Smithsonian Art InventoriesA full-length portrait of Lawrence Sullivan Ross, seen standing with sheet of rolled papers in his proper left hand. His proper right hand, rests with fingers bent, atop base which rises behind him. He wears an open, knee-length 3 button coat, a vest, tie, pants, shirt and boots.
My Aggie Nation
The iconic statue of Ross - who rose to the rank of general during the Civil War and later served as governor of Texas before coming to A&M - located on the College Station campus' Academic Plaza is meant to honor the man specifically in his role as president of the university, not for his time in the Confederate Army.
"Without Sul Ross, neither Texas A&M University nor Prairie View A&M University would likely exist today," A&M President Michael Young said in a statement. "He saved our school and Prairie View through his consistent advocacy in the face of those who persistently wanted to close us down."
Wikipedia
Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (September 27, 1838 – January 3, 1898) was the 19th Governor of Texas, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and a president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now called Texas A&M University.
Ross was raised in the Republic of Texas, which was later annexed to the United States. Much of his childhood was spent on the frontier, where his family founded the town of Waco. As a teenager, Ross attended Baylor University. On one of his summer breaks, he suffered severe injuries while fighting Comanches. After graduation, Ross joined the Texas Rangers, and in 1860, led Texas Rangers in the Battle of Pease River, where federal troops recaptured Cynthia Ann Parker, who had been captured by the Comanches as a child in 1836.
When Texas seceded from the United States and joined the Confederacy, Ross joined the Confederate States Army. He participated in 135 battles and skirmishes and became one of the youngest Confederate generals. Following the Civil War, Ross briefly served as sheriff of McLennan County before resigning to participate in the 1875 Texas Constitutional Convention. With the exception of a two-year term as a state senator, Ross spent the next decade focused on his farm and ranch concerns. In 1887, he became the 19th governor of Texas. During his two terms, he oversaw the dedication of the new Texas State Capitol, resolved the Jaybird-Woodpecker War, and became the only Texas governor to call a special session to deal with a treasury surplus.
Despite his popularity, Ross refused to run for a third term as governor. Days after leaving office, he became president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). He is credited with saving the school from closure, and his tenure saw a large expansion in college facilities and the birth of many school traditions.