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 The Capitol of 
 
 Virginia 
 
 and the 
 
 aaoiaQCii: 
 
 Confederate 
 States. 
 
 aiaaaaiaia 
 
 ^ 
 
 Historical 
 
 and 
 
 Descriptive. 
 
\. 
 
The Capitol of Virginia 
 
 The Confederate States: 
 
 BEING A DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL 
 
 CATALOGUE 
 
 Public Square and Buildings, and of the Statuary, 
 Paintings and Curios Therein. 
 
 BY 
 
 \V. W. SCOTT AND W. G. STANARD. 
 
 RICHMOND: \^,^ ^^p 
 
 James E. Goode, Printer. ^<£^a8M^„„^ 
 
 1894. /g3^7-^ 
 
 ^7-. J. <Uy, 
 
Copyright, 1S94. 
 
 By 
 
 W. W. So^TT and AV. G. Staxard. 
 
PREFATORY. 
 
 Some will say that this little book does not rise to the dignity of a preface. 
 We, who have prepared it, cannot agree with them. There are some words of 
 courtesy to be written, certain acknowledgments of obligation to be made, that 
 can be expressed so well no where else, nor in any other manner. Hence the 
 preface. 
 
 In some measure it has been a work of compilation ; but by no means alto- 
 gether so. 
 
 To two pamphlets of the late Colonel Sherwin McRae, long the accom- 
 plished Librarian in charge : to the researches of R. A. Brock, Esq., the 
 scholarly Secretary of the Southern Historical Society ("Virginia and Vir- 
 ginians ■'); to the uniform courtesy and wide and accurate information of Dr. 
 William P. Palmer and Dr. B. W. Green; and to the well and widely- 
 known Artist, Mr. W. L. Sheppard, we owe much. And we very cheerfully 
 acknon-iedge it. To mention such names as these in our preface, as our advisers, 
 oughl to be a sufficient " Letter of Credit" to our Catalogue. 
 
 ^\'t we have made careful investigations of our own, and have endeavored 
 to -pi'tve all things," and to state nothing categorically except on excellent 
 aufi rity. 
 
 A' hat follows then is not a mere casting together of odds and ends, picked 
 up ii*^ r;indom of the fruits of other people's labors; but a statement, in brief it 
 is irue, of facts that have been verified with care and diligence — facts, too, that 
 ilhi«.strate, and, for the most part, illuminate the history of Virginia. 
 
 There was need of such a work. We hope the "long-felt want " will be felt 
 no longer, but that this little book will fultill its purpose in supplying it. 
 I KiCHMOND, Va., 1894. 
 
THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. 
 
 ViRCiixiA is the oldest permanent English set- 
 tlement in America. 
 
 Earlier attempts to found a Colony had l)een 
 made — notahly one at Roanoke Island, Xorth 
 Carolina, then also called Virginia — but they 
 had all been disastrous failures ; the fate of this 
 settlement at Roanoke Island remaining one of 
 the saddest and most mysterious tragedies in 
 
 lii^(..iy. 
 
 ( apiain John Smith, heading a new adventure, 
 and still hoping to find the colonists left at 
 '^'anoke Island, was driven bj'^ adverse winds 
 
 the ^'^irginia Capes and thence to the mouth 
 I the river Powhatan, which he named 
 
 .lames'* river in honor of the reigning 
 sovereign. Sailing up this river, he landed with 
 his "adventurers" at Jamestown on the 13th 
 ilay of ^Tay, 1607, and eflfected the settlement 
 which expanded into Virginia. 
 
 Tlie churter under which this settlement was 
 made, was dated April 10, 1606, just two hun- 
 dred and lifty-nine years, to a day, before Appo- 
 mattox. 'I'he adventurers sailed from England 
 in December of that year, and landed on the 
 banks of '"\e James the following 31ay. 
 
 Th( ] •' irs of the colony, under the charter 
 
 fined within reasonable boundaries 
 
 .. : !L and south, extended east and west 
 
 " from s4a to sea ; " but the westward territorial 
 
 bounda) r never extended in fact beyond the 
 
 Ni'ississippi river. 
 
 The n.ime ^'Ohl Dominioti " is said to have 
 
 •en bef-towed upon the State because of her 
 loyal adherence to the royal family after the 
 tragic eud of Charles I and the supremacy of 
 Cromwall : whence, on the restoration of Charles 
 IT. her arms were quartei'ed with those of the 
 < aim aii'l the motto added, En dat Virginia 
 7'((//7o)</f^"' Behold Virginia gives the fourth." 
 Howe a<lopts this explanation, and Esten Cooke 
 ratifies i't. The historical truth about this name, 
 lii»wev«T. <et'ms to be the plain and simple fact 
 
 that ^'irginia was the oldest dominion of the 
 crown of England in the new world — though 
 the explanation given above has been generally 
 accepted, probably because of its flavor of 
 romance. Certain it is that as early as April, 
 1622, which was eight years before Charles 
 II was born, the Rev. Patrick Copland 
 preached a thanksgiving sermon in London for 
 "good newes from Virginia," in wliich he said : 
 " for en dat Virginia quintam is the motto of the 
 legal scale of Virginia." At the Westmoreland 
 Club rooms, in this city, there is a very fine 
 steel engraving of Queen Elizabeth, which was 
 made in 1632, and engraved, no doubt, from a 
 porti'ait of an earlier date, for she died in 1603. 
 On this engraving is the legend : Seretm»ima ac 
 Potenii.mma Princeps Elisahet, D. G., Angliae, 
 Franciae, Hiberniae et Yirginiae Regina — "The 
 High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth, by the 
 grace of God, Queen of England, France, Ire- 
 land and Virginia." Tliis ought to dispose of 
 the myth as to the fanciful origin of tlie name 
 "Old Dominion," and establish the fact that 
 Virginia is so called because she is the oldest 
 English dominion in the " new found land." 
 
 In striking contrast with theboa.st of "loyalty 
 to royalty " of that date is the subsequent and 
 continuing coat-of-arms adopted when she was 
 herself clothed upon with sovereignty — a woman 
 with her foot upon the prostrate body of a king, 
 and the ringing legend — Sic Semper Ti/rannis. 
 The Capital Cities. 
 
 Jamestown was the first seat of government, 
 and remained the capital for quite a number of 
 years. Xatiiaxiei. Bacox, the first " Rebel " of 
 glorious memory in Virginia, burned the town 
 because of the treachery of Sir William Berke- 
 ley, the Royal Governor, in 1676 — say one hun- 
 dred years before Washington began his rebel- 
 lion. 
 
 Only a picturesque and historic ruin now 
 mai'ks the site of Virginia's ancient capital. 
 
 What was then kn^»wn as " Middle Planta- 
 tion " — afterwards and now called Williams- 
 
HISTORICAL. 
 
 BURG — distant about seven miles from James- 
 town and fifty from Kichmond, became the seat 
 of government in 1G90, and a noble old town it 
 was in the palmj^ days of the colonial regime, if 
 all accounts of it be but half true ! Here the 
 capital remained till 1779, the " CoUedge of Wil- 
 liam and IMary " being the place of meeting of 
 the House of Burgesses until a capitol could be 
 built. But when the War of the Revolution 
 became flagrant in the State, the government 
 had to be removed higher up the river to avoid 
 capture by the British, and in the year 1779 an 
 act was passed for the removal of the si-at of 
 govermiu'ut to 
 
 Richmond. 
 
 Colonel William liyi'd in iiis ".lonnu'V to the 
 Land of Kilen " writi-s as follows: " Wlien we 
 got home, we laid the foundations of two large 
 Citys. One at Shacco's [Shockoe] to be called 
 RiciisioxD, and the other at the Point of Appa- 
 mattuck River, to be called Petersburg. * * * 
 The truth of it is, these two places being the 
 uppermost Landing of James and Appamattux 
 Rivei^s, are naturally intended for ]Marts, where 
 the Traffick of the Outer Inhabitants must Cen- 
 ter. Thus we did not build Castles only, but 
 also Citys in the Air." This was written in Sep- 
 temlier, 17;>.'), whence must be dated the Founda- 
 tion of the City — A. U. C, as was said of Rome. 
 
 Shoekoe hill was selected (by statute of 1780), 
 for tlie location of the capitol, and "his excel- 
 lency, Thomas Jefferson, esquire, Archibald 
 Cary, Robert Carter Nicholas, Richard Adams, 
 Ednumd Randol})!), Turner Southall, Robert 
 tioode, James Buchanan, and Samuel Du Vail, 
 esquires," were named as Directors to lay ofi' the 
 public grcjunds. 
 
 By exi)ress terms of this statute, however, 
 the directors were instructed, "because from 
 the great expense attending the just and neces- 
 sary war, the ditticulties of procuring materials 
 for l)uilding, and the* high price for labour, it 
 would be Inirthensome to the inhabitants if the 
 l)ublic buildings were immediately erecte<l, with 
 all convenient speed to cause to l)e erected, or 
 otherwise provide some proper and temporary 
 bviildings for the sitting of the General 
 Assembly." 
 
 Mr. Jefferson attended two meetings of the 
 directors in 1780, and one in 1782. After that 
 time he seems to have been a consulting or 
 advising member only, as these two extracts 
 ft-om a summary of the "Journal of the Direc- 
 tors" (never before published), will show : 
 
 "February 22, 1785. Wm. Hay laid before 
 directors a plan which ^Ir. Dobie is appointed 
 to complete, to be transmitted to ]Mr. Jeflerson, 
 who is to be requested to cause a suitable plan 
 to be executed and forwarded without delay, 
 and AV. Hay and E. Randolph to prepare a 
 letter to him." 
 
 "May 29, 1787. Letter from ]\Ir. Hay to 3Ir. 
 Jefferson, acknowledging receipt of the ^Nlodell." 
 
 One other extract, date 1791 : 
 
 "The council appoint Will. Foushee, Dan'l 
 L. Hylton, and Alex. Montgomery, Directors, 
 in room of Arch'd Cary, deceased, Ed. Ran- 
 dolph, removed, and Jacq. Ambler, resigned." 
 
 The name Robt. ^Mitchell is also signed to one 
 of the latest reports of the directors. 
 
 In the ninth volume of Hening's Statutes, 
 page 221, is found this caption, being the record 
 of the first legislation at Richmond : 
 AT A 
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
 
 HEGIX AND HKLD 
 
 At the })ublic buildings in the town of Rich- 
 mond, on Monday, the first day of May, in the 
 year of our Lord 1780, and in the fourth year 
 of the Commonwealth. 
 
 These " public buildings" are thus spoken of 
 by Little : ' ' The capitol stood on the upper side 
 of Pearl (now Fourteenth) street, extending 
 down to Car}- ; it was a large, clumsy looking 
 wooden building without anything to mark it. 
 Had it been a building of any note as to size or 
 beauty, it would have lieen burnt . when the 
 British under Arnold entered Richmond. 
 Probaljly they were unable to discover where 
 the Virginia legislature sat, and judging from 
 a])pearance esteemed the building tc, be some 
 old warehouse." 
 
 The Capitol Squai ? 
 
 It is not im])robable that the ( ;.i;ol Si|uare 
 was once the pro])erty of Nathan- 1 Bacon. 
 Little says : " Bacon*s ijlantation -M'l near the 
 Branch bearing his name (Bai<.n"> (Quarter 
 Branch), and extended over SliK.coe Hill. 
 Colonel Byrd possessed the lower !>::rt of the 
 town." As Bacon's estates were ci ufiscated 
 after his "Rebellion," this would bsj hard to 
 verify now ; so Virginians nmst bf con knit with 
 the statement of probability, and tha. it ought 
 to be true in the "eternal fitness of tl ings. " 
 
 An error has got abroad that the S(]iian^ was 
 given to the State : some allege >> Colonel 
 William Byrd, of Westover, with re\ ersi..u to 
 his heirs, and both Little and Howe ■'tate that 
 
HISTORICAL. 
 
 the land was given. The "Journal of the 
 ■ ' 'Ctors ' ' proves the contrary. Condemna- 
 ) was provided for by the statute directing 
 purchase of the land, and the "Journal" 
 . the word "confiscate" (in the technical 
 sense of condemn) in connection with the acqui- 
 sition of the S |uare ; and recent investigation 
 made by direction of Governor Kemper proves 
 c;onclusively that every foot of it was acquired 
 by purchase or condemnation. 
 
 Anyone looking at the square now, with its 
 graceful undulations, its wealth of greensward, 
 its minature forest of shade trees, its graded 
 walks, ornamental fountains and works of 
 art, will deem it a strange thing that consider- 
 ably less than one hundred years ago it was only 
 a gravelly hillside, furrowed with gulleys ; that 
 patches of broomstraw, stunted pines, chinque- 
 l)in bushes, thistles and Jamestown weeds di- 
 ^'ersified its surface where it was not entirely 
 bare ; and that it was about as unkemi)t and 
 unattractive a "park" as could well be imagined. 
 
 The buildings on it, except the Capitol, were 
 plain, wooden structures, unpainted and unat- 
 tractive in eveiy sense. The Capitol itself, not 
 then stuccoed, exposed its bare, brick walls 
 between the columns or pilasters. On each side 
 of it was a long horse rack, for the convenience 
 of the public. The portico was reached by a 
 narrow, winding stairway which gave the kids 
 and goats convenient access to it, where they 
 found shelter in wet weather : and the grounds 
 immediately around the old barracks "were 
 bedecked with the shirts of the soldiers and the 
 chemises of their wives, which flaunted on 
 clothes lines, and pigs, poultry and children 
 enlivened ihe scene." 
 
 The grounds were originally laid off by ^lons. 
 Codefroi, >i French gentleman of skill, but 
 somewhat formal taste, into terraces, plateaus, 
 &c. Later, a Mr. Notman, of Philadelphia, 
 conformed them more to the modern taste, 
 which, ge|iicrally speaking, is the natural land- 
 scape. Certain it is that the square is now 
 admired oi' all beholders ; and especially in the 
 warmer months, when animate with little 
 children feeding the squirrels, the grass all as 
 green as an emerald, it is as refreshing to the 
 visitor as is "the shadow of a great rock in a 
 weary land..'" 
 
 Every tr.i'e in the square has been planted, 
 nor is the^e a single "primeval oak" on the 
 grounds. 
 
 The squirrels introduced in recent years have 
 fallen in love with their environment, and are 
 
 as much admired as the English sparrows are 
 despised. 
 
 The Executive Mansion. 
 
 The " ( rovernor's House" was the old-time 
 appellation of what is now i-alled the Executive 
 Mansion. 
 
 The original house, jjreceding the present 
 one, was a very plain, wooden building of two 
 stories, with only two moderate sized rooms on 
 the first floor. It was for many years uncon- 
 scious of paint, and the furniture was in keep- 
 ing with the republican' simplicity of the edi- 
 fice, and of its occupants, from Henry and 
 Jefferson down to Monroe and Page. The palings 
 around the yard were usually in a dilapidated 
 conditi(jn, and the goats that sported on the 
 steep hillsides of the Capitol square claimed 
 and exercised the liberty of grazing in his 
 Excellency's grounds. 
 
 "The old residence of the Governors of Vir- 
 ginia," says Mordecai, whom we have quoted 
 liberally as to " the antiquities," " might usually 
 have boasted that if it had in itself no claims to 
 distinction, its occupants had many." 
 
 The present mansion was occupied first by 
 James Barbour, Governor from 1811 to 1815. 
 The house on the corner of Ninth and Mar- 
 shall, opposite Chief Justice Marshall's old 
 residence, was at one time- occupied as the 
 Governor's House. 
 
 The Old Museum and State Courthouse. 
 
 In 1815 the Legislature granted to James 
 Warrell the right to build a Museum on the 
 public grounds, and it was accordingly erected 
 on the southeast corner of the Square. It proved 
 a dismal failure as a museum, and was soon 
 pulled down and a State Courthouse erected 
 near the site of it. This was burned down 
 in the conflagration of Apinl, 1865, and along 
 with it were consumed its priceless contents of 
 Colonial and Council records, many of the 
 County records having been sent there also, for 
 safe-keeping during the war. It is said that 
 only a single article of its furniture was saved. 
 The son of the janitor rushed in while the 
 building was aflame, and l)rought out an old 
 water pitcher which is still preserved at the 
 room of the i)resent Court of Appeals. 
 
 The New Library Building. 
 
 This building was begun in ISIKJ, and when 
 completed will be occupied by the Library, the 
 Court of Appeals, and most of the Executive 
 officers of the State. 
 
 "^♦i 
 
HISTORICAL. 
 
 The area of the Square, including the lot on 
 which the Executive Mansion stands, is about 
 twelve acres. It extends twelve feet beyond 
 the enclosure on all four sides. 
 
 The Capitol. 
 
 Thomas .Tefferson wrote of it as follows : " I 
 was written to in 1785 (l)ehig then in Paris) by 
 directors appointed to sui)erintend tlie building 
 of a Capitol in Richmond, to advise them as to 
 a plan. Thinking it a favourable opportunity 
 of introducing into the State an example of 
 architecture in the classic style of antiquity, 
 and the Maison (iuarree of Nismes, an ancient 
 Roman Temple, being considered as the most 
 perfect model existing of what may be called 
 cubic ai-chitecture, I applied to M. Clerissault, 
 who had published drawings of the antiquities 
 of Nismes, to have me a model of the building 
 made in stucco, only changing the order from 
 Corinthian to Ionic on account of the difficulty 
 of Corinthian capitals. I yielded with reluc- 
 tance to the taste of Clerissault in his prefer- 
 ence of the modern capital of Scamozzi to the 
 more noble capital of antiquity. To adapt the 
 extei-ior to our use, I drew a plan for the inte- 
 terior with the apartments necessary for legis- 
 lative, executive, and judiciary purposes, and 
 accommodated in their size and distribution to 
 the form and dimensions of the building. These 
 were forwarded to the directors in 1786, and 
 were carried into execution, with some varia- 
 tions not for the better ; the most important of 
 which, however, admit of future correction." 
 
 The model sent by him is still in the Library, 
 in excellent preservation, and looks like a minia- 
 ture of the Cajiitol, with very slight variations. 
 Mr. Jefferson lets us know what he thought 
 of the building after which it was modeled, for 
 he says in another letter: "Here I am gazing 
 whole hours at the liaison Quarree like a lover 
 at his mistress. " 
 
 The corner-stone of the Capitol was laid 
 August 18th, 1785. The Legislature convened 
 in it October 19th, 1789, and as the building 
 was not then completed, it is not unlikely that 
 it chose to christen it on the anniversary of the 
 surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, wiiicli 
 occurred exactly eight years before, and of the 
 surrender of Burgoyne to Gates — a citizen of 
 Virginia — at Saratoga, on the 18th day of Octo- 
 ber, 1779. 
 
 The cost of the Capitol was about as follows : 
 Twenty-five thousan<l seven hundred and sixty- 
 one pounds prior to December, 1789. At that 
 
 time four thousand pounds were appropriated 
 for a "pediment roof" to be covered with lead. 
 In 1790, fifteen hundred and sixty-two pounds, 
 and in 1792, "eight hundred and eleven p<junds, 
 six shillings and one penny half penny, and 
 the further sum of two thousand pounds, with 
 tlie debts due by Archibald Cary, dec'd, and 
 INIoses Austin tt Co., when collected, for tiuLsli- 
 ing inside the Capitol and erecting .■■lei)s and 
 platforms." In 1794, one thousand doUarn, and 
 in December, 1795, " not exceeding five thousand 
 dollars for repairing or altering roof and for 
 finishing said building" were approi»riatcd V)y 
 the General Assembly, making an aggregate of 
 about a hundred and twenty thousand dollars, 
 excluding the "debts due," the amount of 
 which cannot be ascertained. A pound in con- 
 tinental currency was three and a third dollars. 
 
 From various official manuscripts in the 
 Library it appears that there was much trouble 
 with the roof. This w^as first covered with lead, 
 of which forty-one and a half tons one hundred 
 and ninety -three i)Ounds were used ; and after- 
 wards with slate. 
 
 The old building is full of the echoes of a 
 glorious past. The great Convention of '88 was 
 held before it was finished, and sat in the 
 " temporary building, " according to Little; in 
 the Old Academy which stood near the site of 
 the INIonumental Church according to Mordecai, 
 whose statement is generally accepted as correct. 
 Here, however, were debated and adopted the 
 fiunous "Resolutions of 1798-99," drafted by 
 James Madison as the true interpretation of the 
 federal compact. Here also sat, for part of its 
 session, the Convention of 1829-.'^0, of which 
 Madison, Monroe, Marshall, and John Randolph 
 of Roanoke were members — theli.-t. of its mem- 
 bership constituting the Virginia '" Roll of Battle 
 Abbey." The Convention of lo5J that "re- 
 stored " universal suffrage, and tiuit of 1861, 
 with its Declaration of Indepeudeiice of the 
 United States, sat herein ; the lattov holding 
 most of its session in the old African ( Jhurc.h on 
 Broad street. 
 
 Hither, in 1862, came from Montgo^iery, Ala- 
 bama, the Congress of the Confederate States of 
 America, and sat till that fateful day ;n .\pril, 
 1865, on which Lee's lines were broke v. :U Peters- 
 burg, when it adjourned — not sine di- . i'ldet-d — 
 yet never to meet again. And here, iii 1867, sat 
 the Convention which framed our pne-ent Con- 
 stitution, and mutilated the Virgin ii Bill of 
 Rights drawn by George Mason. 
 
 The Confederate Senate Chamber \ us where 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 the Governor's otfioes now are ; the House of 
 Representatives in the present State Senate 
 Chamber ; the House of Delegates occupying its 
 
 own Hall, and the State Senate the rooms now 
 used as the offices of the Secretary of the Com- 
 monwealth. 
 
 The Rotunda. 
 
 The Rotunda, which is really a quadrangle, is 
 the stateliest of the Halls in the Capitol. Its 
 just and symmetrical proportions will immedi- 
 ately arrest any artistic q\q. 
 
 HoLidon's Washington. 
 
 A monograph of the late Col. Sherwih McRae 
 begins thus : '" Houdon's statue of Washington 
 is interesting to mankind as the most perfect 
 representation of this j^eerless man that exists. 
 While it is the cherished object of pride and 
 affection with our whole countrj-, Virginia re- 
 members that before time and opportunity had 
 fully developed the civic virtues of Washington, 
 she acknowledged him the chief of her sons 
 and sealed the acknowledgment with this 
 matchless statue." 
 
 Let it be remembered in this connection that 
 as early as the loth of May, 1784 — five years 
 before the adoption of the Federal Constitiition 
 and Washington's election as President, and, 
 therefore, before he had achieved his civic feme 
 and given the world the best illustration that — 
 "Peace liath her victories no less renowned than war," 
 
 the General Assembly had voted this statue to 
 him, and Madison had penned the inscription 
 for the pedestal as it now appears thereon: 
 "The General Assembly of the Commonwealth 
 of "N'irginia have caused this statue to be erected 
 as a monument of affection and gratitude to 
 (jeorge Washington, who, uniting to the endow- 
 ments of the hero, the virtues of the patriot, 
 
 and exerting both in establishing the liberties 
 of his country, has rendered his name dear to 
 his fellow-citizens, and given to the world an 
 immortal example of true glory." 
 
 Is there anything more felicitous in ancient or 
 modern literature than this inscription — por- 
 traying, as it does, the character of the man 
 with as much fidelity as the statue itself depicts 
 his person ! 
 
 Mr. Jefferson, being then in Piiris, engaged 
 Houdon to come to Virginia to make the statue, 
 saying of him; "He is, without rivalship, the 
 first statuary of this age, as a proof of which he 
 receives orders from everj^ other country' for 
 things intended to be capital." 
 
 Washington was consulted as to the costume 
 of the statue, and with characteristic modesty 
 declined to dictate in the matter, saying, how- 
 ever : "On the contrary, I shall be perfectly 
 satisfied with whatever may be judged decent 
 and proper. I should even scarcely have ven- 
 tured to suggest that perhaps a servile adher- 
 ence to the garb of antiquity might not be 
 altogether so expedient as some little deviation 
 in favour of the modern costume, if I had not 
 learned from Col. Humphreys that this was a 
 circumstance hinted in conversation by Sir. 
 West to M. Houdon. " To this Jefferson replies : 
 "I was happy to find * * * that the 
 modern dress for your statue would meet your 
 approbation. I found it strongly the sentiment 
 of West, Copely, Trumbull and Brown in- Lon- 
 don, after which it would be ridiculous to add 
 that it was my own. I think a modern in an 
 
10 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 antique dress as just an object of ridicule as a 
 Hercules or ]Mariu.s with a periwig and t'hai)eau 
 bras. " 
 
 Houdon sailed from Paris in August, 1785, 
 arrived at Mount Vernon October 3d, ensuing, 
 and returned to Paris about January, 1786. He 
 completed the statue in 1788. The Capitol not 
 being finished, it was detained in France till 
 1796, reached Philadelphia in April, and Rich- 
 mond in ^lay of that year, and was erected in 
 the Rotunda INIay 14, 1796. In September, 
 1872, on account of the insecurity of the floor, 
 it was removed to a place of security till the 
 floor could be strengthened, and was replaced 
 in the Rotunda in 1873. 
 
 Lafayette said of the statue : "It is a fac 
 simile of Washington's person," and Gilbert 
 Stuart, the great artist, said in effect that the 
 Houdon bust is par excellence the true likeness. 
 
 The artist received as compensation, one 
 thousand English guineas, about $5,250, his 
 expenses to and from Virginia, and the cost of 
 his life insurance while absent from France. 
 
 Dr. AV. P. Palmer, formerly Secretary of the 
 Virginia Historical Society, relates this incident : 
 "Rembrandt Peale came to Richmond in 1855 
 especially to see this statue, and said, in conver- 
 sation with me : ' When a boy I lived on the 
 same square with General Washington in Phila- 
 delphia, during his second term as President, 
 and used to see him almost every day. Thus I 
 became very familiar with his appearance. Now 
 if you will stand in the southeast corner of the 
 Rotunda, and look at this statue on a level with 
 it, you may well think you are beholding Wash- 
 ington himself. That is the man, sir, exactly. ' " 
 
 Peale after\\'ards painted one of the best- 
 known portraits of Washington. 
 
 Dr. Palmer also said that the statue was pro- 
 nounced by Robert Winthrop, in a conversation 
 with Mr. Wirt Henry, of this city, to be not 
 only the most precious, but one amongst the 
 most priceless pieces of mai-ble in the world. 
 
 It is the only cast of Washington extant, the 
 splendid statue of him by Canova, the property 
 of North Carolina, having been destroyed by 
 fire many years since. 
 
 This gem of ours ought to be placed in some 
 fire-proof building as soon as possible, before it 
 meet the same fate. 
 
 We have this anecdote from Hon. P.. John- 
 son Barbour, of Orange County, as to the rather 
 more-than-erect attitude of the statue. It 
 seems that a statuary, as well as a poet, must 
 have his "inspiration." Houdon arrived at 
 
 Mount Vernon, and was treated with great con- 
 sideration l)y Washington. He fell sick for a 
 few days, but after his recoveiy made no sign 
 that he was ready to begin work, and the Gen- 
 eral began to be a little weary of him. 
 
 One morning a,t breakfast a noti- was handed 
 Washington, who had given notice that he 
 wished to buy a jiair of carriage horses, stating 
 that a pair had been sent down for his inspec- 
 tion. He walked out to look at them, and Hou- 
 don with him. Expressing himself as much 
 pleased with the horses, he asked their price, 
 and was answered, a thousand dollars ! He at 
 once, and all unconsciouslj^ assumed an attitude 
 and aspect of indignation at such extortion, 
 when, to everybody's amazement, Houdon 
 cried out triumphantly, ".\h, I 'ave him, I 
 'ave him ' ' ! and from that hour tiiere was no 
 loss of time till the cast was made. 
 
 So Washington did not buy the horses, but 
 Houdon caught his "inspiration," and the 
 statue its pose. 
 
 In the rotunda ai"e also io be seen a Inist of 
 Lafayette, bj^ Houdon, and one of General J. 
 E. B. Stuart, by Valentine. 
 
 By some mishap the nose of the bust of La- 
 fayette got broken off. On the occasion of his 
 visit to Richmond in 1824 there was great trepi- 
 dation lest he reach the city before it could be 
 restored ; but happily it was accomplislied in 
 time. 
 
 Hall of the House of Delegates. 
 
 On the north side of the Rotunda is the Hall, 
 which the House of Delegates has occu])ied 
 since the completion of the Capitol. On the 
 right as ' you enter is a life-size poi'trait of 
 Thomas Jefferson ; on the left a similar one of 
 the Earl of Chatham. The latter was painted 
 by Charles Willson Peale, the head copied from 
 a bust by Wilton, and was presented, in 1768, 
 by Edmund Jenings, of London and ]\Iary- 
 land, but a native of Virginia, to the " (lentle- 
 meu of Westmoreland County, A'irginia," who 
 had subscribed a sum of money for a ])ortrait of 
 Lord Camden, and requested J\lr. Jenings to 
 have it executed. The portrait is said to have 
 been preserved at Stratford, AVestmoreland 
 (the birthplace of Richard Henry, Francis. 
 Lightfoot, and Robert E. Lee), whence about 
 1825 it was removed to the county court-house. 
 In 1847, in response to a reciuest of the Library 
 Committee of the Legislature, tendered in 183.'), 
 the County Court presented the portrait to the 
 State. There is represented in the picture an 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 11 
 
 altar supported by busts of Sydney and Hamp- 
 den ; in the background is seen the palace of 
 Whitehall, with the window from which 
 Charles I was led out to execution, and, nearer 
 to the front, the figure of Britannia raising 
 the cap of Liberty. Chatham holds INIagna 
 Charta in his left hand. 
 
 The portrait of Jefferson was painted Ijy Cat- 
 lin, and purchased by the State. 
 
 Colonial Furniture of the Hall. 
 
 Two very interesting and anticjue pieces of 
 furniture — for a great while in this Hall — are 
 now in the Rotunda gallery, and will probably 
 be removed to the fire-proof building when 
 completed, viz : 
 
 The Speaker's Chair and the Three-Story 
 Stove. 
 
 The tradition is that the chair was made in 
 1700. It was long occupied by the Speaker of 
 the Colonial House of Burgesses, and, until a 
 few years since, by the Speaker of the House of 
 Delegates. The back of it was formerly deco- 
 rated with the royal arms of England. These, 
 according to the manuscript history of Virginia 
 by Edmund Randolph, were stripped off by 
 order of the House at the beginning of the 
 Revolution. 
 
 The Stove, of unique design and much orna- 
 mented by figures in relief, was made in Lon- 
 don in 1770, by Buzaglo, a celebrated stove- 
 maker of that period. It was ordered by Lord 
 Botetourt, Governor, as a present to the House 
 of Burgesses. Botetourt died before it w'as 
 sent to Virginia, but his purpose was carried 
 out by his heir and executor, the Duke of Beau- 
 fort. Buzaglo, the maker, writing to the Duke, 
 August 15, 1770, says ; " The Elegance of work- 
 manship and Impression of every particular 
 joint does honour to Great Britain. It excels 
 in grandeur anything ever seen of the kind, 
 and is a Masterpiece not to be equalled in all 
 Europe. It has met with General applause, 
 and could not be sufliciently admired ! " On 
 the front it has the colonial arms, with the 
 motto: " ii^H dat Virginia Quartam,'^ and on 
 the other side a figure of Justice with a scroll 
 labeled INIagna Charta, and the very apt motto 
 (for a stove): "Pro aris et focis," — "For our 
 altars and firesides. " Buzaglo did not call it a 
 stove, but ii " Warming Machine. " It was used 
 for many yeai's to heat the Hall, and some time 
 ])rior to 1852 was moved into the Rotunda, and 
 for some years following fire was kept in it there 
 during the sessions of the Legislature, Both 
 
 the chair and stove are now preserved as pre- 
 cious relics. 
 
 The Senate Chamber. 
 
 This Chamber is immediately opposite the 
 Hall of the House, and on the southside of the 
 Rotunda. On its wall hangs a very large paint- 
 ing by Lami, a French artist, representing the 
 storming of the redoubts at Yorktown, October 
 14, 1781. It was presented to the State by the 
 late W. W. Corcoran, Esq., of Washington, D. 
 C. In this Chamber sat the Confederate House 
 of Representatives. 
 
 The Capitol Disaster. 
 
 The Court of Appeals formerly sat in an u^jper 
 Hall of the Capitol — almost directly over the 
 Hall of the House. In "reconstruction" days 
 a very angry contested-election case, known as 
 Ellyson vs. Cahoon, was pending before the 
 court, and it was supposed the opinion would 
 he delivered April 27, 1870. The court room 
 was literally packed with a throng of people 
 interested in the decision. Just as the judges 
 were entering from the conference room, the 
 floor gave way, and a most appalling disaster 
 ensued, the whole audience being precipitated 
 many feet below, with the debris of falling joists 
 and plastering. Sixty-five persons were killed 
 and two hundred injured, among them some of 
 the most eminent men of the Commonwealth. 
 
 Other Rooms. 
 
 In the basement are the offices of the Treas- 
 urer and Auditors of the State, and of the 
 Register of the Land Office. None of them 
 contains any object of special interest except 
 that in the Land Office there is a series of vol- 
 umes of land grants beginning in 1623, and also 
 the records relating to Revolutionary bounties 
 and land grants. Most of these offices will be in 
 the new building. L^pstairs are the offices of 
 the Governor and the Secretary of the Common- 
 wealth, and also the State Library as of this 
 writing. 
 
 Portraits in the Rotunda Gallery. 
 
 The names are given in order as the visitor 
 passes to the left on entering. 
 
 1. Thomas West, third Lord De La Warr (or 
 Delaware) ; born about 1579 ; appointed Gover- 
 nor of Virginia "for life;" arrived at James- 
 town, June 10, 1610, and inunediately instituted 
 vigorous measures for the recuperation of the 
 colony. His health failing, he left. Virginia 
 March 28, 1611, and in the spring of 1618, sailed 
 from England for Virginia the second time, but 
 
12 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 (lied on the voyiige, June S, 1(>1S, in or near 
 Delaware Bay. Hi.s l)rother, ("ai)tain John 
 West, was Governor in l();>o and U)."!!), and has 
 many deseendants in Virginia. The town of 
 West Point derives its name from the family. 
 Lord De I.a '\\'arr Avas ancestor of the present 
 Earl De La Warr and of Hon. L. 8. Saekville- 
 West, formerly British Minister at Washington. 
 This picture was copied from the original in 
 England hy W. L. Shei)])ard, of Richmond, Va. 
 
 2. Fk.wcis Howaui), Lord Howard of Ethng- 
 ham, succeeded to the title in KiSl ; was com- 
 missioned Governor of Virginia Septemher 28, 
 1683: arrived in the colony April 1(5, 1()84, and 
 was recalled, end)arking for England, October 
 20, 1088, when> he died .March :!U, 1(«)4. 
 
 Copied hy W. L. Slieppard, from the original 
 in England l)y Kneller. 
 
 3. Thom.vs Nelson, Jr., was born at York- 
 town, ^'a., December 20, 1738, antl was son of 
 William Nelson, President of the Council and 
 Acting-Governor of Virginia. He was educated 
 in England at private schools, and at Trinity 
 College, Cambridge, and returning to Virginia, 
 was elected to the Hou.se of Burgesses in 1774; 
 was a member of the Conventions of 1774-75-70 ; 
 member of Congress, 1775-77, and signed the 
 Declaration of Independence. In August, 1777, 
 he was called to the field as Brigadier-General 
 and Commander-in-Chief of the Virginia militia. 
 In the spring of 1 781 was elected Governor, and 
 commanded tlie 7,000 Virginia militia in service 
 at the siege of Yorktown, receiving high com- 
 mendation from Washington. He spent almost 
 his entire estate (originally a very large one) in 
 the service of the country, and neither he nor 
 his heirs ever received any return. 
 
 This portrait was painted by Slieppard, from 
 a photograph of an original by ('ham])erlain, 
 London, 1754. 
 
 4. John Pacjk, of Rosewell, Gloucester 
 County, descended from a distinguished colonial 
 family: was born April 17, 1743; was a member 
 of the House of Burgesses, of the lirst Execu- 
 tive Council of the State in 1770, and Lieutenant- 
 Governor. He was member of Congress from 
 1789 to 1797, and in 1802 was elected (iovernor. 
 He died October 11, 1808, and was buried jn St. 
 John's churchyard, in Richmond, where a monu- 
 ment to his memory was erec'ted a fi'W yeai's 
 ago. 
 
 Tile portrait is a copy l)y llealy, from an 
 original painted l>y Benjamin We.st in 1758. 
 
 Presented in 1881 by Dr. B. C. M. Page, of New 
 York. 
 
 5. Alex.vxuek Si'oTswooi), son of Kobert 
 Spotswood, a physician, and grandson of Robert 
 Spotswood, President of the Court of Session, 
 Scotland, was Vjorn at Tangier, Africa, where his 
 father was surgeon of the forces. He entered 
 the army in early youth, served with distinction 
 under the Duke of INIarlborough, and was 
 dangerously wounded at Blenheim, where lie 
 served as Deputy (iuartermaster (Jeneral with 
 the rank of Colonel. He was soon after 
 appointed (lovernor of Virginia ; arrived in the 
 colony in 1710, and held the office of (Governor 
 until 1722. He led, in 1710, an exi)loring party 
 beyond the Blue Hidge, and created the compan- 
 ions of his journey "Knights of the [(iolden] 
 Horseshoe." Promoted Major-Genei'al, he was 
 about to embark with the troo})s destined 
 for Carthagena, but died at Annapolis, June 7, 
 1740. The commonly accepted tradition that 
 he resided and was buried at " Temple Farm " — 
 the Yorktown Ijattle-ground — has lately been 
 proven untrue by the researches of Lyon G. 
 Tyler, President of William and ^Nlary College. 
 
 The portrait is an original, said to be by 
 Kneller, and was presented to the State in 1874 
 by Mr. Philip F. Spotswood, of Orange County. 
 
 0. John Murray, fourth Earl of Dumnore, 
 the last royal Governor of Virginia, was born 
 1732, appointed Governor of New Y'ork 1770, 
 and of Virginia, 1771, and after a lengthy dis- 
 pute with the Burgesses and Conventions, 
 fled, June (i, 1775, with his family from Wil- 
 liamsburg, and took refuge on a man-of-war. 
 Collecting a mixed force of British soldiers, 
 tories and runaway negroes, he committed many 
 depredations along the shores of the bay and 
 rivers ; but his forces were defeated at (ireat 
 Bridge, near Norfolk, December 9, 1775, and in 
 June, 1770, he was dislodged from his last post 
 at Gwynn's Island. He died March, 1790, 
 leaving among other children, a daughter Vir- 
 ginia, who was born in Virginia in 1774 or 1775 ; 
 was so named at the reipiest of the House of 
 Burgesses, and was living at a great age a few 
 years ago ; and another daughter, Augusta, who 
 married in 1793, tiic Duke of Snsscx, son of 
 George 111. Sliciiandnah County was origi- 
 nally named Dnnmorc, ))nt as a protest again.><t 
 his atrocities, the name was changed in 1777. 
 Fincastle, Botetourt Comity, .so called in honor 
 of Dunmore's second title, and the courtesy title 
 of his eldest son, still, iiowever, bears the name. 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 1't 
 
 The portrait is a copy by Sheppard, from the 
 original in England, by Reynolds. 
 
 7. John Robinson, (died 17()()) ; Speaker of 
 the House of Burgesses for twenty-eight years ; 
 brother of Colonel Beverley Robinson, of New 
 York, who was implicated in the Arnold-Andre 
 incident. 
 
 S. P^n.MtND Kani>o[,i>ii, Ijorn August 10, 17-i:;, 
 died September !;:>, 181M ; was son of John Ran- 
 dolph, Attorney General of Virginia, who went 
 to England at the beginning of the Revolution, 
 and nephew of Peyton Randolph, tirst President 
 of the Continental Congress. He was an aid- 
 de-camp of Washington in 1775, was a member 
 of the old Congress, an influential member of 
 the United States Constitutional Convention 
 of 1787, and of the Virginia Convention of 17S.S, 
 was appointed the first Attorney-Creneral of the 
 United States in 1789, and Secretary of State in 
 1794. lie was Governor of Virginia 17S()-1788. 
 
 The portrait is a co]iy by Fislier from an 
 original. 
 
 9. Robert Brooke, born 17')4, died 1799 ; was 
 Captain of Cavalry in the Revolution, Governor 
 of Virginia 1796-1797, and Attorney-General of 
 the State from 1798 until his death. 
 
 The portrait is a copy by Shepjiard from a 
 profile by St. Memin. 
 
 10. Tho.mas Walker Gilmer, born April (i, 
 1802, died February 28, 1844. He was long a lead- 
 ing member of the House of Delegates, Speaker 
 of that l)ody in 1838 and 18:)9, elected Governor 
 of Virginia February, 1840, Member of Congress 
 May, 1840-184:], and was ap])ointed, February, 
 1844, Secretary of the Navy. While holding 
 this office he was killed by the explosion of a 
 gun on l)oard the frigate Princeton. 
 
 The portrait is an original, and was presented 
 to the State in 1874 l)y .lames I>. (iilmer, Char- 
 lottesville, \i\. 
 
 11. Littleton Waller Tazewell, born De- 
 cember 17, 1774, died May (>, 18(50 ; son of 
 Henry Tazewell, United States Senator. The 
 subject of the portrait was one of the most 
 eminent lawyers and statesmen of ^'irginia and 
 the United States. He was a INIember of the 
 T'uited States Senate and of the Virginia Con- 
 stitutional Convention of 1829-1 8:!0, and was 
 (iovernor of the State 18;54-I8;!(i. 
 
 The portrait is a copy of an original l)y Ilealy, 
 ])resented to the State in 1874 by ]\Iisses Sally 
 and Klla W. Tazewell, of Norfolk, Va. 
 
 12. I »avii)Ca.mi'1!ell, l)orn August 2, 1779, died 
 
 March 19, 1859 ; was Colonel United States 
 Army, served actively in the War of 1812, and 
 was (iovernor of Virginia 18:5()-]840. 
 
 The portrait, an original by Fisher, was j)re- 
 sented to the State in 1877 by 'the children of 
 Mrs. v.. I. (Campbell) Shelton and of Governor 
 W. r>. Campbell, of Tennessee. 
 
 !.">. William Smith, born September (i, 1797, 
 and died May 18, 1887 ; was elected Governor of 
 Virginia in 1845, and again in 18(53, and, in 
 spite of his advanced age, served actively as 
 Brigadier-General Confederate States Army un- 
 til he (pialified as Governor. He was jjrobably 
 the oldest officer in either army. 
 
 The {xnlrait is an original ))y .1. J. Porter, 
 and was i>resented in 1874. at tlie recjuest of the 
 State, by Ciovernor Smith. 
 
 14. William H. Cabell, born December Ki, 
 1772, died January 12, 1853 ; was Governor of 
 Virginia 1805-1808, and Judge of the Court of 
 Api)ea]s from 1811 to 1851. 
 
 15. .John Tvlek, Sr., born February 28, 1747, 
 died January (i, 1813, was Judge of the Court of 
 Admiralty, of the General Court, of the United 
 States District Court, Sjjeaker i if the House of 
 Delegates, and elected GoveriKir of Virginia in 
 1808. 
 
 The i)ortrait is an original ; presented to the 
 State by his granddaughter, IMis. Letitia Tyler 
 Semi)le. 
 
 Ki. John Randolph, of Roanoke, born June 
 2, 177.3, dii-d June 24, 1833; celebrated as Orator 
 and Statesman ; Meniber of Congress from 1800 
 to 1813, and from 1815 to 1824 ; United States 
 Senator 1825-7, and Minister to Russia in 1830. 
 
 The portrait was presented to the State by 
 Harmanus Rleecker. 
 
 17. James Patton Preston, l)orn June21, 1774, 
 died May 4, 1843; was Colonel United States 
 Army, serving through the War of 1812, and 
 Governor of Virginia 181()-19. 
 
 The portrait is an original ; presented to the 
 State in 1874 by Robert T. Preston. 
 
 18. (iEoROE RooERs Ci.ARK, hoi'ii Xovcmher 
 19, 1752, died February 18, 1818; in 177S, holding 
 a eommission as Lieutenant-Colonel from Vir- 
 ginia, commanding Virginia troops, and fur- 
 nished with eiiuipments and supplies by Vir- 
 ginia, he captured Kaskaskia and took possession 
 of the whole Illinois country ; and in Febniary, 
 1779, he recaptured Mneennes and the British 
 (iovernor of Detroit, thus securing the North- 
 west territory to Virginia, which that State sul)- 
 
14 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 sequeutly ceded to the general governiuent. 
 "All of that rich domain north of the Ohio 
 was secured to the republic in conse(iuence of 
 his prowess." lie was subsequently Brigadier- 
 <Teneral of Virginia troops, and rendere(l much 
 valuable service. A current story that lie broke a 
 sword which was many years later i>resented him 
 by Virginia, saying : "Sliesends mea toy ; I need 
 bread," is contradicted by his letter (whii'h is 
 preserved in the State records) expressing his 
 thanks for the gift. 
 
 lit. William 11. Koank, born 17SS, died May 
 11, 1>S4."). lie was the son of Spencer Roane, 
 President of the Court of Appeals of A'irginia, 
 and grandson of Patrick Henry, and was mem- 
 ber of the United States House of Kej)resenta- 
 tives and Senate. 
 
 20. Wii.i.iAM P>i;an(II (iii.ios, liorn .\ngust 12, 
 17()2, died Di-ci'mliei- 4, IS:!!); was long one of 
 the leaders of tiie Ivepublican or Democratic 
 party in the I'nited States ; was member of the 
 U. S. House of Representatives 17!)0-1SI)(), of the 
 U. S. Senate ISOo-lSla, and of the Virginia 
 Convention of 1 829-' 30. 
 
 The portrait is a copy by 3Ieyers from an 
 original by Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 21. J.\MES M.\DisoN, President of the United 
 States, and one of the principal authors of the 
 United States Constitution. 
 
 22. JoH.x BrcH.\.\AX Fi.ovd, born June 1st, 
 1806, died August 2(i, 18(53 ; son of Governor 
 John Floyd. He was Governor of Virginia 
 1849-1858; Secretary of AVar of the Uniti'd 
 States 1857-'()0, and P>rigadier-General C. S. A. 
 
 2;>. (teoi:(;k \Vii.i.L\.\r SMrni, l)orn about 1702, 
 died December 2(), ISll; son of Meriwether 
 Smith, dis-tinguislied in the early history of the 
 State. He was a lucmlicr of the House of Dele- 
 gates, of the State Council, and as Lieutenant- 
 Governor succeeded t(j the oflice of Governor 
 upon the resignation of James ]\Ionroe. He 
 lost his life at the burning of the Richmond 
 Theatre. 
 
 24. J AMKs P).VKHori{, born in Orange county, 
 Virginia, June 10, 1775, died June 7, 1842 ; cham- 
 pion of resolutions of 1798-99 in the House of 
 Delegates, the author of them, James INIadison, 
 being his colleague in the Uegi.slature ; elected 
 Governor 1811, and was " war governor" ; like 
 Governor Nelson i)ledging his i)er.sonal means 
 for State credit; United States Senator 1815 to 
 1825; Secretary of AVar, 1825 to 1828; :Minister 
 
 Plenii)otentiary to (Jreat Britain 1828-29 ; origi- 
 nator of the Literary Fund of A^irginia. 
 
 Portrait, given by his daughter, 3Irs. Cornelia 
 Collins, is a copy of an original by Harding. 
 
 25. Jamks McDowei.i,, born Octoi)er 11, 1795, 
 died August 24, 1851 ; Governor of A'irginia 
 1843-4() ; and member of the I'nited States 
 House of Rei)resentatives 184G-51. 
 
 2(). JonxTvLicii, JK.,'born March 29, 1790, died 
 January 17, 18(>2 ; President of the United 
 States, and Governor of Virginia. 
 
 The portrait is an original; presented to the 
 State by his daughter, 3Irs. Letitia Tvler Seni- 
 pie. 
 
 27. WvNDUAM Rdheutsox, born Januarj' 2(»,' 
 180.'!, died February 11, 1888 ; was elected mem- 
 ber of the Council of State in 1833, and, as Lieu- 
 tenant-(TOvernor, in 1830, succeeded to the office 
 of Governor on the )'esignation of (jovernor 
 Tazewell. 
 
 The portrait is aii original by Guillaume, pre- 
 sented, at the request of the State, by (Jovernor 
 Robertson. 
 
 28. TIIo^L\s .Ieffeksox, born April 1.3, 1742, 
 died July 4, 1820 ; President of the United States 
 and (xovernor of A^irginia, vVuthor of the Decla- 
 ration of Independence, of the Virginia Statute 
 for Religious Freedom, and Father of the Uni- 
 versity of A'irginia. 
 
 The portrait is a copy by Elder IVom an origi- 
 nal l)y Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 29. P.VTiMCK Hexkv, born ]May 29, 173(), died 
 June 0, 1799; first (iovernor of the State of 
 A'irginia. 
 
 The i)ortrait was painted by Thomas Sully 
 from a miniature taken In' a French artist, 
 when Patrick Henry was arguing the British 
 Del)t cases in the Ignited States Court at Rich- 
 mond, and was pronomiced by John Marshall 
 and others to be a line likeness. It was given 
 by AVm. AVirt to John Henry (son of Patrick 
 Henry), and by him left to his son, Wni. Wirt 
 Henry, Esq., now of this city, who in Novem- 
 ber, 1873, deposited it in the Capitol as a l<)an. 
 
 30. PocAiioNiAs, born about 1595, died in 
 England March 21, 1 010. She was famous as 
 the daughter of Powhatan, the warm friend of 
 the Colonists, the rescui'r of .loim Smith, the 
 first of the A'irginia Indians to l)e converted to 
 Christianity and marry an Englishman, and as 
 the ancestress of many ])roniinent families in 
 A'irginia. 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 15 
 
 The portrait is a copy by Sheppard from tlie 
 original in Norfolk County, England. 
 
 31. JoHX Floyd, born April 24, 1783, died 
 August 15, 1837 ; was Member Congress 1817- 
 1829, and Governor of Virginia 1830-1834. 
 
 32. JoHX Ri'TiiERFooHD, boru December \), 
 1792, died August 3, ISliO ; Member of the 
 House of Delegates, and of the Council of State, 
 and as Senior Councillor, succeeded to the 
 office of Governor, March, 1841, following John 
 M. Patton. 
 
 The portrait is an original by (iuillaume. 
 
 33. Joseph Johnson, born December 19, 1785, 
 died February 27, 1877 ; was one of the two 
 Governors of N'irginia who were natives of 
 New York ; but his mother moved to Virginia 
 in 1801. He was Member of Congress, and was 
 Governor of Virginia 1852-1855. 
 
 The portrait is an original by P]ldei-, and was 
 presented by Governor Johnson, at the request 
 of the State, in 1873. 
 
 34. Henry Alexander Wlse, born December 
 30, 1802, died September 14, 1870 ; was Member of 
 Congress, Governor of Virginia 1855-1859, and 
 Brigadier-General Confederate States Army. 
 
 The portrait is an original by Elder. 
 
 35. George Washixhton, born February 22, 
 1732, died December 14, 1799 ; first President of 
 the United States. 
 
 An etching from the Stuart portrait. 
 
 36. Martha "WASHiNcrroN, nee Dandridge, 
 born May, 1732, died May 22, 1802 ; wife of 
 George Washington. 
 
 Etching from the portrait l)y Stuart. 
 
 37. James Monroe, born April 28, 1758, died 
 July 4, 1831 ; President of the United States 
 and Governor of Virginia. 
 
 38. John S.mith, born January, 1579, died 
 June 21, 1632; Governor of Virginia, and the 
 chief agent in the founding of the Colony. 
 
 Painted by Sheppard from the engraving by 
 De Pass prefixed to Smith's works. 
 
 39. Meriwether Lewis, born August 18, 1774, 
 died October 8, 1809 ; was an officer in the 
 United States Army, Private Secretary to Presi- 
 dent Jefferson, and with William Clark, 1804-6, 
 explored the western country from the ^Missouri 
 to the Pacific. 
 
 40. William Clark, Ixirn August 1, 1770, 
 died September 1, 1838 ; was bnjther of Gen- 
 eral George Rogers Clark ; was an officer in the 
 United States Army ; associate of Lewis in the 
 famous exi^loring expedition ; Brigadier-Gene- 
 
 ral for the territory of LTpper Louisiana ; and 
 Governor of Missouri Territory. 
 
 41. Tho.mas .T. (Stonewall) Jackson, born 
 January 21, 1824, died May 10, 1863 ; Lieutenant- 
 General, C. S. A. ; mortally wounded ^Ia\' 2, 
 1864, at the battle of Chancellorsville. 
 
 The portrait is by Matthews from a photo- 
 graph. 
 
 42. (tii-bert Carlton Walker, born in New 
 York August 1, 1832, died :\[ay 11, 1885 ; settled 
 in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1864 ; was the first civil 
 Governor of Virginia after the war, and served 
 1869 to 1873. 
 
 The portrait is an original by Fisher. 
 
 43. James Lawson Ke.mper, born .lune 11, 
 1823 ; was Brigadier-General, C. S. A. ; severely 
 wounded and disabled for service at Gettys- 
 burg ; was elected Governor of Virginia in 1874. 
 
 The jiortrait is an original by Fisher. 
 
 44. John Letcher, born March 29, 1813, died 
 January 2(5, 1884; Governor of Virginia 1859-63, 
 and Member of Congress 1852-59 ; known as 
 one of the " War Governors. " 
 
 45. J. E. B. Stuart, born February 6, 1833, 
 died June 12, 1864 ; Major-General C. S. A. com- 
 manding the cavalry of the Army of Northern 
 Virginia ; was mortally wounded at the Yellow 
 Tavern near Richmond, May 11, 1864, and died 
 the next day at the residence of Dr. Brewer, on 
 Grace street, between Adams and Jefterson, 
 Richmond. 
 
 Portrait by Forney. 
 
 4(>. Robert Edward Lee, born January 19, 
 1807, died October 12, 1870 ; Commander-in- 
 Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States. 
 
 The portrait is by Elder. 
 
 47. John Marshall, born September 24, 1755, 
 died July (>, 1835 ; Chief Justice of the United 
 States. 
 
 Portrait by Inman, Philadeli)hia. 18:!1. Lent 
 to the State l)y his granddaughters, the ^Misses 
 Harvie. 
 
 4S. William S. Archer, born March 5, 1789, 
 died ^Nlarch 28, 1855 ; Member of the Virginia 
 Legislature from 1812-1819, of the United States 
 House of Representatives 1820-1835, and United 
 States Senator 1841-1847. 
 
 An original by Healy. 
 
 49. Edward Johnson, born April 16, 1S16, 
 died February 22, 1873 ; Major-General Con- 
 federate States Army. 
 
 Portrait l)y Elder. 
 
16 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 5(1 Josei'H Egoi.kstox Johnston, l)orii Feb- 
 ruary ;5, 1S07, (lied Mardi L'l, lSi»l ; (General 
 Confederate States Army 
 
 Portrait by P.lder. 
 
 51. George P^dwaku Pickett, lx)rn January 
 25, 1825, died July 80, 1S75; Major-deneraT 
 Confederate States Army, and ac<iuired esyieeial 
 renown by his charge at (Gettysburg. 
 
 Portrait by ^Irs. Powers, fnMii a pliotograph. 
 
 52. Henky Lee ("Light Horse Marry"), 
 born January 29, 1756, died March 25, 1818 ; 
 served in the Revolution as Colonel, commanding 
 "Lee's Legion"; was ISIember of the Virginia 
 Convention of 1788, of Congress 178()-1788 and 
 1799-1801, and was (lovernor of Vii-ginia 1792- 
 1795. As Brigadier-General he commanded the 
 forces sent to suppress the Whislcey Insurrec- 
 tion, and in 1799, on the death of Waslnng- 
 ton, in an oration in Congress lie originated the 
 famous phrase, " First in War, First in Peace, 
 and First in tlie Hearts of His Countrymen." 
 He was the father of General R. E. Lee, and the 
 grandfather of (Governor Fitzhugh Lee. 
 
 Portrait is a copy oy Sheppard of an original 
 by Stuart, in the possession of Mrs. Lucy Lee, 
 widow of Charles Carter Lee, of Powhatan 
 county. 
 
 5?). John Buchanan, born 1743, died Decem- 
 ber, 1822 ; for many years Rector of the Episco- 
 pal Church in Richmond. 
 
 An original i)()i-trait by Edward Peticolas. 
 Presented in 1874 by Miss Nannie and (ieorge 
 F. Norton . 
 
 54. George Wythe Mlnfoud, born January 8, 
 180:^, died January 10, 1882 ; son of William 
 :Munford, the translator of Homer. He was 
 Clerk of the House of Delegates of Virginia for 
 twenty-five years, and afterwards Secretary of 
 the Commonwealtli ; was Compiler and Editor 
 of the Codes of 1860 and 1871), and Author of 
 "The Two Parsons." 
 
 Portrait, an original by Elder, presented in 
 1875 by Mr. and Mrs. Wm. P. Munford. 
 
 55. General Ei-liott. This i)ortrait was pre- 
 sented to the State by Mr. Philip F. Spotswood, 
 of Orange county, who gave the Spotsvw)od 
 portraits. According to tradition the subject 
 was a General in the English Army, and a half 
 brother of Governor Spotswood. Tlie better 
 opinion is that tlie owners of this j)ortrait were 
 mistaken as to its identity, and that it is really 
 a portrait of the Duke of Marlborough, on 
 whose staff (iovernor Si)otswood served at the 
 Battle of Blenheim. Certainly it bears a strik- 
 
 ing resemblance to other portraits of ]Marl- 
 borough . 
 
 56. George Mason, born 1725, died October 
 7, 1792 ; one of the most distinguished States- 
 men of Virginia in the Revolutionary period, 
 and the author of the Bill of Rights, and 
 draughtsman of the lirst written Constitution of 
 the State. He was also a leading member in the 
 convention that framed the Constitution of the 
 United States. 
 
 Portrait a cojiy by I'.lder of an original l)y an 
 unknown artist. 
 
 57. Fitzhu(;h Lee, born November 19, 1835 ; 
 Major General of Cavalry, Confederate States 
 Army, and Governor of Virginia, 1886-90. 
 
 Portrait, an original by Elder. 
 
 58. Peter Francisco, born, it is supposed, in 
 Portugal, died January 17, 1831 ; was brought to 
 Virginia in boyhood as an indentured servant, 
 and was bought by a gentleman whom he served 
 until the Revolution, when he obtained per- 
 mission to join the army. He was celebrated 
 for his great strength, and served throughout 
 the war with much gallantry. He was six feet 
 one inch in height, weighed 260 pounds, and 
 used a sword with a blade five feet in length. 
 This sword was preserved in the Virginia State 
 x\rmory until the commencement of the late war, 
 when it was returned to Francisco's grandson, a 
 Captain of Cavalry, Confederate States Army, also 
 a very powerful man. IVIany anecdotes are pre- 
 valent in Virginia of Peter Francisco's physical 
 powers, some of which may be found in Howe's 
 History of Virginia, and in Garden's Anecdotes. 
 One of the most celebrated of these is of his 
 escape from nine of Tarleton's Cavalry after 
 wounding two of them. An engraving of this 
 incident was for many years very pojiular, and 
 was to be found in almost every house in the 
 State. A copy of it is in the State Library. 
 After the Revolution he was appointed Ser- 
 geant-at-arms of the House of Delegates. 
 
 59. Philii' Watkins McKinney, born March 
 17, 1834 ; (Governor of Virginia, 1890-94. 
 
 60. William Nelson, of Yorktown, born 1711, 
 died November 19, 1772 ; President of the Coun- 
 cil, and (iovernor from thc> death of Botetourt, 
 October 5, 1770, until the arrival of Dunmore, 
 early in 1772. 
 
 Portrait, a copy by Siiepiuinl, from an original. 
 
 In the Library. 
 The i)ortraits in the Library are chii'tly en- 
 gravings, etchings, and photographs. 
 
 Thojias RiTi hie, born November 5, 1778, died 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 V 
 
 July 12, 1854 ; long the editor of the Richmuiid 
 Enquirer, one of the leading organs of the Dem- 
 ocratic party in the United States ; known as 
 "Father Ritchie" throughout, the Union as 
 of that period. ^^ 
 
 Joseph C. Cabell, long a member of the Vir- 
 ginia Legislature, and a special coadjutor of 
 .lefierson in establishing the University of Vir- 
 ginia- 
 
 R. E. Lee on his war-horse "Traveller." 
 
 William H. Cabell. 
 
 Joiix R. Thomi'.s()x, l>orn October 23, 1823, 
 died April 30, 1873 ; editor of the Southern Lite- 
 rarij Messenger, and author of many poems, &c. 
 An original by Elder. 
 
 Henry Clay, born A\)V\\ 12, 1777, died June 
 29, LSo2. 
 
 Copy by Arthur Peticolas of an original by 
 Xeagle. 
 
 T. J. Jackson (Stonewall). 
 
 Warner Lewis, of "Warner Hall"; was 
 County Lieutenant of Gloucester during the 
 Revolution. 
 
 The portrait, which is said by tradition, 
 (which is confirmed by the judgment of critics 
 who have seen it) to be by Reynolds, was lent 
 by the owner. 
 
 James Jones, born , died 1848 ; member 
 
 of Congress 1819-23. 
 
 The portrait, by St. Memin, was given to the 
 State by his grandchildren. 
 • M.VTTHEW Fontaine Maury, born January 
 14, 1806, died February 1, 1873 ; Commander 
 United States Navy ; Captain Confederate States 
 Xavy ; "The Pathfinder of the Seas." 
 
 M.VTTHEW F. INIaury ; bust by Valentine. 
 
 Ambrose Powell Hill, Lieutenant-General 
 Confederate States Army ; born November 9, 
 1825, killed on the lines at Petersburg April 2, 
 1865. Both Lee and Jackson spoke of him with 
 their dying breath— Lee saying : "Tell General 
 Hill he must come up " ; and Jack.son : "A. P. 
 Hill prepare for action ! ' ' 
 
 R. E. Lee. 
 
 R. E. Lee ; bas-relief portrait bust by O'Don- 
 avan, a Virginia Sculptor in New York ; pre- 
 sented by Captain Hugh R. Garden. 
 
 Black Hawk, and two other Indian Chiefs. 
 
 Painted from life by J. W. Ford, Richmond, 
 1883. 
 
 Robert W. Hu(;iies, Judge of the United 
 States District Court. 
 
 JdUN Letcher, Governor. 
 
 WiLLiA.M Smith ; bust by Valentine. 
 
 Jefferson Davis ; bust by Gait. 
 
 This bust w^as made in the office of the ' ' Con- 
 federate White House" in Richmond in 1862 by 
 Alexander Gait. His note book, under date of 
 February 8th, says: "Took first sitting of the 
 President in his office ; took measurements of 
 his face. " Then follow notes of various sittings. 
 It was the only bust Mr. Davis sat for while 
 President. Mr. Gait was a native of Norfolk, 
 served as a member of Governor Letcher's staff", 
 and did valuable work with the Confederate 
 engineers. He died in Richmond January 19, 
 18(53, of small-pox contracted in Stonewall Jack- 
 son's camp, which he had visited to make draw- 
 ings of him. He left in his studio, unfinished, 
 "The Spirit of the South," and other ])ieces. 
 The first named was the only one saved, and 
 that was sent to Mr. H. B. Grigsby. 
 
 John Marshall. 
 
 William Cabell Rives, born May 4, 1793, 
 died April 25, 1868 ; United States Senator, 
 Minister to France, and author of Life of James 
 Madison. 
 
 Confederate Commanders — a group. 
 
 John Penn, born in Caroline county, ^'irginia, 
 May 17, 1741, died September, 1788; signer of 
 the Declaration of Independence. 
 
 AV. H. IJarrison, born in Charles City county 
 Virginia ; Victor of Tippecanoe ; President of 
 the United States. 
 
 Richard Henry Lee. 
 
 Daniel Boone. 
 
 Meriwether Lewis. 
 
 Cyrus Griffin, President of the Continental 
 Congress. 
 
 George M.\son. 
 
 John Marshall ; Silhouette. 
 
 John Randolph; Silhouette taken when he 
 was appointed Minister to Russia. 
 
 Captain John Smith. 
 
 Jajies ]\IcDowell. 
 
 BusHROD Washington. 
 
 Dolly P. Madison ; wife of President ]\[adi- 
 son. 
 
 Martha Washington. 
 
 Edgar A. Poe. 
 
 George W. Bagby ; State Librarian, and 
 author of many well-known sketches of Vir- 
 ginia life. 
 
18 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Bkxjamix Franklin. 
 
 rochambeau. 
 
 Columbus (2). 
 
 Daniel Boone. 
 
 R. H Lee. 
 
 R. E. Lee ;• statue ; miniature, full length. 
 
 Robert Burns ; bust by Valentine. 
 
 Confederate Generals ; photographic <i;roup. 
 
 Sir AValtek Raleigh. 
 
 John R. Thompson. 
 
 T. J. Jac-ksox (2). 
 
 Edmund Pendletox ; Revolutionary Patriot 
 and eminent Jurist. 
 
 Thomas Jeffersox. 
 
 John D. Blair ; long Minister of the Pres- 
 byterian Church in Richmond. 
 
 Augustine Warner ; Speaker of the Virginia 
 House of Burgesses, 1675. Original lent to 
 the State. 
 
 In Rear Room of Library. 
 
 Thomas Jefferson ; portrait burnt on wood. 
 
 Matthew F. Maury ; oil portrait. 
 
 John Tayloe Lomax, Judge of the General 
 Court, and Professor of Law at University of 
 Virginia. Original portrait by Elder. 
 
 In Offices of Secretary of Commonwealth. 
 
 " Lady Spotswood " ; wife of Governor Spots- 
 wood. Original presented by Mr. P. F. Spots- 
 wood. 
 
 James Monroe. 
 
 George Washixgtox. 
 
 T. J. Jackson. 
 
 R. E. Lee. 
 
 Jos. E. JOHXSTON. 
 
 The Library. 
 
 In 1666, an importation of law books was 
 made by the House of Burgesses for the use of 
 the " Generall Courts and Assembly, " to be kei)t 
 at James City, which was probably the germ of 
 the first Public Libi-ary in the Colonies, except 
 that at Henrico College. The Colonial Council 
 possessed a collection of books of much value, 
 some of which are in the present Library. At 
 one of the early revisals of the laws of A'^irginia, 
 Madison ])resented a bill to establish a public 
 library, and the Library was actually founded 
 January, 1823. 
 
 There are in the Library about fifty thousand 
 
 volumes, exclusive of law books. ^lost of them 
 are standard ])ublications usually found in well- 
 ordered libraries, but there are also many very 
 rare and valuable books and manuscripts, some 
 of them absolutely unique. The Rotunda 
 gallery is an annex of the Library, the pictures 
 and curios in which are ex2:)lained in the pages 
 appropriateil to those subjects. 
 
 Objects of Interest in the Library. 
 
 Among the objects in the Lilirary whii'h are 
 worthy of the visitor's notice, and which are 
 framed and hung, or otherwise exhibited on the 
 ■walls, are the following, given in order as one 
 passes to the right : 
 
 Bail bond of Jefferson Davis. LithograjJiic 
 copy. 
 
 Photograi)hs (one on each side of the fi-ame), 
 of the old Episcopal Church near Smithtield, 
 Isle of Wight county, Virginia. This building 
 is now being put in thorough repair, and is the 
 oldest brick church edifice in the former English 
 colonies, having been built in 1632. Two bricks 
 found in the walls bear that date. 
 
 Stucco Model of the State Capitol, sent from 
 France by Thomas Jefterson. 
 
 Letter from Maria Edgeworth. Autograph. 
 
 View of the Federal Prison Camp at Belle 
 Isle, in James River, opposite Richmond, from 
 a war time photograph. 
 
 Letter of Daniel Boone, 1783. Autograph. 
 
 Letter of Lieutenant General A. P. Hill, Con- 
 federate States of America. Autograi)h. 
 
 Document, dated 1785, signed by Benjamin 
 Harrison when Governor of Virginia : signer 
 of the Declaration of Independence. 
 
 Document signed by George Wythe, signer of 
 the Declaration of Indei)endence. 
 
 Parole of a Confederate Officer of the Army 
 of Northern Virginia, May 3, 1865. 
 
 Document signed l)y Ednumd Pendleton, 
 John Page, Richard Bland, Paul Carrington, 
 Thos. Ludwell Lee, Dudley Digges, Carter 
 Braxton, James ^Mercer, and John Tabb, who 
 constituted the Virginia Committee of Safety, 
 Sejitember 1 775. 
 
 Letter of Thomas Jefterson, ^larch, 1826. 
 Autograph. 
 
 Marriage l)ond of Thomas Jefferson. This 
 was formerly on file at Charles City county 
 courthouse, and was presented by the county 
 court to the State Library. 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 19 
 
 Pencil drawing of Pohick Church, Fairfax 
 County, Virginia, of which Washington was an 
 attendant and vestryman. 
 
 Letter from Ceneral R. E. Lee to Governor 
 John Letcher, Ajjril li), 18()1. Autograph. 
 
 Parole of Lord Cornwallis, Yorktown, Octo- 
 ber 28, 1781. This is the original with the auto- 
 graph signature of Cornwallis. 
 
 Letter reciting services of negro servant in 
 Revolution, signed by Lafayette. 
 
 Resolutions of the House of Burgesses, May 
 16, 1769, declaring that the sole right of taxa- 
 tion in Virginia vests in the House of Burgesses. 
 Printed. 
 
 Printed paper signed by members of the 
 "Association" at Williamsburg, 1769. Auto- 
 graph signatures. 
 
 Proclamation concerning Tobacco by Charles I, 
 1630. Printed. 
 
 Invitation card to the ball given to Lafayette 
 at the Eagle Hotel, Richmond, October 15, 
 1824. 
 
 Patent signed by Sir William Berkley, July 2, 
 1661, with Seal of the Colony. 
 
 Patent signed by Governor Robert Dinwiddle, 
 August, 1756. 
 
 Play-bill of the Richmond Theatre for De- 
 cember 26, 1811, the night it was destroyed by 
 fire, when George W. Smith, the Governor of 
 the State, and Abram B. Venable, ex-Senator 
 ITnited States, and about one hundred others 
 lost their lives. The site of this theatre (near 
 the Capitol) is now occupied by the Monumental 
 Episcopal Church, in the portico of wdiich is a 
 cenotaph inscribed with the names of some of 
 the victims of the fire. 
 
 Last Dispatch of Stonewall Jackson, written 
 on the battle-field at Chani'ellorsville about 3 
 P. M. He was mortally wounded a few hours 
 later. This is the original, written in pencil, 
 and, it is said, on the i)onn]iel of his saddle. 
 
 Letter from General R. E. Lee to General 
 Cooper, April 25, 1863. Autograph. 
 
 Letter of Stonewall Jackson, dated Caroline 
 county, Virginia, December 30, 1862. Auto- 
 graph. 
 
 Letter of Stonewall Jackson to Governor 
 Letcher, dated Winchester, January 31, 1862, 
 tendering his resignation. Autograph. The 
 resignation was not accepted. 
 
 Patent signed by William Penn. Autograph 
 signature. 
 
 Letter from Thomas Jefterson to the inhabi- 
 tants of Albemarle county. Autograph. 
 
 Letter from General Gates to John Hancock, 
 President of the Continental Congress, October 
 18, 1777, announcing the surrender of Burgoyne ; 
 autograph. This letter was found not long since 
 among the records of the ^'irginia Legislature, 
 and is undoubtedly the original, and is entirely 
 in Gates's own handwriting. It was doubtless 
 forw^ded by Congress to the Virginia govern- 
 ment.-"' 
 
 Ja>[es a. Seddon, Secretary of War of the 
 C'Onfederate States. 
 
 William and Mary College before its destruc- 
 tion by fii'e in 1859. Lithograph. 
 
 Virginia Ordinance of Secession, with signa- 
 tures of Members of the Convention. This is a 
 photograph of the original first draft now in the 
 archives of the United States. 
 
 Lithograph copy of the same ordinance, 1)Ut 
 evidently from the later engrossed draft. 
 
 Letter, Philadelphia, March 4, 1843, from 
 Edgar A. Poe to P. D. Bernard, Richmond, in 
 reference to Poe's proposed magazine "The 
 Stylus. " 
 
 Commission of William Wirt, as Captain of 
 Virginia Artillery, in the War of 1812 ; signed 
 by Governor James Barbour. 
 
 Commission of Oyer and Terminer fi'om 
 Governor, Lord Botetourt, to the Court of Fair- 
 fax County, of which George Washington was 
 a member ; dated June, 1771. 
 
 Copy of the first Bill of Rights of Virginia, 
 entirely in the handwriting of and signed by 
 the Author, George Mason. 
 
 Letter of George Washington, Mt. Vernon, 
 December 7, 1799. Autograph. This letter was 
 written only seven days before his death. 
 
 Plat and lines of a survey by George Wash- 
 ington, November 3, 1749 (when he was seven- 
 teen years old). Autograph. 
 
 Pike brought to Virginia by John lirown to 
 arm the negroes for insurrection, 1859. 
 
 Paper dated JNIay 30, 1774, being a call for a 
 Convention, issued by several members of the 
 lately dissolved House of Burgesses, calling a 
 Convention. The body which assembled under 
 this call was the first of the Revolutionary Con- 
 ventions of Virginia. Autogra]ih, with signa- 
 tures. 
 
 Photograph of Richmond after its partial de- 
 struction by fire at the Evacuation, 1S()5. 
 
20 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 First Topographical MoiU'l of Virginia, by 
 the late Thomas H. Williamson, Professor Vir- 
 ginia Military Institute. 
 
 View of Richmond, isri2. 
 
 In one case will be found : 
 
 Fac-Similes of coins mentioned in the Bible ; 
 copy of the Great Seal of the Confederate States ; 
 portion of the Flag taken from the Capitol at 
 the surrender of Richmond, April 3, 1865 ; 
 Canteen from the " Bloody Angle " at Spotsyl- 
 vania Courthouse ; a Steel Breast-Plate taken 
 from the l)ody of a dead Fi'dcral soldier on the 
 battlelirld of Seven Pines; a Horn Drinking 
 Cup. wliicii was foiinil on tlie spot wiiicli had 
 been occu]>ied l)y the lu';ui(|uarters tent of Lord 
 Cornwallis in 17S1. This eup was picke<l up 
 the day after the tent had been removed, was 
 lianded down in the same family until given to 
 the State, and undoubtedly was part of the 
 camp equipage of the English general. 
 
 Also several Confederate Flags, one of them 
 being the headquarters flag of General J. E. B. 
 Stuart ; a piece of the armor of the Confederate 
 battle-ship "Virginia," showing a crack made 
 by a cannon shot during engagement with the 
 "Monitor" in Hampton Roads; a Springfield 
 Musket, twisted out of shape at the Crater explo- 
 sion at Petersburg ; the Sabre of Heros von 
 Borcke, a Piussian officer on General Stuart's 
 staff, a present to the State. 
 
 The Equestrian Statue of Washington. 
 
 Thomas Crawfoi'd — born in New York, 181.'>, 
 died in London, 1857 — was the artist of this 
 masterpiece. A distinguished critic writes of it : 
 " AVe might descant upon the union of majesty 
 and spirit in the figure of Washington, and the 
 vital truth of action in the horse, the air of 
 command and rectitude, the natural vigour and 
 grace so instantly felt by the popular heart, and 
 so critically praised by the adept in statuary. 
 * * * We might repeat the declaration, that 
 no figure, ancient or modern, so entirely illus- 
 trates the classic definition of oratory, as con- 
 sisting in action, as the statue of Patrick Henry, 
 wliich seems instinct with that memorable 
 utterance — '< live me libei'ty or give me death I ' " 
 
 The news of Crawford's death reached this 
 country simultaneously with the arrival of the 
 ship conveying this colossal bronze — his crowrt- 
 ing achievement. The statue itself, and the 
 effigies of Henry and Jefier.son — all that were 
 originally ci-.ntemplated — are by Crawford, lie 
 was, at a later date, also commissioned to add 
 
 the figures of Mason and Marshall, and still 
 later, of Nelson and Lewis ; but of these last 
 two Crawford made no sketches. Randoli)h 
 Rogers — born Watertown, X. Y., 1825, died 
 Rome, 1892 — took up the work at this point and 
 completed it. Crawford's design was to place 
 an eagle on each of the six outer pedestals, but 
 after his death the six allegorical figures were 
 substituted. 
 
 Tuckerman says that Crawford made no 
 sketches even of Mason and Mai'shall. If the 
 contrast with the later effigies (Xelson and 
 Lewis) did not itst'lf ])alpably prove the contrary, 
 the following extf-act from the contraet between 
 ( ioveinor \Vi.<e aii<l Rogers will lie accepted as 
 conclusive: "And it was further stipulate(i [in 
 the contract with Crawford] if any one or more 
 of the models specified therein should be finisheil 
 in the studio of Crawford, but not cast in bronze, 
 and the said Crawford should die : * '" and 
 unofficial information having been received that 
 the statues of Mason and Marshall liarc Ixeu, 
 finished in the studio of said Craivford, but not 
 cast in bronze: [it is] agreed that the said 
 Rogers shall cause the model or models of the 
 said statues of Mason and Marshall to be cast in 
 bronze in a manner in all respects equal to the 
 other statues first as aforesaid contracted for. 
 See Calendar \'irginia State Papers., N'ol. XL, 
 pages 50-60. 
 
 In February, 181(5, it was unanimously re- 
 solved by the General Asseml>ly that the Ciov- 
 ernor be authorized to open correspondence with 
 Hon. Bushroil Washington in reference t(j the 
 removal of the remains of (Jeneral Washington 
 from Mt. Vernon to Richmond at the i)ublic ex- 
 pense ; authorizing a public sul>scription for the 
 erection of a monument to his memory, and 
 limitinij individual subscriptions to a sum not ex- 
 ceeding twent)/ dollars. ' The resolutions said fur- 
 ther, that, as it was not desirable that the 
 remains of the illustrious deceased be separated 
 fromtho.se of his " amiable and excellent wife," 
 the removal of her remains should also bi' 
 requested, to be interred under the same nioim- 
 ment. And they conclude thnsgrandiloiiuently : 
 
 "And be it further resolved, unanimously, 
 that the Executive l)e recpiested to api)oint i\\c 
 commissioners to design the plan and sui)erin- 
 tend the structure of the above monument, with 
 authority also to i)rescribe the ceremonial for 
 removing the precious relics of the deceased ; 
 and that thi' executive be further requested to 
 make known by publii' ])roclamation the period 
 at which the procession shall connneni-e from 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 21 
 
 ]\[ount Vernon, and to recommend the day 
 appointed for the reinterment be set apart 
 throughout the Commonwealth, as one of public 
 thanksgiving, adoration and praise to the Su- 
 preme Author of all (lood, for having graciously 
 bestowed upon Virginia a Hero, ' First in war, 
 first in peace, and first in the liearts- (if his 
 countrymen.' " 
 
 The request for the removal of the remains 
 was not granted, ])ut the purpose to erect the 
 monument was not abandoned ; though the 
 limitation set ui)on too libend contributions ap- 
 pears to have been a work of supererogation. 
 Thirteen thou.'^and and sixty-three dollars were 
 realized from subj^criptions. Tliis sum was de- 
 posited in the State Treasury, where it remained 
 until it " disappeared." Tlie State, however, 
 assumed resj onsibility for it, and in 1828 it was 
 directed by resolution of the Legislature to be 
 put at interest. On each recurring 22(1 of Feb- 
 ruary, for some years afterT81(), patriotic reso- 
 lutions were passed by the people's representa- 
 tives. In 1S48 the fund, with accumulated inte- 
 rest, and the aid of a new general subscription 
 which was small, amounted to §41,830, and 
 February 22, L84!), during the adnunistration of 
 (xovernor John B. Floyd, an act was passed 
 directing the erection of the monument and 
 appropriating from the Treasury a sum sufficient 
 to make, with the amount in hand, a fund of 
 one hundred thousand dollai's. 
 
 The corner-stone of the momnnent was laid 
 February 22, 18o0, in the presence of a great 
 tlirong of people, (ieneral Zachai-y Taylor, at 
 that time President of the Fnited States, ex- 
 President Tyler, and many other eminent people 
 attending and participating in the ceremonies. 
 
 The equestrian statue reached Kichmond in 
 November, 1857, and was drawn by the enthu- 
 siastic citizens from the ship-landing to the 
 j)ublic square on tlie 24th of that month. It 
 was unveiled and formally <ledicated February 
 22, 1858, being the one hundred and twenty- 
 sixth anniversary of Wasliington's birth. No 
 such outpouring of the peoi)le had ever been 
 seen in Kichmond as eame to celebrate so nota- 
 l)le an event. Henry A. Wise, Governor of the 
 State, jn-esided, and recited some striking lines 
 to the meuKjry of the dead Crawford, who.se 
 wife was among the invite<l guests. An address 
 on behalf of the ^Masonic fraternity was deliv- 
 ered by Robert C. Scott ; poems, i)repared for 
 the occasion, were rei'ited by John R. Thomp- 
 .son and James P)arron IIo])e, wlio were then 
 the "rose and expectancy of the fair State" 
 
 from a literary standpoint ; and the oration of 
 the day was pronounced by United States Sena- 
 tor R. M. T. Hunter, then at the zeifith of his 
 fame. It was certainly a proud day in the his- 
 tory of Vii'ginia. 
 
 The statue of Ma.son was received in 18()0, and, 
 the war coming on soon after, the monument 
 was not fully completed till some years after it 
 was ended ; l)y the addition of the effigies of 
 ^Marshall, Nelson, and Lewis in 18H7, and the 
 allegorical figures in 18()8. 
 
 Througli the kindness of Colonel C. P. E. 
 P>urgwyn, an acconqilishe 1 civil engineer of 
 Richmond, whosi' measuretn.'nts of the statue 
 were by tiiangulation, we are enabled to give 
 the exact dimensions of the monument and the 
 main figiu'es thereon : The total elevation of the 
 monument from the ground to the top of Wash,- 
 ington's chapeau is sixty feet, three inches. 
 The height of the equestrian statue, from top 
 of i)linth to top of chapeau, twenty feet, three 
 inches. Height of the effigies. Nelson, Jefferson, 
 &c., eleven feet, nine inches. Length of horse 
 from outside of extended fore-foot to tip of tail, 
 twenty-two feet, seven inches. Diameter of 
 outer masonry, eighty-six feet, ten inches. 
 Width of bronze pedestal, six feet, nine inches. 
 Distance from top of plinth to saddle girth, six 
 feet, four inches. 
 
 The total cost of the monument was >;2()(),0(»ll. 
 The Clay Statue. 
 
 The marble statue of Hknkv Cl.w, by Joel T. 
 Hart (born in Kentucky, 1810, died in Flor- 
 ence, 1877), was erected by the " Ladies Clay 
 Association," April 12, 1860 — the anniversary of 
 his birth. Hon. B. Johnson Barbour delivered 
 a highly classical and eloquent address of dedi- 
 cation, the o])ening paragraphs of whicli wi'i'e 
 as follows : 
 
 "(ienius and ])atriotisni have always fonnd 
 their truest and purest human reward in the love 
 and sympathy of AVoman. History tells us that 
 the women of Athens were accustomed to t'rowu 
 Pericles with garlands after a successful oration. 
 AVe remember that the daughters of England 
 raised a commemorative statue to Wellington, 
 composed of the captured cannon of his splen- 
 did victories ; and Southern matrons and South- 
 ern maidens * *- * have rescued ^Moiuit 
 Vernon from dilapidation and decay and made 
 it the trystiug spot of the nation. 
 
 " In ])eautiful accordance with these exam- 
 I)les, the women of A'irgiiua are about to wit- 
 ness tlie full realization of their efi'orts to honor 
 a great and fearless patriot — eloquent as Pi-ricles 
 
22 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 brave as Wt'Uinjiton, and iK-xt to "Washington, 
 the tbreniost man of all our (."ountry." 
 
 TIk' climax can hardly bo said to be the ver- 
 dict t>f posterity, but few men inspired greater 
 veneration from their coutenijMjraries than did 
 Henry Clay — the IJiclimond Exambier, of the 
 date of this dedication, speaking of him, a 
 political advt'rsary all his lifetim.', in tiiese 
 words: "8ucii was the truly democratic mould 
 in which Henry Clay was cast, that he might 
 be said to hiild the ])at('nt of liis nubility from 
 Cod alone." 
 
 At one time tlie statue had to ht' I'emoved to 
 the Rotunda because of repeated nmtiiations 
 by bad l)oys — to the extent even of breaking oti" 
 one of its hands. This, however, through the 
 earnest efforts of his lifelong admirer and friend. 
 Dr. Uriel Terrell, while a mendjer of the Legis- 
 lature from Orange county, has been arti.-tically 
 restored, and during the administration of Cov- 
 ernor Fitzhugh Lee it was replaced on its former 
 site in the Square. 
 
 Cotemporaries of Mr. Clay pronounce it a life- 
 like reproduction of its original. 
 
 The Jackson Statue. 
 
 This statue is sutticiently identified to the 
 public by the inscription on the pedestal : 
 
 Presented by English (ientlemen 
 
 As a Tribute of Admiration for 
 
 The Soldier and Patriot 
 
 THOMAS .1. .lACKSON. 
 
 And gratefully accejjfed by N'irgiuia 
 
 Li the name of the Southern People. 
 
 Done A. D. ISTo. 
 
 \\\ the oni' hundreth vear of the Common wealh. 
 
 " Look! there is Jackson standing like a 
 stonewall." 
 
 It isl)y Foley— born, Dublin, ISlS, dicil bS74— 
 who also designed the Seal of the Confederate 
 States — and was erected Octol)er L'li, bS7o, duriiy; 
 the administration of (Jovernor Kemi)er. Rev. 
 Moses D. Hoge, D. D., of this city, delivered a 
 magnificant oration at the unveiling, and the 
 survivors of the old "Stonewall Brigade" at- 
 tended in a body, together witii a great number 
 of people eminent as civilians or soldieis in tlu' 
 days of the Southern Confederacy. 
 
 Old soldiers of his say the statue is by far the 
 best rei)roduction of him extant, and nuudi 
 more like him than any of tiie numi'mus ])or- 
 traits or engravings. 
 
 The Old Bell House. 
 
 In 17!)0 the Directors of the Public Buildings 
 were authorized to " purchase at the ])ublic ex- 
 pense a tit and sutficient liell fbi' tin- use of the 
 Capitol." This bell was hung in a small, 
 wooden, unpainted building that stood inune- 
 diately in front of the portico of the Capitol. 
 When it was taken down nobody living knows. 
 
 Near the site of the tower now known as the 
 Bell Hou.se stood a nuich more ancient l)uilding, 
 concerning which tlu* following enactment was 
 pas.sed in March, 1S24 : "That the Executive 
 be, and they are hereby authorized to have the 
 house, connnonly called the Barracks, now 
 standing on the southwest corni'r of the capitol 
 squar(% sold at |)ublic auction, and to have a 
 small tw(j-st(jried house, with a cupola for a bell, 
 not exceeding twenty feet sipiare, erected, for 
 the acconniiodafion of the guard statioiuMl for 
 the protection of the Capitol, on or near the site 
 of the said barracks." 
 
 The present structure, while not to be com- 
 mended for its architecture, is always affection- 
 ately called the " Old Bell Home'' by the " old 
 Richmond boys," and it is consecrated in their 
 memories of the trying times from 181)1 to 18(55 
 as is no other object connected with the Con- 
 federacy. The bell was then, indeed, an 
 Alarum Bell — a very Tocsin of war I Whenever 
 its welbknown peal rang out — three quick taps 
 and an interval — whether by day or night, the 
 rallying hosts of soldiers and citizens, old men 
 and boys, rushed with a common impulse to 
 the rendezvous appointed, with the rc-^olution 
 of stout hearts for the defence of the city. 
 
 "Thenuisterings(iuadron, and tiie clattering car, 
 Went pouring forward with impetuous speed. 
 And swiftly forming in the ranks of war; 
 * * -;<- -X- -;<- w * 
 
 .\nd near the beat of the alarming drum, 
 Roused uj) the soldiers ere the morning star; 
 While thronged the citizeui', with terror duml). 
 Or whispering, with white lips, 'The foe I They 
 come I They come I ' " 
 
 So writes the poet, of Brus.sels and her i)eople, 
 in his description of Waterloo. Unlike Brussels, 
 there was no "dumb tei'ror," norany " wlusper- 
 ing with white lijis" in Richmond till "Hope 
 for a season ))a(le the woi'ld farewell," \\ lieu the 
 city was evacuated and the conflagration began. 
 
 On the day still reniend)ered as " Pawnee Sun- 
 day," when tidings came that the Federal gun- 
 boat " Pawnee " had passed the obstructions in 
 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 23 
 
 the river and was fast approaching the city, the 
 old bell clattered its "alarum " as never before, 
 during the hours of divine service. Instantly 
 the congregations rushed fnjm the churches, 
 becoming the "church militant" indeed; and 
 every weapon of defence in Richmond was soon 
 in eager and valiant hands. The "rally" was 
 to the Old Bell House, every ' ' coign of vantage ' ' 
 was occupied, and had the " Pawnee ' ' appeared 
 and its crew ventured ashore, they would have 
 realized the meaning of our much c|Uoted war- 
 time lines, the "welcome of bloody hands to 
 hospitable graves." 
 
 Tradition says that the old bell also rang an 
 alarum at the time of the " Nat Turner" insur- 
 rection. 
 
 The modern school of iconoclasts would 
 destnjy this old tower for " reasons jnirely 
 a'sthetical." As long as time will let it stand, 
 it ought to be held sacred by the people of the 
 South. Rather restore it by replacing the finial 
 over the belfry ; and have some English ivy or 
 Virginia creeper twine about the old walls as an 
 emblem of how green it should ever remain in 
 the memory of Virginians. "Touch not Sagun- 
 tum I " 
 
dr. l^i/