Edmund Pendleton Gaines

Hiram Powers, born Woodstock, VT 1805-died Florence, Italy 1873 · modeled ca. 1837

After the War of 1812, General Edmund Pendleton Gaines was promoted to major general and received a gold medal for his service. During the Mexican War, he was court-martialed for failing to obey orders, but the charges were dropped after he defended his patriotism. This bust was modeled at the request of General Memucan Hunt, a soldier and politician who also sat for Hiram Powers. After the sculpture was completed, Powers described how General Gaines “brought a bevy of ladies . . . to look at his bust . . . and did everything but gobble while they praised it.”