The
Autograph Seekers of Bel Air
Gen. Lee, Front Royal, Va., July
22, 1863
by Michael Aubrecht
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For
three bloody days in July of 1863, the Army of
Northern Virginia battled the Army of the Potomac
in the rocky hills and wheat fields of Adams County
in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This engagement marked
a significant turn in the Civil War; many
historians refer to this as the high water mark of
the Confederacy. After failing to gain the high
ground on any front, the rebels suffered nearly
28,000 casualties, approximately one third of their
entire army.
On
July 4th, the remainder of Lee's ranks began an
excruciating retreat back toward the Potomac River
and Virginia. The Confederate wagon train of
wounded men stretched for nearly 17 miles. Adding
to their misery were harsh weather, treacherous
roads and periodic harassing from the Federal
cavalry. Fortunately, the victorious Union Army,
commanded by General George G. Meade, failed to
launch a significant attack on the limping
Confederates, who managed to cross the river back
into the Old Dominion on the night of July 13th. By
July 22nd, Lee's army had reached Front Royal and
began to cross the Shenandoah River on pontoon
bridges.
A
local merchant named William M. Buck met the
commander and his staff at the crossing and
extended a personal invitation to share
refreshments at his nearby estate. Christened "Bel
Air," the stately home had been built in 1795 by
Buck's great-grandfather. Always a gentleman, the
general accepted the offer and traveled to the home
for a much needed reprieve.
The
Bucks' daughters entertained the general by playing
the piano and singing. One of them, Lucy, would
later publish an account of the event, writing, "I
shall never forget the grand old chief as he stood
on the porch surrounded by his officers; a tall
commanding figure clad in a dusty, travel-stained
gray, but with a courtly, dignified bearing."
Before departing, the two young ladies asked for
his autograph. General Lee graciously took a moment
to give his signature to the two young ladies who
had gifted him with song.
Mort Künstler's
Comments:
It
seems hard to believe that ten years have gone by
since I last painted a Civil War scene in Front
Royal, Virginia. 'Covered With Glory' was painted
in 1999 and showed the 26th North Carolina marching
up Chester Street past the office and residence of
Dr. Bernard Samuels (a building still standing,
restored and maintained). Front Royal is a lovely
town nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, and I have
longed to do another painting located in Front
Royal for some time.
Recently, my office was contacted
by Larry LeHew, the owner of Bel Air, a beautiful
mansion overlooking Front Royal. He invited me to
tour the home and grounds with the idea of it being
the subject of a future painting. I visited Bel Air
for the first time on March 20th, 2009 and learned
from my gracious host, Mr. LeHew, that it had been
built in 1795.
In
spite of the fact that it had undergone a number of
renovations and does not look today exactly like it
did during the Civil War, I became intrigued with
the history of the place and the numerous
possibilities for a painting. Fifty yards in front
and to the right side of the house, and at the base
of a sloping and grassy hill, runs Happy Creek. The
name itself was enough to inspire a painting!
Sad
Hearth, Sweet Heaven, the diary of Lucy Rebecca
Buck, revealed all the facts I needed. Lucy was the
oldest daughter of the Buck family, the owners of
Bel Air during the War Between the States. She was
nineteen in 1861, and kept a meticulous and
extensive diary of what went on at the home. On
July 22, 1863, after the battle at Gettysburg, the
Army of Northern Virginia retreated through Front
Royal. Late that afternoon William Mason Buck, the
father of Lucy and her sister Nellie, returned to
their home with none other than Robert E. Lee and
his staff!
The
following is an excerpt from that diary:
"…
and just as they were leaving, the old gentleman
hoped we would not be troubled much more by our
enemies and bade Nellie and me by all means not to
'let any of those fine young Yankee officers carry
us off.' We replied that we depended upon him to
prevent such a possibility. Before leaving he
enriched Nellie's autograph book and mine with his
name at the same time protesting that he knew we
would much prefer having our sweethearts' there
rather than his. Dear old General! - how I've
always admired and loved him…"
At
this time Nellie, Lucy's younger sister was 19;
Lucy was 21.
Lucy continued her diary through to
April 15, 1865 when it abruptly ended. Lucy started
her diary again, years later. Neither she nor her
sister ever married. She died in 1918 and is buried
in the same cemetery she visited so many times in
Front Royal - Prospect Hill.
Image courtesy of Künstler
Enterprises Ltd. For more information, visit
mortkünstler.com.
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