Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-10-23
Miscellamu.
Julian scott's Battle.Picture.

Considering all the circumstances, it
is a little remarkable that up to the
present time not more than three or four
great battle pieces have been painted
representing conflicts which occurred
during the civil war. While large
number of memorial monuments and
statues have been erected in all parts of
the country in commemoration of those
who fell in the war, and while large ap-
propriations have been made by the
Federal and State governments for fu-
ture works of art from the hands of the
sculptor, not more than two or three
commissions have been received by art
lists for pictures upon canvas. There
are, doubtless, many reasons for this.
The number of artists who can paint a
battle are very limited f; it is quite Datu-
raj that the people should first wish to
perpetrate the memory and honor the
the virtues of those who fell in the con-
| fict and there has been wide spread
feeling that civil conflicts are not exact
ly appropriate subjects to be perpetual
ed on canvas, especially since we have
become united people Vermont and
Pennsylvania are the only states, go far
as we know, which have made appropri-
ations for battle pictures, Rothermel has
painted for the capital at Harrisburg an
incident of the battle of Gettysburg,
showing the attack made ON the Pennsyl-
vania reserve at Round Top; and Mr..
James Walker has painted large and
what may be described as topographi-
cal view of the battle of Gettysburg.
Other celebrated pictures which have
grown out Of the war are de Has' grand
naval conflict of Farrsgut before Mo
bile" and Balling's Grant and his
Generals"
Vermont is the first of the New Eng-
land States to make an appropriation
for q war picture. Some four years ago
she gave a commission to one of her
SONS, Mr.. Julian Scott, for picture of
the desperate battle of Cedar Creek,
fought in the valley of the Shenandoah,
on the 18th of October, 1864, exactly
ten years ago this month. The J" Green
Mountain Boys are very proud of their
Vermont Brigade, which was composed
of the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth,
Sixth and Eleventh regiments. This
brigade, the Second, was IN the Sixth
Army Corps, and saw much heavy fight
ing. On the morning of the 10Th of
October, 1864, the Federal army lay for
four or FIVE miles on the easterly side of
Cedar Creek, the Vermont brigade hold
ing the extreme right of the line. Just
before daybreak, General Early made
sudden and unexpected attack on the
left, hanking the Union forces and driv.
ing them back in great disorder. 1t
will be remembered that the battle ragged
furiously all day, that the loss of men
had been heavy, and the retreat of many
of the Unicn troops had been SO disor- |
derly as to assume almost the appear
ance of total rout The Vermont
brigade sustained the brunt of the at
tack number of times, but was finally
driven back toward Newton. The day
was considered lost, until General Sheri-
dan arrived upon the field.
Fighting was renewed shortly after,
General Sheridan having reformed the
troops. The Vermont Brigade attacked |
the enemy and heavy battle ensued,
which, just before sundown. resulted in
victory for the Union forces. 1t was
the last victorious charge of the day,
and this is the incident Mr.. Scott has
faithfully reproduced on canvas. The
distance from the point of attack to Ce-
dar Creek was about three miles, most of
the way through an open country. The
Vermont troops advanced over the bat
tle-ground of the morning, and soon af-
ter dark took possession Of their old
camp.
Mr.. Scott's canvas is twenty by ten
feet, and shows the valley of the Sben-
andoah, looking southwest, with the
Massennutten Mountains on the left, and |
in the center distance the high ground
between Middletown and Cedar Creek.
on which the enemy was in very strong
position, back of stone wall which |