Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-01-12

was picturesque as whole, with the
two well trained armies closing in
in the afternoon, tor final struggle;
was dramatic in incidents, from the
death Of Garesche at Rosecranz's
side, to the furious charges and coun-
ter charges along the line.
General George II. Thomas, al
ways the ideal soldier in dress and
bearing, in this battle OF Stone River
rallied in person the retrcating line
on the lett, and plunging into the
midst of the panlc-stricken strag-
glers, is said to have enforced halt
by shooting down the leader of the
wild stampede. The picture of the
favorite commander in this act, and,
moment later, when the line, re-
formed, met ,hc furious onslaught
unfalteringly, is not wanting in the
dramatic.
And Thomas at Chickamauga. or
Hooker at Lookout Mountain, or Ha-
zen on his pontoon journey down the
Tennessee to capture the key to the
rebel line at Chattanooga--all were
dashing, picturesque and central fig
ules in battle pictures, that approach
ed not only the dramatic but the he
roic plane.
At Franklin, in that hcadlong,
knockdown sort of fight that prece-
ded the battle of Nashville, many of
the generals of corps and division
were In the midst of the battle fury.
At Nashville Confederate cavalry Of
ticers were shot down at the Union
breastworks. At Gettysburg, GER
tainIy one of the most terrific as well
rs one of the most picturesque com
bats of the war, the soldierly Meade
was the central picture in many in
tensely dramatic scenes, and yet was
in undress.
A battery holding an important
point exhausted its supply of shells
as General Meade rode up, without
escort. In the midst of such can
nonade the ammunition wagons
could not approach, and yet the Gen
eral declared that it was of the ut
most Importance that this particular
battery keep up rapid tiring-there
must be no show of weakening; the
position must be held at all hazards.
1t was suggested that the unexplod-
ed shells showered down on the hill
by the rebel batteries might be util-
lied and returned with interest. The
men, supernaturally on the alert, act
ed on the hint and commenced gath
ering these shells and carrying them
to the guns, and General Meade dis
mounted, assisted in this work, the
artillerymen scarcely realizing who
he was until General Hancock dash
ed up with his escort to report. Ma
terial for picture?
Such incidents, illustrating every
element that an artist may handle in
a picture, might be multiplied indcti'
nitcly. The truth is that battle life
is necessarily intense, and far remov.
ed from the commonplace, and the
situations in case of struggle for
the mastery, or i'll case of a crisis
naturally becomes dramatic. The
grouping of the two armies ut Stone
River Oh the famous I'd of January
1868, presented to the eye Of every
common soldier battle picture
grander than any he had ever seen
OH canvass. And officers and men
will unite in saving that the pomp
and splendor Of the assault OIL Mis-
sion Ridge has never been realized
in vivid description or painting.
We would rather trust a true arts,
who had carefully studied his subject
to give the spirit OF a great battle on
canvas, than the military critic over
jealous in splitting hairs. We would
90 to the critic tor the mistakes thai
had been made, for the operations in
detail, for criticisms of maneuvers
and movements, tor a summing up OF
results, but we would not go to him
for a truthful picture OF the battle a.
it was, and as the people should re
member it. The ''pomp and ci'cum
stance OF glorious war; is reality
when armies are in the mood, that is
to say, in their brief hours Of great
ness. when the fate of nations hang.
on the issue of battle.