Release date 2008
Limited Edition Prints
Image size: 18″ x 26″
Overall size: 23″ x 30″

350 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Prints, Issue Price $225
50 Limited Edition Artist’s Proofs, Issue Price $350

100 Fredericksburg Edition Prints, Issue Price $225
10 Fredericksburg Edition Artist’s Proofs, Issue Price $350

Giclée Print on Canvas
Image Size: 17″ x 24″
50 Signature Edition Giclee print on Canvas, Issue Price $295
10 Signature Edition Artist Proofs Giclee print on Canvas, Issue Price $400

Image Size: 22″ x 32″
50 Classic Edition Giclee print on Canvas, Issue Price $575
10 Classic Edition Artist Proofs Giclee print on Canvas, Issue Price $650

“We talked the matter over and could have settled the war in thirty minutes had it been left to us.” So said a Southern solider after he and a Northern counterpart sat on a log between the lines and enjoyed an unauthorized but friendly chat. As Americans, Johnny Reb and Billy Yank had far more in common than typical combatants. That familiarity was frequently revealed in friendly contact between the lines. Countless episodes of enemy soldiers helping each other occurred during the war. During the battle of Kennesaw Mountain in 1864, a ground fire threatened wounded Northern soldiers lying between the lines – until a Confederate officer stood up, exposing himself to enemy fire, and shouted, “We won’t fire a gun until you get them away.” An impromptu cease-fire followed immediately while Federal troops removed their wounded – then the battle resumed.

Following the battle of Second Manassas, two Confederate soldiers were carrying a wounded friend through the darkness when they were challenged by a sentry who demanded identification. “We are two men of the Twelfth Georgia, carrying a wounded comrade to the hospital,” they shouted back, only to learn they had accidentally crossed into Federal lines. “Go to your right,” the Northern sentry called out, directing the men back toward the Southern lines. “Man, you’ve got a heart in you,” hollered one of the retreating Southerners.

When the opposing lines were close enough, and the shooting had temporarily stopped, army musicians sometimes engaged in battles of the bands. On the banks of the Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg, Virginia, Southern soldiers listened admiringly to a Northern band performance during the winter of 1862. When it concluded, a Johnny Reb called out, “Now give us some of ours” – and the Yankee band obliged with a rendition of “Dixie.” When the band concluded, soldiers from both sides broke into a melancholy chorus of “Home, Sweet Home.”

The lines were so close on the Rappahannock during the winter of 1862-3, that contact between Northern and Southern soldiers became commonplace. They often met on an island in the river, where Confederate troops exchanged Southern tobacco for the coffee ration issued to Northern soldiers. When officers discouraged contact, they would make their exchanges by small, hand-made boats that the soldiers called “fairy fleets.” Sometimes they met to play cards; other times they just exchanged stories. The war was the real enemy, they concluded, and not each other – and if they had to go back to shooting at each other the next day, it wasn’t personal for many of them. For most, the camaraderie became genuine reconciliation at war’s end, and when Johnny Reb and Billy Yank chanced to meet after the war, it was often with obvious friendship and mutual respect. “My friend, the enemy,” veterans of the war came to call each other – with the understanding that, Northern or Southern, they were Americans all.

Mort Künstler’s Comments

I always look for subjects to paint that have never been done. With snow scenes, I always try to develop a different color scheme. Both goals are difficult to achieve, but I believe it has happened with “My Friend, the Enemy.” The location and the time of day enabled me to paint a different color scheme – and no modern artist of note has painted a scene quite like this one.

“My Friend, the Enemy” is set on Virginia’s Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg following the terribly bloody battle that occurred there a few weeks earlier. As if they were weary of the war’s inhumanity, Southern and Northern soldiers began meeting with each other between the lines. Such fraternization was forbidden on both sides, but the soldiers did so anyway that winter. They met to play cards, exchange gossip and barter Northern coffee for Southern tobacco. The painting is set on the side of the river occupied by General Ambrose Burnside’s Army of the Potomac. A handful of Confederate soldiers from General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia have made their way across the river to trade with the Northern troops. The soldiers are cautious, but trusting – and in the background other soldiers are making exchanges with a rigged-up, hollow log that serves as a ferry for their bartered items.

It’s the unique, peaceful and colorful kind of subject that I enjoy painting. It’s based on careful research, of course, but to me its appeal is the historical fact that makes the Civil War so fascinating and compelling – the human element. This terrible conflict was really a grand-sized family feud. Like these soldiers, most Americans North and South held nothing personal against each other – they were all Americans caught up in an awful war. That’s how the nation was restored when the fighting ended: Despite the horrendous losses, the best people on both sides had always viewed their counterpart in blue or gray as “My friend, the enemy.” That reconciliation, hinted at in this painting, is the great and wonderful story of the American Civil War.

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Rush To The Summit

Limited Edition Print
350 Limited Edition Prints, Issue Price $225
50 Artist’s Proofs, Issue Price $350

Signature Giclee Print
50 Signature Edition Giclees, Issue Price $295
10 Signature Edition Artist’s Proof Giclees, Issue Price $400

Classic Giclee Print
50 Classic Edition Giclees, Issue Price $495
10 Classic Edition Artist’s Proof Giclees, Issue Price $650

Premier Giclee Print
Image Size: 25″ x 38″
15 Premier Edition Giclees, Issue Price $995
5 Premier Edition Artist’s Proof Giclees, Issue Price $1,250 Sold Out

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Old Mill, Strasburg, Va., June 1, 1862

Release Date 2009

Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 18″ x 27″
Overall Size: 23″ x 31″
350 Limited Edition Prints, Issue Price $225
50 Artist’s Proofs, Issue Price $350

Signature Giclee Print
Image Size: 16″ x 24″
50 Signature Edition Giclees, Issue Price $295
10 Signature Edition Artist’s Proof Giclees, Issue Price $400

Classic Giclee Print
Image Size: 20″ x 30″
50 Classic Edition Giclees, Issue Price $575
10 Classic Edition Artist’s Proof Giclees, Issue Price $650

Premier Giclee Print
Image Size: 25″ x 38″
15 Premier Edition Giclees, Issue Price $995
5 Premier Edition Artist’s Proof Giclees, Issue Price $1,250 SOLD OUT

None could outmarch them. Some believed none could outfight them.

They were known as “Jackson’s Foot Cavalry” — so called for their ability to cover more than 30 miles a day – cavalry distance – on the march. Virginians all, they formed a division of troops under the command of General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 1862. In March of 1862, they numbered about 10,000 and had orders to defend the Valley from Northern forces four times their size. General Nathaniel Banks and 40,000 Federal troops had been moved into the Valley to battle Jackson while General George B. McClellan moved his giant Federal army toward the Confederate capital of Richmond. After driving away Jackson’s force, Banks was supposed to withdraw toward Washington, D.C. and support McClellan’s army as needed.

Initially, Banks’ army pursued Jackson southward through the Valley. Believing Jackson had been driven away, Banks left General James Shields and a division of troops near Winchester, Virginia, and began to move the rest of his army toward Richmond as planned. Jackson, however, led his “foot cavalry” army in a rapid forced march back through the Valley, and struck Shields a surprise blow at the battle of Kernstown on March 23. Although Shields’ larger force eventually prevailed, Jackson won a strategic victory by keeping Northern forces tied down in the Valley. Reinforced by 7,000 more troops, he soon attacked again, this time defeating Federal forces under Generals Robert Schenk and Robert Milroy at the battle of McDowell on May 8. At Front Royal on May 23, he attacked Banks, forced him to retreat to Winchester, then decisively defeated him. Banks made a hasty retreat back north and across the Potomac River. In response, Washington authorities moved a large Federal force into the Shenandoah Valley to punish Jackson.

It was not to be. Stonewall had lived in the Valley and he knew the country intimately. His “Foot Cavalry” was already moving by late May, and Jackson escaped a trap set for him near Strasburg. What then unfolded was one of the most brilliant operations of the Civil War: Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign. Although threatened by superior Northern forces on two sides, Jackson defeated General John C. Fremont at Cross Keys on June 7, and General James Shields at Port Republic on June 9. Both Federal armies retreated. Meanwhile, General Robert E. Lee turned back McClellan’s army in the Seven Days Campaign. Lee had saved Richmond, and Jackson was master of the Valley. In 38 days, his “Foot Cavalry” marched approximately 400 miles, engaged in six battles, defeated five Northern generals and prevented thousands of Northern reinforcements from attacking Richmond. Jackson and his “Foot Cavalry” had become the stuff of legend.

Mort Künstler’s Comments

I have never tired of painting General Stonewall Jackson. He was such a remarkable commander, such a fascinating man, and he did so much that I will never run short of extraordinary exploits to paint. Each painting has its own distinctive challenges, and offers its own set of opportunities. I’ve painted scenes from his brilliant Valley Campaign on several occasions, but I really wanted to paint a study of his famous “Foot Cavalry” with Jackson at their center.

Being able to use the scenery of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley as a backdrop is always a bonus – and especially in this picture. There’s a wonderfully picturesque old gristmill near Strasburg, Virginia – now preserved as an inn and restaurant called the Old Mill Tavern. Jackson and his “Foot Calvary” marched by it during Jackson’s Valley Campaign. What better background for Jackson and his soldiers than this wonderful old historical landmark?

To make certain that this painting was distinctive from any other work I’ve done of Jackson, I painted an entirely new angle for Jackson and his mount “Little Sorrel.” Stonewall Jackson, “Little Sorrel” and the old gristmill made a perfect combination. In fact, you can drive by Old Mill Tavern in Strasburg, and you’ll recognize the view from the Old Valley Pike – the same pike used by Jackson and his “Foot Cavalry.”

The date of the painting provided a unique color scheme. For almost a week prior to May 31, 1862, the weather had been rainy. This actually allowed me the opportunity to use a different color scheme than anything I’ve painted with Jackson in the past.

The final piece of the puzzle was how to depict the army. Jackson’s famous “Foot Cavalry” was a colorful mix of young boys in ill-fitting uniforms and savvy veterans – all understandably road-worn from their incredible forced marches. At Strasburg, where they’re here depicted, they escaped a Northern trap – to survive, achieve victory in Jackson’s “Valley Campaign” and earn a level of fame unsurpassed by any troops on either side in the Civil War. They and their commander were quite extraordinary – and they made fascinating subjects for me.

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Kershaw

Kershaw’s Brigade at Fredericksburg December 13, 1862 Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 14 3/4″ x 23″
Overall Size: 20 1/4″ x 28″
950Limited Edition Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $225
95 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $400

Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 18″ x 29”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575
10 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725

They faced the most powerful army in America. Advancing in battle lines up the hill toward them was the mighty Army of the Potomac – more than 115,000 strong – composed of courageous, well-trained combat troops under the command of General Ambrose E. Burnside. For half a year, General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia had been persistently hammered by this great army, led by one Northern commander after another. Back in autumn at Antietam, the men in gray had escaped destruction by this same blue-uniformed host. Now they faced them again on the field of battle at Fredericksburg.

This time, however, they had a formidable advantage. They held an almost impregnable line of defense, which was anchored in a sunken road behind a stone wall on Marye’s Heights. The Northern troops advancing on them now in a mighty mass had to assault uphill over a long and open plain. Defending the Sunken Road were troops from Georgia, North Carolina, and Kershaw’s Brigade of South Carolinians, commanded by Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw. Descended from a prominent Southern family, Kershaw had been orphaned as a boy and had worked his way through life with remarkable success as a self-educated lawyer, a local militia officer, a Mexican War veteran, and a Confederate officer distinguished by a rapid rise in rank to brigadier general. Despite the numerical superiority of the men in blue at Fredericksburg, Kershaw held his brigade steady and poured forth a terrible fire from behind the stone wall.

Kershaw demonstrated “great coolness and skill,” observed a fellow officer, and helped transform the gigantic Federal assault into one of the North’s worst defeats. While Southern forces in the road and along the ridges behind it would lose a thousand men, the assaulting Northern forces would lose almost eight thousand. Finally, after making one courageous charge after another, the men in blue would give up. The Battle of Fredericksburg would be heralded as one of Robert E. Lee’s greatest victories – due in great measure to the valiant defense made by these sons of the South. It would long be celebrated in the Southern homeland as a triumph of valor in gray.

Mort Kunstler’s Comments:

The more I study the American Civil War, the more I am impressed by the courage demonstrated by Americans on both sides. A classic example occurred at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Northern troops in the Army of the Potomac made repeated assaults over the wide-open killing fields below the Confederate line on Marye’s Heights. That’s what I tried to portray in Courage in Blue, which shows the 20th Maine charging up the hill in the thick of fighting – led by Lt. Col. Joshua Chamberlain. But what about the men on the other side? I kept thinking about them as I painted the 20th Maine. They faced a superior force composed of the finest army at the time – and they held their ground and drove back those grand legions in blue. This historical event is re-created in the Ron Maxwell motion picture Gods and Generals in a vivid, moving episode, and I am honored to be the official artist for Maxwell’s latest motion picture masterpiece.

I knew that I could not completely capture the dramatic display of American bravery at the Battle of Fredericksburg if I limited the scope of the painting to the Northern side of battle. At times, the opposing forces were no more than 25 yards apart. What absolute bravery was required for those men – Northerners and Southerners – to stand so close to each other and trade fire. How could an artist depict such an event on canvas? Then I thought to myself: Why not do two paintings? That would allow both images to be mounted side-by-side for a dramatic panoramic display worthy of the subject. Posted in the Sunken Road at Fredericksburg opposite the 20th Maine were the Southern soldiers of Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw’s brigade, which included troops from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Like the men of the 20th Maine, the soldiers of Kershaw’s Brigade were appropriate examples of American courage in the Civil War.

General Joseph B. Kershaw is seen in the painting, mounted on horseback, between two of his aides. He was a dignified lawyer with military experience in the Mexican War, and during the Civil War he was described as gallant and devout by his division commander. I deliberately show a good deal more gunfire in this painting than its Northern counterpart to demonstrate the overwhelming fire that the 20th Maine endured. I use the gun flashes to dramatically light the Confederate battle flag in the center of the painting. The first national flag, then still in use, can be seen in the background, as well as South Carolina’s Palmetto Flag.

The various interesting types of figures in the extreme left foreground and the ability to see down the Confederate line behind the stone wall to the right background gave me an opportunity to show all of the actions from loading to firing. I was also able to show that the two sides were so close to each other that the officers were firing with pistols. I think the panoramic concept works very well with both pictures, and together the images movingly express the extraordinary bravery that seemed to be evident on both sides during the war. And why not? They were all Americans.

Jackson in Winchester, Va. November 6, 1861

Release Date: 2008

Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 17” x 28”
Overall Size: 22” x 32”
500 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $225
50 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $350
Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 20” x 33”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575
10 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725

No longer was he “Tom Fool” Jackson. That’s what some cadets had called Major Thomas J. Jackson a year earlier at the Virginia Military Institute, where he had lectured on artillery principles, astronomy and physics. He was an expert at artillery, and he memorized his other subjects, but his classroom presentation was anything but inspiring. One student called him “the worst teacher God ever made.” His demanding discipline resulted in the expulsion of six cadets, and prompted one student to challenge him to a duel. He often appeared lost in his thoughts, and sometimes even forgot to eat. He walked with an awkward gait, laughed in a peculiar and soundless manner, and would abruptly raise his arm and make a pumping motion to stimulate blood circulation. Beneath such eccentric behavior, however, lay one of history’s brightest military geniuses.

By the time he established his headquarters in Winchester, Virginia in 1861, Jackson’s odd habits were overshadowed by his celebrated fame. “Tom Fool” Jackson had become “Stonewall” Jackson – the hero of the Confederate victory at First Manassas. A graduate of West Point and a Mexican War veteran, Jackson had left VMI for Confederate service, demonstrating a command ability that quickly spurred him to the rank of brigadier general and command of a brigade of Virginia troops from the Shenandoah Valley. His rock-hard defense of Henry House Hill at the battle of First Manassas earned him the nickname “Stonewall” Jackson, and made his name heroically famous throughout the South. In November of 1861, he was promoted to major general and placed in command of defending the Shenandoah Valley with headquarters at Winchester. When Jackson led his troops into town on November 6, the residents of Winchester realized they had a hero in their midst – but the flame of fame would soon burn with even greater brilliance.

In the spring of 1862, Jackson would unleash his remarkable “Valley Campaign” and demonstrate his exceptional military genius. In an extraordinary display of hard marching, hard fighting and brilliant maneuvering, Jackson and his “foot cavalry” would humiliate the Northern armies that threatened the Shenandoah Valley. His triumph there would make him the lion of the Valley, and produce a year-long partnership with General Robert E. Lee that would make Stonewall Jackson one of history’s leading military legends.

Mort Künstler’s Comments

Winchester is one of my favorite places in Virginia. It was also one of Stonewall Jackson’s favorites, and he spent four of the happiest months of his life there. I’ve painted many pictures of Winchester and the surrounding area, but none that I like more than this one. Lion of the Valley depicts General Jackson and his brigade entering Winchester the day he established his headquarters there in 1862. In it, you’ll see two period structures that were familiar to everyone in Winchester during the Civil War – the 1827 House and the Red Lion Tavern, which was established in 1783. Both still look much the same today, and I believe they have never been depicted with Jackson in a painting. They’re wonderful examples of 19th century southern architecture and I think they add a very compelling element to the painting. I’m so glad I learned about this scene and the appearance of these Civil War structures.

Jackson’s arrival at his new headquarters in early November gave me the opportunity to use the seasonal colors of the leaves which, combined with the clear blue sky and bright sunlight, impart the optimism that was felt by Jackson and the army at this time of the war. I deliberately placed only Stonewall and Little Sorrel in sunlight to make them the center of attention. To reinforce this design element, I painted Jackson as the only figure clearly silhouetted against the sky. I utilized one point perspective to additionally draw the eye to the general by having the lines of the buildings, the curbing, and the wagon tracks lead the viewer to Jackson. The Loudon Street Presbyterian Church is aptly positioned directly behind Jackson. He worshipped there and passed by countless times in the exercise of his duties.

The first national flag catches the sunlight and adds an additional touch of color to the painting. The mounted artilleryman on the extreme left looks at Jackson as he goes by; that and the direction of the infantry soldier’s rifle lead the viewers attention always back to the painting’s centerpiece: Stonewall Jackson. That’s the intent of the painting – the focus on Jackson. He would soon lead his amazing “Valley Campaign,” which would catapult him into even greater fame. I believe this painting clearly suggests the strength of character and command that would make Stonewall Jackson the lion of the Shenandoah Valley.

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Stonewall Jackson Procession, Lynchburg, Va., May 13, 1863

Painted 2007

Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 19” x 25”
Overall Size: 24” x 29”
750 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $225, Release date 2007
100 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $350, Release date 2007

Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 23” x 30”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575, Release date 2007
25 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725, Release date 2007

It was his final journey.

General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson – Robert E. Lee’s irreplaceable “right arm” – was seriously wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. Eight days later, he succumbed to a related case of pneumonia. After lying in state at the Virginia Capitol and following an official state funeral in Richmond, Jackson’s body was transported back home to Lexington, Virginia for burial.

On May 13, 1863, his funeral cortege arrived by rail in Lynchburg, Virginia. There, it proceeded through the city in a solemn procession, escorted by thousands of mourners. At the Kanawha Canal, the cortege was transferred to the packet boat Marshall. A familiar craft on the canal, the Marshall had the task of taking General Jackson up the James River on the final leg of his journey home to Lexington.

For a long and memorable pause, the Marshall waited at its mooring below Lynchburg’s Ninth Street Bridge – with Jackson’s flag-draped casket aboard and surrounded by a group of mourners. Finally, its lines were cast off, and the Marshall headed up the canal for Lexington – as a huge crowd lined the bridge to pay their respects to the fallen leader.

Stonewall Jackson was going home.

Mort Kunstler’s Comments:

As far as I can determine, General Stonewall Jackson’s last journey home up the Kanawha Canal has never been portrayed in art before. My close friend, Civil War historian Rod Gragg, suggested this idea to me long ago and it continued to attract me. One reason this painting is so meaningful to me is that it reconstructs a remarkable, but little-known historical event. I was also attracted by the artistic elements of this scene. You have this very extraordinary procession to honor a great fallen leader, and it’s being conducted with such typical 19th century American ceremony. Then there’s this picturesque Southern bridge that’s still around today – and is probably a little-known landmark even to many people in Lynchburg. Add to that the packet boat Marshall – whose features are well documented – and you have so many elements of a memorable painting.

Even the time of day made for good art. The procession set out up the canal about 10 o’clock that evening, and it was illuminated by torchlight and lanterns. As an artist, those facts give me a historical scene with a wonderful combination of light – the cool, soft moonlight and the warm, glowing light of lanterns. It’s an artist’s dream-come-true. So was all the wonderful cooperation I received from officials, citizens and local historians in the Lynchburg area. Jerry Shores of The Framery and Arts in Lynchburg introduced me to Sally Ann Schneider, who is executive director of the Lynchburg Historical Foundation. My good friend, Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr., the foremost authority on Stonewall Jackson, escorted me on a research trip to Lynchburg. We were assisted by an outstanding group of citizens – Mayor Joan Foster, Dennis Beeton of Dixie Outfitters, Nancy Marion of The Design Group, Colonel Keith Gibson of the V.M.I. Museum in Lexington, and Mr. O.L. Raines, who is the builder of an authentically constructed model of the packet boat Marshall. While in Lynchburg, I examined the Marshall’s preserved iron hull, and visited the site of the boat landing where the canal had been. It now is completely filled with sand and silt, but the stone Ninth Street bridge still remains. There, too, is the neighborhood’s landmark building, Amazement Square, which is a key feature in the painting.

The painting’s composition is designed to lead the viewer to the widow, Mary Anna Jackson. I used perspective, shadows and even the mooring rope to achieve this, but the most important element is the lantern light held by Lynchburg Mayor William Branch. Its warm yellow-orange light contrasts with the cool moonlight, and brings the eye inexorably to the center of interest. The bright colors of the flag and flowers also serve that same purpose. (I’m told this was the very first time the 2nd National flag was used.) The bald gentleman with the glasses is Governor John Letcher, a good friend of Stonewall’s, who accompanied the body from Richmond to Lexington. Behind Mrs. Jackson and to her right is Major Sandy Pendleton, and to her left behind the lantern is Dr. Hunter McGuire. Beside Pendleton is Mary Anna’s servant, who holds the Jackson’s six-month-old daughter, Julia.

The title of the new painting – Going Home – is also very special. It comes from a traditional black spiritual of the same name.

…Going home, going home,
I’ll be going home.
See the Light! See the Sun!
I’m just going home

Gen. John Buford at Gettysburg, June 30, 1863

Gen. John Buford at Gettysburg, June 30, 1863

Release date 2007
inted in 2007
Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 18” x 27”
Overall Size: 23” x 31”
750 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $225
100 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $350
Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 22” x 33”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575
10 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725

He was first on the field – and may have saved the war’s greatest battle for the Union. Brigadier General John Buford was 37 years old when he led his First Cavalry Division into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on June 30, 1863. Known to his troops as “Old Steadfast,” he was considered one of the best cavalry officers in the Northern army – and he showed why at Gettysburg. As General Robert E. Lee moved his spread-out Army of Northern Virginia across Pennsylvania in late June, the cross roads town of Gettysburg lay on his route of march – and also in the path of General George Meade’s pursuing Army of the Potomac. The first to fully reach the field might win the major battle both armies were seeking. Buford’s cavalry got there first, and his orders were clear: “Hold Gettysburg at all costs until supports arrive.”

Buford knew the bulk of Lee’s army was arriving from the west, so he located strong defensive lines for the Federal army on ridges flanking the town’s west side – with an excellent fall-back position on Cemetery Ridge to the rear. Buford did his job – and well. His cavalry was first to engage Lee’s army, and held back its advance until the Federal army began arriving in force. When Northern troops were finally driven back on the battle’s first day, they dug in on Cemetery Ridge. There, they delivered a decisive defeat to Lee’s battle-hardened troops over the next two days, and made Gettysburg the decisive battle of the American Civil War. General Buford’s choice of defensive positions on June 30th had enabled the Union to prevail on the war’s greatest field of battle.

Mort Kunstler’s Comments:

One of the greatest American heroes to emerge from the battle of Gettysburg was General John Buford. On the morning of June 30th – the day before the battle began – Buford led two brigades of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac into Gettysburg, supported by six pieces of artillery. Cavalry provided intelligence for the armies of the Civil War, and Buford was at Gettysburg in search of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. He learned from the town’s frightened citizens that the Confederates had been sighted to the west and north of the town. Realizing the Southern army was nearby, Buford rushed his cavalry through Gettysburg to set up defensive positions on the ridges west of town. He knew if his cavalry could slow down Lee’s advancing troops, the Federal army had a chance to hold the best high ground and win the coming battle. Thanks to him, that’s what happened.

Buford led his horse soldiers by the Adams County Courthouse in Gettysburg, and positioned his artillery on Seminary Ridge. Apparently no one has ever painted the courthouse in this setting. It’s a handsome, distinctive Civil War era building that has been beautifully restored – and I felt it was the perfect setting for this painting of Buford – Rendezvous with Destiny. I love the excitement in this painting – all the action, the bright sunlit morning, the horses and military tack and General John Buford.

It had rained in the early morning, which gave me the opportunity to paint an interesting, clearing sky radiating sunlight. The dark clouds at the top of the painting, based on weather reports of the day, lend much more drama to the scene than a blue sky. I placed the white portion of the cavalry guidon directly behind Buford’s black hat – the darkest dark against the lightest light – which draws the viewer to the center of interest. I was also able to use the brightest color, the red portion of the guidon, to attract attention to General Buford as the painting’s center of interest.

In a painting like this one, the action has to appear authentic – not just the faces, the weapons and equipment – all of which have been thoroughly researched and carefully depicted – but the feel of the moment has to be genuine. To achieve that, I had to paint the horses in the midst of urgent movement. Thankfully, I’ve studied and painted horses for decades, so I was able to apply that experience and knowledge to this scene – and I believe it works very well. I hope the viewer who studies this painting agrees – and is reminded of American heroes like John Buford and the countless others from the North and South who demonstrated such remarkable valor at Gettysburg.

Moss Neck, Fredericksburg, Va., December 25, 1862

Moss Neck, Fredericksburg, Va., December 25, 1862 Release Date: 2007

Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 18″ x 28″
Overall Size: 23″ x 32″
500 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $225
50 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $350

Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 22″ x 34”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575
10 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725

It was a passing moment of cheer amid the harsh realities of war.

On Christmas day of 1862, General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, attended a holiday dinner hosted by his valued “right arm” – General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Lee and some of his officers were invited by Jackson for a Christmas meal at an outbuilding at Moss Neck, where Jackson had established winter headquarters near Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Surely it was a rare respite from the severities of warfare. Just three months earlier, Lee’s army had been sorely pressed at the battle of Antietam — and Lee’s attempt to take the war to the North had been turned back in the bloodiest day of the war. And less than two weeks earlier at the battle of Fredericksburg – in one of his most decisive victories – Lee had his army overwhelmingly defeat the Army of the Potomac. So shocking were the harsh realities of war at Fredericksburg that Lee had observed: “It is well that war is so terrible; lest we grow too fond of it.”

Lee left the warm environment of General Jackson’s hospitality to return to his headquarters and matters of war. He passed some guests that were arriving for a holiday party at the manor house and was momentarily refreshed by the events of the day and the warm wishes of “Merry Christmas General Lee.”

Mort Kunstler’s Comments:

I believe “Merry Christmas General Lee” records a fascinating historical event that occurred at a special time of year and in a most attractive, memorable setting. And – it’s a fitting final tribute to General Robert E. Lee at the conclusion of his 200th birthday year.

In 1862, General Stonewall Jackson made his headquarters at an outbuilding at Moss Neck Manor near Fredericksburg, Virginia. In 1995, I featured the manor house in a painting entitled Review at Moss Neck, which depicted a review of the troops by Generals Lee, Jackson, James Longstreet and J.E.B. Stuart. The manor is such a stately structure – I enjoyed painting it immensely, and have wanted to paint it again ever since.

I learned that General Jackson’s stay at Moss Neck continued through the Christmas season of 1862, and while there he hosted a holiday dinner for General Lee and other officers. It was the perfect combination: a fascinating, little-known historical event that occurred at a picturesque, memorable location – Moss Neck Manor. As I made inquiries to research the event, I was invited to visit Moss Neck and tour the magnificent house. I examined every angle, and studied the historical event in detail. The Corbin family, who resided at Moss Neck, hosted a Christmas party after General Jackson’s dinner. General Lee returned to his headquarters after the dinner, and I chose to paint the moment that he departed – while guests were arriving for the Christmas party at the manor house.

Focusing on that moment of the evening allowed me to paint a wonderful combination of military and civilian figures and activities. The Corbin’s Virginia neighbors, dressed in their wartime best, were arriving – as General Lee and members of his staff were leaving. General Lee, of course, is the focus of the painting – along with the antebellum Old South architecture of Moss Neck Manor. I used various artistic devices to call attention to Lee as the center of interest. For instance, the carriage tracks lead toward Lee almost like an arrow. The tree branches also lead the viewer’s eyes toward him. Undoubtedly someone greeted General Lee with a season’s greeting that evening, which inspired the title I chose – “Merry Christmas General Lee.”

The violet-blue evening sky and the frosty breath of the men and horses show the winter conditions that prevailed. It was a gala event and a heartwarming scene – one which surely provided Lee, Jackson and all present with emotional encouragement and the warmth of the season among the cold, hard realities of the Civil War.

Nathan Bedford Forrest, Nashville, Tenn., February 22, 1862

Nathan Bedford Forrest, Nashville, Tenn., February 22, 1862

Release Date: 2007

Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 16” x 29-1/2”
Overall Size: 21” x 33-1/2”
500 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $225
50 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered. Issue Price $350

Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 19” x 35”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575
10 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725

Nashville was in a panic.  The Tennessee capital was a key Confederate rail link, supply depot and industrial center for the war’s Western theater. Despite Nashville’s importance, the Southern army defending it was withdrawn when Northern forces advanced on the city in February of 1862. The army’s commander, Brigadier General John B. Floyd, a hapless political officer who had already abandoned nearby Fort Donelson, hastily retreated from Nashville – leaving behind vast stores of desperately-needed military equipment and supplies.

Left behind too, however, was a bold and decisive Confederate officer and his troops – Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest and his brigade of cavalry.  The retreating commander had left Forrest to tidy up the evacuation and he took his orders seriously. Soon, Forrest restored order out of the chaos.

He then commandeered wagons, and put his troops to work saving military supplies, equipment and ammunition – including more than 700 wagonloads of army rations.  Not until Northern troops were entering Nashville in full strength on the evening of February 23^rd, did Forrest suspend his disciplined salvage operation and retire from the city.  By then order had been restored, and Nashville’s mayor was able to surrender the capital – which was spared the fiery destruction that awaited other Southern cities. Forrest’s salvage operation had provided the stores necessary for Southern forces to fight again. The same daring and determination would soon make General Nathan Bedford Forrest famous  – as the “Wizard of the Saddle.”

Mort Kunstler’s Comments:

Military actions in the Western theater of the Civil War were dramatic and momentous, yet for some reason they are often overlooked. One of the most important cities in the South was Nashville, Tennessee – highlighted by a new capitol constructed in classical Greek style. Nashville’s capitol is well documented in period photography, and it made a stunning backdrop for Order Out of Chaos – a painting of one of the war’s most extraordinary figures: General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Nashville was the first Southern state capital to be captured, and it was occupied by Northern forces for most of the Civil War. However, it was a main industrial and railway center until its capture in 1862, and it was in Nashville that Forrest displayed the daring attitude that made him such an unforgettable historical figure. When the city was abandoned by Southern forces, Forrest was temporarily left in command – and, typically, he boldly took charge. He managed to restore order in the panic-stricken city, and saved a tremendous amount of military supplies with which he and others would use to defend their homeland.

The story is told in detail in historian Brian Wills’; biography: The Confederacy’s Greatest Cavalryman: Nathan Bedford Forrest. Another historian whose work was tremendously valuable to me in painting this scene was James Hoobler, curator at the Tennessee State Museum. His history of Civil War Nashville – Cities Under the Gun: Images of Occupied Nashville and Chattanooga – is an excellent photographic study. Order Out of Chaos portrays Forrest while he is directing operations in Nashville’s railroad yard. The impressive state capitol could be seen from almost everywhere in Nashville at that time, and very clearly from the viewpoint of the rail yard. Looking to the northeast, the viewer can see the capitol, spotlighted high on the hill. It appears here as it did during the Civil War.

The day of this event had begun with a morning rainfall, which enabled me to paint a dramatic post-storm sky with the orange light of a sun just beginning to set. To lead the viewer’s eyes to Forrest – the central character in the painting – I used the shapes of rails, railroad ties, and discarded equipment. The composition also highlights Forrest and the Confederate First National flag.

To me, Order Out of Chaos is a remarkable scene in many ways. It emphasizes the disorder and confusion that the war brought to a generation of Americans – with the classical beauty of Nashville’s capitol as a contrasting background. It also focuses on that generation’s incredible devotion to duty, which is typified by the historical figure who is the centerpiece of the painting – General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

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Jamestown, Va., May 14, 1607 

Release Date: 2006

Limited Edition Print
Image Size: 18” x 29”
Overall Size: 23” x 33”
600 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $225
250 UK Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price £190 (Approximately US $340)
100 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $350

Giclée Print on Canvas
Size: 21” x 34”
100 Limited Edition Signed and Numbered, Issue Price $575
10 Artist Proofs Signed and Numbered , Issue Price $725

They stand courageously on the shores of the New World. The date is May 14, 1607. They are Englishmen – 100 men and four boys — and they have spent five months at sea. Now, finally, they stand on the solid ground of America. It is, they note, a land of “faire meadows and goodly tall trees.”

Lying at anchor behind them is the Susan Constant – the main vessel that transported them across the treacherous Atlantic. Alongside they have posted soldiers with matchlock muskets to guard against the unknown dangers of this wonderful but mysterious new land. Above them fly two flags – England’s historic Cross of St. George and the new English Union Jack. Around them lies the great American forest, and before them the challenges and the promises of the New World.

Few of them will survive. The deadly threats of the American wilderness – disease, exposure, Indian attacks and starvation – will eventually claim most of them. But a hardy few will prevail, and here, on the banks of Virginia’s James River, they will establish the first permanent English colony in North America. Their hard-won settlement will be christened “Jamestown” — and their bold feat will launch a chain of events that will eventually give birth to the Commonwealth of Virginia – and to our American nation.

Mort Kunstler’s Comments:

This is a very special painting for me because it depicts the opening scene in the historical drama that established our nation. Years ago, I discussed this idea at length with Roxane Gilmore, who – as the wife of Governor James Gilmore – was Virginia’s First Lady. She was also a professor of history at Randolph-Macon College and the chairperson of the Jamestown Commission. She had a deep interest in the landing at Jamestown and our discussion really kindled my motivation to paint this dramatic and crucially important historical event. I love painting the Civil War, and I hope to be doing it for years to come because I have so many more scenes I want to paint. But I do enjoy occasionally focusing on another era, and the 400th anniversary of Jamestown was simply irresistible.

It all came together for me as an artist one morning when I stood on-site at Jamestown and studied the lighting at the time of the landing. I suddenly saw The New World, finished, in my own mind. Karen Rehm, the chief historian at Jamestown Historic Park, and Nancy Egloff, the historian of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, were both exceedingly helpful during my research for this painting. So was Tom Davidson, the senior curator of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and Robert Jeffrey, the Foundation’s communications specialist, who accompanied me during my on-site study of the three replica ships that made the voyage from England to Virginia.

In the painting, the Susan Constant, the main ship of the trio, is shown tied to a tree. As described in records at Jamestown, the settlers chose the landing sight because of the deep channel near shore and lashed the ship to a tree. In the background are the Discovery, on the left, and the Godspeed. The weapon held by each of the musketeers is a muzzle-loading matchlock musket — the predecessor of the flintlock musket – which was the primary firearm in the Age of Discovery. The weapon discharged a marble-size lead ball with a powder charge that was ignited by a slow-burning wick called a “slow-match.” To fire the matchlock, the musketeer would light both ends of the match. (The second light was a spare in case the first one was accidentally extinguished.)

In the right foreground of the painting, one musketeer is blowing on the match to keep it lit. The other musketeer is resting his weapon on a musket rest because the matchlocks of the era were too heavy for most men to hold and fire. The flag flying just right of center in the picture is the English Union Jack, which was created in 1606 as a combination of two flags – England’s Cross of St. George and Scotland’s Cross of St. Andrew. The flag to the left is the Cross of St. George, which had been the national banner of England for centuries. At the time of the landing at Jamestown, English ships continued to fly both flags. Like so many other Americans, my family has been blessed to live in this country – so it’s a privilege to paint the tremendously important event depicted in The New World.

Purchase this Print:
For framing and personalized service or to purchase a regular signed and numbered print, please contact the gallery Toll Free 877-334-0513 or email us at info@mkunstlergallery.com