When youenter the new visitor centerat Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park you’ll have the opportunity to see a magnificent painting by Virginian, Sidney E. King. The painting depicts the moment that Union General Frank Wheaton troops descend the hill and prepare to cross Little Sailors Creek while Major Andrew Cowan’s twenty guns bombarded Confederate General Ewell’s position from the yard of the Hillsman farm house. The paintingwas once displayedin the yard of the Hillsman farm house until it was placed in storage to await restoration. A few weeks ago, it found its permanent home in the visitor center.
Mr. King painted nearly 200 historical murals for National Park Service properties.He lived in Caroline County until his death in 2002 at the age of 95.