Since the war his record stands:

February 28th, 1866. Appointed Lieutenant Colonel of Thirtyseventh United States Infantry.

March 2d, 1869. Promoted to brevet Colonel and Brigadier General in the United States army.

March 15th, 1869. Transferred to the Third United States Infantry.

General J. R. Brooke, with his division, was mustered out, and resigned his commission at the end of the war, on the 1st of February, 1866, returning to civil life again.

At the time of resigning, or shortly after, General Brooke was tendered a command in the regular army, which he then declined. He returned home, and for a very brief period engaged again in the iron business, at Thorndale, Chester county. While there, and unsolicited on his part, the War department again tendered him a Lieutenant Colonel's commission in the Thirty-seventh United States Infantry. The offer of the command at the time was a surprise to General B., but as he had a taste for the profession of arms he concluded to accept. His commission, as before stated, is dated February 28th, 1866. On taking this command Colonel Brooke was first stationed at Fort Union, New Mexico, and afterwards at Fort Stanton, in the same territory. On the 2d of March, 1867, about a year afterwards, he was breveted Colonel and Brigadier General in the United States army, which position he now holds.* On the 15th of March, 1869, he was transferred to the Third United States Infantry. General Brooke is now in command of the regiment just stated, at Fort Shaw, in the middle district of Montana Territory.

In concluding, it is impossible in the space afforded us to do full justice to so meritorious an officer as General John R. Brooke. The fact that the Secretary of War, on the recommendation of the General in chief, or a board of officers, nominated him for appointment in the regular army at a time when there was such a superfluity of volunteer officers waiting for like positions, is the very highest commendation, placing him on the roll of merit beside the most distinguished Generals of the army. He seems never to have been engaged in a battle

*He was one of the youngest officers in the army holding the rank he did.

in which his courage or gallantry did not attract the special notice of his commanding officer. In that desperate field day at Gettysburg, where he was wounded in repelling the enemy from a key-position, General Meade said to a gentleman of that place, when conversing of this part of the great battle: "Pennsylvanians do not know what a debt of gratitude they owe this youthful and gallant officer."

The fact also that he was twice seriously wounded is the best of proof that he did not send his men where he was not willing to lead. It is plain, therefore, that General Brooke has a born aptitude for the profession of arms, and it is highly probable that if his country should ever again be engaged in another war, which heaven forbid, he will doubtless still further distinguish himself.

PETER F. ROTHERMEL.

The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing.-Dick's Future State.

The distinguished artist and painter of the "Battle of Gettysburg," now residing in Limerick township, Montgomery county, was born July 8th, 1817, near the Susquehanna, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. His father gave him a good education, with a view of his following surveying as a business, but taste and inclination soon attracted his mind to drawing and portrait painting. He took lessons with Mr. Otis, a famous name in art, and soon gained such a proficiency in sketching and color that he opened a studio in Philadelphia and began to use the pencil so successfully that public attention was very soon drawn to him as a promising artist. After working a time at portraits and small pieces, he was encouraged to undertake historical subjects. His first attempt at a large painting was "Columbus Before the Queen,” and afterwards "De Soto Crossing the Mississippi." Still confining his pencil to Spanish-American subjects, he brought out "Cortez Haranguing His Troops in Sight of Mexico." In all these

works he seems to have conceived the grandeur of high civilization as contrasted with barbarism and the passions that the finding of a new world was calculated to inspire in the minds of the discoverers.

These paintings laid the foundation of his present high reputation, and he soon commenced other historical subjects, among them being "Cromwell Ordering Hitch out of the Pulpit," "Ruth and Naomi," "Shylock and Portia," "Labor's Vision of the Future." By these works he has proved himself a historical painter only second to Benjamin West, another Pennsylvania artist, whom he resembles more than any other limner of America. The fame of these productions had so well established his reputation that when the State Legislature resolved to commemorate the greatest victory of the late rebellion by a painting of national importance, it had no hesitation in employing Rothermel, a Pennsylvania artist, to represent the battle of Gettysburg (won by a Pennsylvania General) on canvas for the admiration of all time. It is said to be the largest battle picture in the world with one exception, showing some of the combatants as large as life, and many of them remarkably good likenesses of those who figured in the scene that memorable day-the third of the fight. Those acquainted with the locality say also that the landscape part of it is correctly drawn.

For this picture, which is sixteen by thirty-two feet, the State paid him twenty-five thousand dollars, certainly a munificent price, and nearly enough to expunge the famous proverb that "Republics are ungrateful." The department of art to which Mr. Rothermel has devoted his life requires the highest class of talent, as each picture is a tragedy and epic combined for the scene at least the visual part of it—must be purely the ideal conception of the author. In this respect his work is exactly like those of Milton and Dante in describing the wonders of heaven and hell, which they had never seen.

MAJOR JAMES G. McQUAIDE.

The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hooks of steel.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take every man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.-Shakspeare.

Major James G. McQuaide was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, on the 3d of January, 1819. His ancestry were Scotch Irish on the father's side, and English on the mother's. When eight years old he lost his father by death, but received a good commercial school education, having for his tutor Professor Geary, father of the late Governor Geary, of Pennsylvania, and was. able to engage in mercantile pursuits at the early age of sixteen. He soon became the principal owner of a large forwarding and commission business at Saltsburg, on the line of the Pennsylvania canal, about forty miles east of Pittsburg. Although only twenty-oneyears old when the famous "log cabin and hard cider" Presidential campaign of 1840 began, he took a warm interest in politics and was an active supporter of Harrison, the Whig candidate. In the following year the Whig convention of Indiana county gave him a unanimous nomination for the Legislature; but, although the county gave a large majority for his party, he declined the honor, preferring a prosperous business to any political office.

When twenty-eight years of age he married the daughter of a. wealthy merchant. She died two years later, and soon after her death he closed out his business at Saltsburg and removed to Philadelphia, where he became a wholesale dry goods merchant. After continuing the latter business until 1854 or 1855, he entered the wholesale grocery trade, and soon afterwards established a wholesale and retail trade in every mercantile branch at Indiana, Pennsylvania, which proved a great success.

In 1861 he was appointed, at a Cabinet meeting in Washington, First Assistant Appraiser of the port of Philadelphia, a position which he resigned in 1863. During the exciting period of the civil war he was commissioned to organize the Union sentiment of the State under the title of the "Union League of America." The late Hon. Morton McMichael became President of the organization. in this State, while Major McQuaide was Treasurer, and the expenses were in a great part paid out of his private funds. Within six months from the date of appointment every considerable town, and almost every township in the State, had been visited and enrolled by him in the organization, which embraced over one hun

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dred and seventy thousand citizens. The number of troops which the League contributed from its ranks to the Union army was more than one hundred thousand.

In May, 1867, Major McQuaide removed from Philadelphia to Upper Merion township, Montgomery county. His antecedents as a worker in the Republican party became known, and, in 1871, a Republican convention nominated him, by a nearly unanimous vote, as a candidate for the Legislature. He had but two weeks in which to canvass the county, but the usual Democratic majority was reduced about six hundred. In 1872 the Republicans of the county gave him charge of their campaign. An established Democratic majority varying from six hundred to fifteen hundred was swept away and all the Republican candidates but one elected. From that time until now (1879) Major McQuaide has been chairman of the Republican county committee, except during two years. In each campaign he has secured the election of some part of the ticket, and in every close contest has snatched victory from his Democratic opponents.

When quite young, Major McQuaide was made a member of the -staff of Governor William F. Johnston with the rank of Colonel. In 1871 he was appointed by Governor Geary Master Warden of the port of Philadelphia, and was re-appointed by Governor Harttranft. He has been President of various corporations and mining companies, and has repeatedly held the office of bank director and similar positions. He is now President of the Norristown school board, and the schools of the borough have greatly improved under his management.

The Greensburg Tribune and Herald, of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, bearing date July 30th, 1878, says: "Major James G. McQuaide, a Westmorelander, has made his mark as a business man in Philadelphia, and has also established his reputation all over the State as a prominent and active Republican politician."

He is the oldest member of the State Central Committee in consecutive service, and has been consulted as to the management and details of Republican campaigns by every Republican chairman :since 1860.

Major McQuaide had one daughter by his first wife, Isabella R., who married William H. Lehman, of Norristown. The latter died recently, leaving one child. In 1858 Major McQuaide married this second wife, Elizabeth H. Sparks, of New Jersey. Their children are Quindora, James P., Earl G., Walter S., and J. Halsey.