The Halifax County Historical Society is pleased to offer this limited edition graphite illustration print. All proceeds will go towards the cost of the exhibit design, construction, and maintenance. These limited edition prints are 20 ½ inches wide and 18 ¼ inches high.
Ordering information:
Write to: Halifax County Historical Society, P.O. Box 601, South Boston, Virginia 24592, or
Email Barbara Bass or call 434-753-2137. Only 350 prints have been produced and will become collector’s items. The price is $100 per print plus $10 shipping.
About the illustration:
The planned permanent exhibit interpreting the February 14 end of the “Race to the Dan” in the Revolutionary War required that an image of the final scene be included. Since no suitable work could be located, an artist was commissioned by the exhibit committee to create a historically accurate image to be used in the exhibit.
General Nathanael Greene's main army had reached the Dan River earlier in the day and began crossing at Irvin's Ferry about 4 miles west of Boyd's Ferry. The last of the army was mostly the mounted troops under the command of Otho Williams. They had been acting as a decoy ahead of the British army and didn't get to the river until 9 or 9:30 that night. Showing this night scene artwork became a real challenge.
The result was a historically accurate scene showing Lt. Col. Harry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee and members of his Lee’s Legion and Lt. Col. Edward Carrington, the hero who had the boats accumulated and ready for the river crossing. They are shown on the last boat crossing the Dan. General Nathanael Greene and Col. Otho William, the commander of the “light force” that held back the British during the retreat, are also shown waiting to greet the rear guard as they safely arrived on the north bank of the rain swollen river at Boyd’s Ferry.
About the artist:
Wayne Feamster, the artist, is a retired commercial graphic artist and teacher from Burlington, North Carolina. Growing up in Spencer he left home at seventeen and joined the Navy for four years and then worked for a period in Washington. He returned to Spencer to complete his education. Thereafter, he entered his art occupation with advertising agencies in Richmond, Charlotte, and Greensboro.
Thinking he could influence young potential artists, he wrote associate degree programs for the new North Carolina Community College System in Commercial Art, Audio Visual, and Technical Illustrations. After teaching in all three programs for twenty years, he went to work for the New Industry Department of the Community College System. While there he wrote and produced entry level multimedia training programs for industries locating or expanding in North Carolina, and traveled to England, Denmark, Italy, Japan, and most of the U. S.
Along the way he earned his undergraduate degree from Elon College and a masters degree from UNC-Greensboro. After ten years, he retired, but continues to work in various jobs utilizing his artistic experience.
In recent years Feamster has narrowed his interest to drawing longhorns, horses and riders, windmills, and pickup trucks. Pencil is his medium for producing images portrayed in subtle grays.
In addition to the Crossing of the Dan, he has completed art of the Battle of Alamance and Pyle’s Defeat, other regional events in the struggle for independence. Both of these images are also to be used in the local exhibit.
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