NO. 3 SETH EASTMAN BUSH NELL 1 7 



many of which were copied from original sketches made during the 

 preceding years spent in the Indian country, others were composed 

 and drawn for reproduction 1)y the engravers. But while engaged in 

 making the illustrations for Schoolcraft's great work it is evident 

 that Eastman painted other pictures of a more pretentious nature. 

 One which he made in 1852 for his friend and neighbor, Peter Force, 

 who then lived opposite the Eastman home on K Street, in Wash- 

 ington, is shown in Plate 14. This beautiful example of Eastman's 

 work is now owned by descendants of the one for whom it was 

 painted. It is called " The Indian Council," and although the group- 

 ing of the figures is quite similar to that of the painting made some 

 years later for the Government, which is now hanging in the rooms 

 of the House Committee on Indian Affairs, it dififers in many details 

 and is a more pleasing picture. 



Having completed the Schoolcraft illustrations, Eastman served 

 " with regiment at Forts Duncan and Chadbourne, Texas, 1855- 

 1856." On October 31. 1856, he became a major and was attached 

 to the Fifth Infantry; he was placed "on special duty in Quarter- 

 master General's Office, Washington, D. C, 1857-1858." 



Having returned to his home in Washington, he again became 

 interested in his paintings and early sketches of scenes in the upper 

 Mississippi valley, and in 1857 he painted the canvas entitled " Ball 

 Play on the Prairies." which was purchased by W. W. Corcoran and 

 now hangs in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington. D. C. 



Eastman became lieutenant colonel, ist Infantry, September 9, 

 1861, and was retired December 3, 1863. He served in various 

 capacities during the Civil War. 



On March 26, 1867. Congress passed a joint resolution which en- 

 abled Eastman to paint the two groups of pictures which are owned 

 by the government. This read in part : " It provides if the Presi- 

 dent shall deem it proper to assign Brevet Brigadier General Seth 

 Eastman, of the United States Army, now on the retired list, to 

 duty, so as to entitle him to full pay, emoluments, and allowances 



of his lineal rank " The purpose of this was to have him 



execute paintings for the rooms " of the Committees on Indian 

 Affairs and on Military Affairs of the Senate and House of Repre- 

 sentatives," to be made from his own designs, the work to be done 

 under the supervision of the architect of the Capitol. In addition to 

 the picture of a woman dressing a deer skin, already mentioned 

 (pi. II), two other examples of his pictures painted for and now 

 hanging in the rooms of the House Committee on Indian Affairs in 

 the Capitol Building, are now reproduced (pi. 15, figs, i and 2). 



