Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-31
HE RUTLAND HERALD
MONDAY, MARCH %, 1870

XrIE BATTLE w
I'll conflict, which gave many new
Things in the art of war, has en-
ICED a new style OF historical paint
The battle scenes on canvass and IN
pictorial papers and illustrated his
- of the day are by no means sat
Factory in this realistic age. Terrific
En1.tohand oombats, eleven skulls, du-
an horseback aud contests with eros
bayonets are lively topics for drawing
Y / colors and would be intensely excit-
"A Il we had not come to disbelieve in
Nm. Such battle pictures may illus
4 ,ts the days when men wore hundred
|soigbt of armor and trailed two-handed
lords at their heels but five years of
IT, have taught the American public
NJ At battles have less romance than re-
'ity and that modern fight with de-
/, ,ions and corps and long-rauge rifle
| ,rps is an affair entirely different from
duels which make up the battles OF
n painters. The vast armies of volun-
Rgrs. who have returned from the war,
\ N look with more interest at simple
. AZ Of the scene of some noted conflict
\ an at the most tistic painting which
| criaces accuracy of detail to poetic eff
A Il, or makes up for deficiency of in
irnation by an excess of imaginary ac-
H.. The picture which satisfies these
Esli.tic critics, at the same time preserves
H. artistic in conception and execution,
| the best style of modern historical
KNITTING. 1t is at once the most difficult
he most satisfactory and the most val
\ able, being chapter of history more
Ierspicuous and vivid than if expressed
words.
| The most noted specimen of this style
painting is that representing the re-
I ulse Of Longstreet's assault at the bat
10 Of Gettysburg, painted by James
Eaker, under the direction and from the
|sk,vhes of John B. Bachelor, A. M.
|1he work. is one of the most accurate and
I,irefally compiled which has ever been
hui upon canvas, and as such will take
jsnk among the first of historical paint
|hgs Mr.. Bachelder, at the commence
heat of the war, conceived the purpose of
curing a representation of the great
4 title which should decide the contest I;
| .nl after the fight at Gettysburg set
| but the collection of statistics, incl
-nts, and carefully prepared sketches of
\ be locality, the fruit of which is seen in
/ be great painting now completed. He
rived at Gettysburg while the debris of
hat great battle yet lay scattered for
I miles around, fresh mounds of earth
marking the resting-plaoe of thousands,
/ sud many of the dead lying still I'M
Buried He at once made an isometrical
drawing of the entire field, occupying
/ rritory twenty-five miles square. The
,csEe WAS sketched piecemeal from vari-
US points, until the whole was obtained,
snd then combined in one isometrical
drawing, representing eighty four days of
labor on the part of the artist, so thorough
had conscientious was his work. This
WAS the basis of the picture, giving with
,srfgot fidelity the field on which the
s,aiss met, maneuvred aud fought in
Nv remorable three days battle of July,
K& Mr.. Bachelor then spent two
sbs in hospital, writing down the
ymonts of Confederate prisoners, and,
they became convalescent, he went over
eded with many of their officers, who
Gated their positions and explained the
tDVements of their commands during the
ittIe Mr.. Batehelder then visited the
lrmy of the Potomac and consulted with
Commander-in-C Chief and the Generals
uder him. He visited every regiment
nd battery engaged in the battle, and
| b.7itted his sketch of the field to their
|tRcers who, after careful consultation,
|bmted u toon it the positions of their re-
|n,,tiv, con,mands. Such extraordinary
|att.ution TO the minute details of his pic
|nre had its reward i'll the production of
I. drawing most wonderfully accurate.
In Batohelder was able to trace the
dement's of every regiment and battery
N the commencement to the close of
engagement, and in preparing the
4 having for the great historical painting
A bow exhibited, TO place all the actors in
tie great decisive scene in the precise POI
don. which they actually occupied
The subject of the painting is the re-
pulse Of Longstreet's assault, which took
place on the third day of the battle. The
battle was opened by cannonading on
both sides, commencing at l o'clock and
continuing two hours. During this terri
Die duel with $50 cannon, the Union
troops erouched behind their rude breast
sorks and such light cover as they could
|fnd Many caissons were exploded anc
|fmbers smashed on both sides, and some
Casualties occurred, until at 3 o'clock thu
crder was given for the grand assault
Die story of that terrible advance
\ 1900 yards in the face of flying
heath has been many times told. The
scorching fire of the Union artillery and
hintry cut them down meroiless
\, vet they pressed on. The left wing
"a the first to break. The center was
partially protected, but finally wilted I'M
NJ Dr. the deadly fire to which it was expos
Il III ia making the final attack, and the
tlion troops by simultaneous attack
closed in on the column and captured all
who did not run away. 1t is this scene
(which the painting presents to US. The
eft and the left centre of the battle il
Shown upon the canvas. The spectator
supposed to be in an elevated position
boxing westward towards the advance OF
the Confederates. In the immediate fore
ground are the oolors of Webb's and
dall's brigade, Gen. Meade, the dying
rebel Gen. Armistead, and others, while
the various regiments occupy the middle
aud distance, with batteries, field-oticers
and the other participants of the hard
Struggle in their appropriate positions
Iar awBy in the distance one sees Gene.
terry Ridge and Seminary Ridge, with the
Theological Seminary, Cemetery Hill or
the right, Round Top on the left, and
Cham hersburg Pike stretching along fal
off So accurate is every feature of the
landscape, and so finely are the figures
and masses of men placed, that the route
ot each command can be distinguished
and its whole course traced from the time
Of its approach to the field up to the en-
gagemsat. Shattered caissons, disabled
horses, scattered arms and slain soldiers
cover the foreground, showing where
deadly work has been done, which thu
tide of battle is sweeping tumultuously
on past them.
The execution of the painting is no
without fault, regarded from a strictly
artistic point of view. The management
Of color and light gives lurid tone to The
painting, which is not highly pleasant
although we must own that red dust mus
be red and July sun bright, however
the eye may be offended. The picture
was painted without allowing the leas
license, however artistic, with the truth
and points which less consideration
artist would have toned down, modified
or changed entirely, are here made To df