Extra Credit Questions

[RJNorton]

This is a statue of whom?

[Gene C]

I've seen this before.
Let me beat my head against the wall a few times and see if I can shake the answer loose.

---

It's Olive Risley Seward, the much talked about, adopted daughter of William Seward.
(how about if my prize is a couple of aspirin?)

[RJNorton]

Brilliant, Gene!

You win the aspirin plus a replica of the statue for your yard.

[Gene C]

My neighbors are looking forward to it.

[Anita]

Where is the statue located, the Seward House museum?

[RJNorton]

Anita, this is from Wikipedia:

"In 1971, sculptor John Cavanaugh chose to create a statue honoring her rather than her accomplished father. A picture of her was not found at the time, so Cavanaugh sculpted his idea of an idealized Victorian lady instead. The statue stands in front of a private residence on North Carolina Avenue and Sixth Street, SE in Washington, D.C.. The subject's head is turned to the left as if gazing toward the nearby Seward Square, named for her adoptive father."

[Anita]

Thank you Roger. I was drawn to this sculpture and thus to the works of John Cavanaugh. I was surprised to learn that there is no statue of Seward in Seward Square.

[RJNorton]

This is a statue of whom?

[Gene C]

That looks like Gideon Welles aka Father Neptune.
You can hardly tell that's a wig.

His wife, Mary Jane, was one of the few real friends Mary Lincoln had in Washington, staying by her side in President Lincoln's final hours.

[RJNorton]

Excellent, Gene. Indeed it is Gideon Welles.

"A marble statue of Gideon Welles was placed on the Connecticut State Capitol building’s facade ca. 1933 to commemorate his achievements both within the state and as Secretary of the Navy."

http://connecticuthistory.org/gideon-wel...s-cabinet/

You win another statue, but maybe you will not want two in your yard and consider giving it to a neighbor who is in need of one.

[David Lockmiller]

At a cabinet meeting on July 7, 1863 [Lincoln's] expression was one of "sadness and despondency," according to Welles, "that Meade still lingered at Gettysburg, when he should have been at Hagerstown or near the Potomac, in an effort to cut off the retreating army of Lee." That afternoon he was conferring with Chase and a few others in his office, pointing out Grant's progress to date on a map of Mississippi, when Welles came running into the room with a broad smile on his face and a telegram from Porter in his hand. The admiral had sent a fast boat up to Cairo, the Memphis wirehead having broken down, and beat the army in getting the news to Washington: "I have the honor to inform you that Vicksburg has surrendered to the U.S. forces on this 4th day of July."

Lincoln rose at once. "I myself will telegraph this news to General Meade," he said, then took his hat as if to go, but paused and turned to Welles, throwing one arm across the shoulders of the bearer of good tidings. "What can we do for the Secretary of the Navy for this glorious intelligence?" He is always giving us good news. I cannot in words tell you my joy over this result. It is great!" The Secretary beamed as he walked to the telegraph office with his chief, who could not contain his pleasure at the outcome of Grant's campaign. "This will relieve Banks. It will inspire me," he said as he strode along. He thought it might also inspire Meade, and he had Halleck pass the word to him that Vicksburg had surrenedered; "Now if General Meade can complete his work so gloriously prosecuted thus far . . . the rebellion will be over."

A wire also went to Grant: "It gives me great pleasure to inform you that you have been appointed a major general in the Regular Army, to rank from July 4, the date of your capture of Vicksburg." Moreover, on Grant's recommendation, Sherman and McPherson soon were made permanent brigadiers, the reward that had gone to Meade at Frederick that same day.

(Source: "The Civil War, A Narrative, Gettysburg to Vicksburg, Unvexed to the Seat," by Shelby Foote, Random House, 1963, at pages 303-04.)

Unfortunately, the great historian and excellent Civil War history commentator on Ken Burns "Civil War" documentary series does not provide his academic source in his own Civil War books series. I presume that the original source of the quoted material was all from Secretary of Navy Welles. But the narrative which I transcribed was "pure Shelby Foote" as if he were speaking before the camera to Ken Burns.

[RJNorton]

David, Gideon Welles writes about this in his diary here.

[L Verge]

Who is "Douglas" (no last name) that has his own grave marker at Vicksburg?

[RJNorton]

Vicki and I visited Vicksburg many years ago. We also visited Natchez on the same trip - wonderful! Anyway, Douglas was a camel.

[Houmes]

Vicki and I visited Vicksburg many years ago. We also visited Natchez on the same trip - wonderful! Anyway, Douglas was a camel.

GREAT MOMENTS IN UNUSUAL ANIMAL BURIALS:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news...13/?no-ist