by Michael D. Wynne
One of the most (in)famous portrait paintings in Louisiana history is that of General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891; SEE BELOW), the first Superintendent (the title that proceeded use of the title of president) of what would become LSU. This painting, painted by the early LSU professor of engineering, Colonel Samuel Henry Lockett (1837-1891), has appeared in numerous books and articles about Sherman and LSU over the last century and a half. Yet, this writer can find no one previous who has ever fully analyzed the history of this most unusual portrait! Up until now, there have been many unanswered questions about this portrait that I will attempt to answer briefly here.
This notorious portrait shows Sherman standing dressed in relaxed military garb with the La. State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy building (the ancestor of LSU) located in Pineville that is visible just outside a side window. This seminary building picture insert is similar, though not precisely the same, as Lockett’s separate full engraved rendering of the building, the only other known drawing of the first LSU school. So there is now two known pictures of the first LSU building!
When did Lockett ever see a picture or meet Sherman to be able to paint this portrait? It turns out that Lockett actually did meet Sherman once face to face during the 1863 Siege of Vicksburg during a pause in the fighting. While viewing the defenses of Vicksburg, Sherman sent word to the captured Confederate engineer Lockett that he wanted to speak to him. Lockett was the chief engineering officer of Confederate General John Pemberton. Lockett and Sherman’s amicable conversation was lengthy and they exchanged many ideas and pleasantries. Sherman seemed to be impressed by Lockett’s defensive preparations and his poise in explaining them. This is the only recorded meeting ever between Sherman and Lockett. Additionally, Lockett used the famed Fredericks’ photograph of Sherman that was published in the June 1, 1867 edition of Frank Leslie’s Weekly newspaper as the basis of his Sherman painting.
So when was this painting actually painted? Sherman was only Superintendent of LSU and physically present in Louisiana from November 1859 to February of 1861, long before Lockett had ever even met him. (Sherman did return for a final visit to Alexandria in February of 1869 until after the painting of him had already been completed.) Note that Sherman is pictured in the painting in full military garb; he could not legally wear that uniform as the then-civilian president of LSU in the early 1860s. And Lockett did not officially become a professor at the seminary until March of 1867, arriving in April.
But the answer now has been found! The Louisiana Democrat newspaper of July 1, 1868 has an article on the graduation ceremonies at the seminary (LSU) and it said in part: ” … Hanging on the walls of the ballroom (of the seminary), we observed two full length portraits which attracted no little attention. One was that of General G.(eorge) Mason Graham (1807-1891), the first President of the Board of Trustees, and the other that of Lieutenant General William T. Sherman, the first Superintendent. They have only been recently painted by Col. S. H. Lockett, the able and accomplished professor of engineering and drawing. Everyone acquainted with General Sherman or Gen. Graham remarked on the lifelike appearance and fidelity to the originals of the portraits …”
So the questions are now answered: Lockett painted the Sherman and Graham paintings between May of 1867 and June of 1868. Sherman did not formally pose for his painting, but General Graham did as he lived only a few miles away at Tyrone Plantation. When the seminary building burned on October 15, 1869, the cadets, including future president Thomas D. Boyd, saved both the Sherman and Graham portraits from the fire!
Special Note: Aside from this particular portrait, there are three other strangely similar, yet different, versions of it in archival holdings elsewhere that also need to be studied.
The now-famous separate drawing of the seminary building was clearly painted at the same time as Sherman’s portrait, maybe even before. Note that this seminary building drawing is often viewed to be the first likeness of a baseball game ever being played in American history. The game is shown being played on the front lawn of the seminary building in the individual drawing.
Alas, on Sunday, March 30, 1980, four priceless paintings, including the Sherman and Graham portraits along with, “The Last Meeting of Lee and Jackson,” and a portrait of Dr. George King Pratt, were cut from their frames and stolen from David F. Boyd hall never to be seen by the public again. (A fifth portrait painting of Gervais Baillio of Alexandria, like Pratt, were both members of the LSU Board of Supervisors, was also cut from its frame, but not taken.) The FBI, who had the only expertise to be able to recover art theft, was unfortunately brought into the investigation too late to save the artwork. Most experts believe now that these irreplaceable paintings have been destroyed. But we can still hope that they will eventually be found.
(Paul Price, a fellow historian, contributed to this article. There will be additional articles on newly discovered history on the founding of LSU, Sherman’s home here and of Sherman himself in coming months.)
