(American/Pennsylvania, 1839-1929)

South Carolina and Savannah Coastal Sketches, 1863, group of four sketches, signed lower right "X. Smith June 14 1863", graphite on a single sheet of paper, sight 8 x 4-3/4 in.; giltwood frame, 15-3/4 x 12-1/2 in.

Provenance: Private South Carolina Collection

Note: Completed in the Savannah area, and executed by Smith, while he was in the service of the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. The top sketch, in the four drawing series, depicts two large ships, with shoreline views of a large plantation style house, with two smaller, perhaps slave quarter cabins, behind the large house; this sketch is signed in the upper right corner "X.S. June 14th 1863". The second sketch from the top was labeled by Smith as "Scull Creek S.C."; this sketch shows two shoreline houses, as well as several fisherman, three in a boat about to be launched and two onshore. The third sketch is labeled, at the bottom of the drawing, "Tybee Entrance to Savannah River"; depicted is a lighthouse, labeled "Lighthouse", a tall flag pole with a tinted flag and a large, round tower-like structure, labeled "Martello Tower". During the War of 1812, the Tybee Island Lighthouse was used as a signal tower to warn Savannah of possible attack by the British. Though no such attack took place, "Martello Tower" was constructed on Tybee to provide protection in guarding the Savannah River. The final sketch, signed at the bottom right corner "X.S. June 14th 1863", is labeled "Pulaski". Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on Cockspur Island between Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia; it was constructed in 1847.