by twenty-three years of labor in that paradise of art was he satisfied to turn his face toward home. However, he stopped at London, and decided to settle there, sending to America for his intended bride to join him. Though the Revolutionary war was raging, King George III showed the American artist the highest consideration and regard. His remuneration from works for royalty amounted to five thousand dollars per year for thirty years.

West's best known work in America is, perhaps, "The Death of General Wolf." West was one of the thirty-six original members of the Royal academy and succeeded Joshua Reynolds as president, which position he held until his death. His early works were his best, as he ceased to display originality in his later life, conventionality having seriously affected his efforts. died in 1820.

He

AMUEL PORTER JONES, the famous

SA

It was a representation of a sleep- Georgia evangelist, was born October

ing child in its cradle. The brush with which he painted it was made of hairs which he plucked from the cat's tail, and the colors were obtained from the war paints of friendly Indians, his mother's indigo bag, and ground chalk and charcoal, and the juice of berries, but there were touches in the rude production that he declared in later days were a credit to his best works. The picture attracted notice, for a council was

16, 1847, in Chambers county, Alabama. He did not attend school regularly during his boyhood, but worked on a farm, and went to school at intervals, on account of ill health. His father removed to Cartersville, Georgia, when Mr. Jones was a small boy. He quit school at the age of nineteen and never attended college. The war interfered with his education, which was intended