▁for ▁the ▁House ▁Committee ▁on ▁Indian ▁Affairs . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁Congress ▁commission ed ▁East man ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁ 1 7 ▁paint ings ▁of ▁important ▁U . S . ▁for ts , ▁to ▁be ▁hung ▁in ▁the ▁meeting ▁rooms ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Committee ▁on ▁Military ▁Affairs . ▁He ▁completed ▁the ▁paint ings ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁and ▁eight ▁still ▁hang ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁Wing . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁S eth ▁East man ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 0 8 ▁in ▁Brun sw ick , ▁Maine , ▁the ▁el dest ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁children ▁of ▁Robert ▁and ▁Sarah ▁Lee ▁East man . ▁ ▁He ▁persu aded ▁his ▁parents ▁to ▁let ▁him ▁go ▁into ▁the ▁military . ▁ ▁Six teen ▁when ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Military ▁Academy ▁at ▁West ▁Point , ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 4 , ▁he ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁Army ▁as ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Infantry ▁Regiment . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁East man ▁made ▁his ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army . ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁an ▁accomplished ▁artist ▁and ▁used ▁his ▁skills ▁in ▁early ▁map making ▁and ▁recording ▁Army ▁activities . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 0 ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Fort ▁Sn elling ▁near ▁what ▁became ▁Min ne apolis ▁in ▁present - day ▁Minnesota . ▁A ▁large ▁installation ▁with ▁ 2 0 ▁officers ▁and ▁up