behind AotW

Portrait paintings of Richard Henry Rush (1825 – 1893) and his wife Susan Bowdoin Yerby (1829-1889) done about 2 years after their marriage in Baltimore.

The Rush family had been prominent in Philadelphia since before the Revolution.

Richard was Colonel of his Lancers – the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry – from 1861 to 1864, and he led a 2 regiment brigade, his 6th and the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry, on the Maryland Campaign of 1862.

Paintings by Thomas Sully (1783-1872).

A showing of Sully portraits, including Susan’s, was held at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia in 1922. Complete contents are found in the Catalogue (online from the Internet Archive).