Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-19
[For the Rutland Herald.l
H0thermelss Picture of the Battle of
Gettysburg and the Vermont
ReQimente In that Battle

This rare historic effort presenting the
Battle of Gettysburg, in the moment of
victory, is at length completed. The pic
ture was unveiled with imposing ceremony
at the Academy of Music, in this city, on
the evening of the goth of December.
With full appreciation of its great merit,
the unwilling was rapturously greeted,
and since that time this long wished-for
painting has been on exhibition for the
general public.
This painting, although Pennsylvania,
as to the artist--the locality of the battle
delineated-- to the superior officers COM
manding, and destined for the capitol OF
this commonwealth it must be re-
gardsd in artists material bearings, as
strictly national, and its satisfactory COM
p1etion a matter of interest to the whole
country.
II realizes, rs far as picture can, the
cost of life that was required to turn
backward the tide of invasion, that had
swept upward from the Gulf in gathered
strength, until now, it threatened to over
whelm. Literally, the unspeakable awful
ness of this fercest and most decisive OF
battles, stands in the picture unrelieved.
Other battle-pictures have something OF
compensation for the eye, grouped horse
men, gay oaparisons, something that re-
lieves ones intensity of emotion, called
forth by fearful carnage. But the Ian
guage of attitude and action here, to the
last combatant, is "Give me victory or
give me death :"
The Commander-in- Chief is present, in
the picture, and that of his aides also, APP
pear; but the debris of artillery, the
wounded, and ghostly slain, call off the
eve. and absorb the thought. The assured
victory is read amid all this expressed
awfulness. The uncovered head of Meade
does not urge to fercer combat, but
speaks rather the parting, orumbling coll
umns of the desperate assailants. Yet it
is the carnage, the force, the bravery, the
determination of the soldiery on either
side, that we seem alone to see, and feel,
even in this moment of declaring victory.
The battle of Gettysburg, speaking Of
the event, was not a single fight, but q
succession of ttles,-extending in space
over twenty square miles, and in time &C.
cupying three days, wherein the strife
between 100000 men of discipline and
inquest oned bravery, wes waged with
little remission, but, on different parts
of the wide field
| The artist, in deliueAtion of the spirit
and Importance of the entire three days
conflict, sejzes upon the last charge OF
Lees forces, late in the afternoon of the
third day It is the final effort that de-
termines to rend the Union center, after
either wing had been assaulted in vain.
$4,000 picked soldiers, the trained chival-
ry of the South are hurled against
the center of the Union forces, with
weight and desperation that language
has no power to describe. The pictured
canvass upon which Rothermel has
wrought. for the last FIVE years, better
aids the awful realizatie1
We see the mighty strength u the
charge, met by \ mightier, an immovable
power Of resistance. Such the picture
wherein the artist gives, with rarest
fidelity, the fullest energy I: life, even to
its frepzed might, and gives it too, in
such impressive contrast with the still.
transparent paleness and relaxation of
death.
There is conceded too that equal bravery
to the a~sailed and assailant, while the
mora! is strongly dissuasive of war. IN
yelling Its carnage. aad not shielding its
crime.
TIE Vermont troops, under Sedgwiok,
the regiments commanded by Stannard,
as they mingled in fight, covering them
selves with glory, so in the picture are
they Represented With that fidelity, so
impartial, and yet so rare, in historic
painting. In the features of the land
scape, in the corps, and regimental posi-
IIOusJ III tui5 tSiiiOle CiiLIaA Va OatbiCB TIC
artists aim throughout seems to be simply
the presentation of truth. SO the picture
must commend itself to genuine approval
as work of just conception and finished
art. It must call forth untiring admira-
ton for the genius, industry and fidelity
of the succ essful artist. Il.
Philad elphia. Jan. 18th, 1871,