Mort Kunstler Signed Artist Proof Limited Edition Print:"Fighting 69th, The"
Artist: Mort Kunstler
Title: The Fighting 69th (Gen. Meagher and the Irish Brigade, Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 2, 1882)
Size: 5½” x 29” • overall 21½” x 34”
Edition:Artist Hand Signed and Numbered Limited Edition AP to 100 with COA.
Medium: Fine Art Lithograph on Paper.
From the Artist: In 1991, I accepted a commission from the U.S. Army War College to paint Raise the Colors and Follow Me!. It showed General Thomas Francis Meagher and the Irish Brigade charging the Sunken Road at Antietam. For The Fighting 69th, I selected a Fredericksburg scene.
The Federal army arrived on the north side of the Rappahannock River across from Fredericksburg on November 17, 1862. The men believed there would be no more fighting that year and began building winter quarters on November 29th. Since I enjoy painting snow scenes , I knew the picture had to take place sometime after this date. I planned to feature the famous 69th New York but the regiment had no green flag during the battle of Fredericksburg. Tattered and torn from previous fighting, it had been returned to New York to be replaced. Happily, I found that the colors were not retired until December 2nd, so the distinctive and colorful flag would still be present in my painting. I contacted Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr. at Virginia Tech for weather conditions and learned there was a clearing and warming trend that day. The color guard and officers of the 69th arrived at the Brigade headquarters of General Meagher for the official return of the colors. Colonel Robert Nugent points out to General Meagher the spot where the long-awaited pontoons, which arrived on November 26th, have been placed. Other well known members of the 69th are Capt. John H. Donovan (on horseback to the left with the patch over his right eye) and Major James Cavenaugh (the officer on Donovan's immediate left). Capt. Dennis Sullivan is standing at the far right. The man immediately behind him is the Rev. William Corby, who was Chaplain of the 88th NY.
The green regimental flag still exists today, as do the ribbons. The tears and bullet holes are based on the actual flag. An interesting note is that it says 1st regiment on the flag and not the 69th because the 69th NY was the first regiment of the Irish Brigade. The white and red headquarters flag shows it to be the flag of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps. according to General Order 102 of the Army of the Potomac of 24th March 1862. The white marker with the 69th NYSV also still exists.
These tattered remnants of Irish valor, the regimental colors, were returned to New York and replaced in a formal ceremony with new flags. The brigade's carpenters built a large log hall in their winter encampment to hold the festivities which were scheduled for December 13th. General Burnside had other plans. The battle started that day, and the Irish Brigade made the deadly assault on Marye's Heights with green sprigs of boxwood in their hats in place of the missing flags.
Flag expert Howard Michael Madaus was of immeasurable help in my research. So was Ken Powers, the official historian of the 69th Regiment NY. Other historians who helped insure the accuracy of this painting were Frank O'Reilly of Fredericksburg National Military Park, Matt Kelly, Tom Duclose of the New York Military History Museum, Paul Fowler, Steven Sylvia, and Rod Gragg. - Mort Kunstler
Title: The Fighting 69th (Gen. Meagher and the Irish Brigade, Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 2, 1882)
Size: 5½” x 29” • overall 21½” x 34”
Edition:Artist Hand Signed and Numbered Limited Edition AP to 100 with COA.
Medium: Fine Art Lithograph on Paper.
From the Artist: In 1991, I accepted a commission from the U.S. Army War College to paint Raise the Colors and Follow Me!. It showed General Thomas Francis Meagher and the Irish Brigade charging the Sunken Road at Antietam. For The Fighting 69th, I selected a Fredericksburg scene.
The Federal army arrived on the north side of the Rappahannock River across from Fredericksburg on November 17, 1862. The men believed there would be no more fighting that year and began building winter quarters on November 29th. Since I enjoy painting snow scenes , I knew the picture had to take place sometime after this date. I planned to feature the famous 69th New York but the regiment had no green flag during the battle of Fredericksburg. Tattered and torn from previous fighting, it had been returned to New York to be replaced. Happily, I found that the colors were not retired until December 2nd, so the distinctive and colorful flag would still be present in my painting. I contacted Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr. at Virginia Tech for weather conditions and learned there was a clearing and warming trend that day. The color guard and officers of the 69th arrived at the Brigade headquarters of General Meagher for the official return of the colors. Colonel Robert Nugent points out to General Meagher the spot where the long-awaited pontoons, which arrived on November 26th, have been placed. Other well known members of the 69th are Capt. John H. Donovan (on horseback to the left with the patch over his right eye) and Major James Cavenaugh (the officer on Donovan's immediate left). Capt. Dennis Sullivan is standing at the far right. The man immediately behind him is the Rev. William Corby, who was Chaplain of the 88th NY.
The green regimental flag still exists today, as do the ribbons. The tears and bullet holes are based on the actual flag. An interesting note is that it says 1st regiment on the flag and not the 69th because the 69th NY was the first regiment of the Irish Brigade. The white and red headquarters flag shows it to be the flag of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps. according to General Order 102 of the Army of the Potomac of 24th March 1862. The white marker with the 69th NYSV also still exists.
These tattered remnants of Irish valor, the regimental colors, were returned to New York and replaced in a formal ceremony with new flags. The brigade's carpenters built a large log hall in their winter encampment to hold the festivities which were scheduled for December 13th. General Burnside had other plans. The battle started that day, and the Irish Brigade made the deadly assault on Marye's Heights with green sprigs of boxwood in their hats in place of the missing flags.
Flag expert Howard Michael Madaus was of immeasurable help in my research. So was Ken Powers, the official historian of the 69th Regiment NY. Other historians who helped insure the accuracy of this painting were Frank O'Reilly of Fredericksburg National Military Park, Matt Kelly, Tom Duclose of the New York Military History Museum, Paul Fowler, Steven Sylvia, and Rod Gragg. - Mort Kunstler
| Framing Options No thank you, I just want the print. Black Matte Hardwood Frame , DL-8, #325,add (+$199) Small Driftwood Frame, DL-3, #4755, add (+$249) RoseWood Frame, PR-2, #1890, add (+$249) Antique Gold Frame w/ Black Design, PR-4 , #95135, add (+$249) | Outer Mat Antique White #251 Black #221 Brick #231 Burgundy #38 Charcoal #257 Creme #223 Dark Brown #106 Dark Mahogany #88 Dark Spruce #125 English Rose Pink #151 Gold #568 Khaki #92 Light Gray #82 Linen #128 Mauve #154 Midnight Blue #131 Mist Gray #112 Navy Blue #230 Pale Moss #253 Pineneedle Green #411 Putty #90 Royal Blue #142 Sage Green #247 Silver Mist #130 Spiced Brown #710 Storm Gray #114 Wedge Wood Blue #124 | Inner Mat Antique White #251 Black #221 Brick #231 Burgundy #38 Charcoal #257 Creme #223 Dark Brown #106 Dark Mahogany #88 Dark Spruce #125 English Rose Pink #151 Gold #568 Khaki #92 Light Gray #82 Linen #128 Mauve #154 Midnight Blue #131 Mist Gray #112 Navy Blue #230 Pale Moss #253 Pineneedle Green #411 Putty #90 Royal Blue #142 Sage Green #247 Silver Mist #130 Spiced Brown #710 Storm Gray #114 Wedge Wood Blue #124 |
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