White House Press Release

53 #1002 IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 12, 1947 The President has authorized the purchase by the Government of a historical painting, "The Peacemakers, painted by the famous portrait artist, George P. A. Healy, about 1868, depicting President Lincoln, General Grant, General Sherman and Admiral Porter in conference aboard the steamship "River Queen" during the last days of he Civil War. The painting, acquired from a private owner, is now in the White House, where it will be permanently displayed. The previous owner, whose name has not been disclosed, resided in England and the picture was in that country for many years. It was brought to the United States some time ago and was displayed at the United States Naval Academy Centennial in September and October, 1945. It came to the attention of the President, who felt that because of its historical significance and its high quality, it should be the property of the United States Government and should have a place in the White House. The picture was painted shortly after the Civil War -- about 1868. The artist previously had painted portraits of several of the Presidents, among them portraits of Presidents John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce, which hang in the White House. He also painted the picture of President Lincoln, now in the State Dining Room. Near the end of the Civil War Healy got the idea for a picture to be called "The Peacemakers, representing President Lincoln discussing peace prospects with Generals Grant, Sherman and Admiral Porter. He previously had painted individual portraits of the four but he was not present at the meeting which he proposed to depict. He obtained data from General Sherman from which he worked out the plan of the picture. The meeting shown took place in March, 1865, during Grant's siege of Richmond. President Lincoln went down the Potomac on the Hudson River steamship "River Queen," then in use as a dispatch boat, Grant, Sherman and Porter went aboard at City Point and the conference was held in the main cabin. So far as known no picture of any kind was made at the time. bassiq trobia Healy painted two pictures, of which the one now purchased was the first and the smaller. It is supposed to have been the original study for the larger, life-size picture which was acquired by Ezra McCagg, a friend of Healy. McCagg lent it to the Calumet Club of Chicago, where it was destroyed by fire in 1893. The smaller picture passed into the hands of the English owner, in whose collection it remained until recently. The portrait of Lincoln in the State Dining Room is believed to have been a replica of the one in the group picture. Robert Todd Lincoln, son of the President, told something of the history of both pictures in a letter written many years ago to a friend. In this letter he said: "In the winter of 1864-5, General Grant was at City Point; Admiral Porter was in command of the Naval Flotilla on the James River, his own Flagship being generally not very far from Gen. Grant's headquarters; and after General Sherman had come northward from Savannah it was arranged that he should come by water to City Point to have a conference with Gen. Grant in reference to the final active campaign, and accordingly he came to City Point. My father came down from Washington on the Hudson River steamer called the 'River Queen' which was in the service of the Quarter- master's Department as a dispatch boat. There was a conference of these four in the main cabin of the boat. There was no artist present and no photograph taken, so far as I have ever heard. (OVER)