National Republican., 1886-03-02
TIE BATTLE pANonAMA.
a Private View by Grand Army Mon
of the Manassas Field-A Wonderful
OptiCai Dalusiou.

A Private View by Grand Army Mon
of the Manassas Field-A wonderful
optical Delusion.
The panorama Of the battle Of Manassas, or
the second battle OF Bull Run, as 1t is more
generally called, was completed by the Ma
nassus Panorama Company yesterday after
noon, and several hundred invited guests
inspected 1t in the evening The big rOtunla
nt the corner OF Ohio avenue aud Fifteenth
street was thronged all the evening, and every
person who came out expressed wonder ana
sage IL tr0yersed in reaching the platform
from, which the panorama is observed,
which n,o,n gained by.,o, ascepVvdh,nS VvhnSS
The tor % Is %reScbcd he visitor Is % %bewlldered M ~
the scene before him, Following the contour
ofthe circular walls Is the canvas upon which
the, scene is depicted, and a more realistic
or thrilling sight has never been witnessed in
this city. The spectators platform, from which
the panorama Is looked upon. Is situated in
the center of the building, and few steps
bnttlc.. Looking from the east are the hills
beyond Centrevlle and TO the west Is seen the
Bull Run mountains The scene between the
two points covers n distance of twenty-five
miles, and one would hardly believe that
the canvas is so small, so viyidly
do the various features stand ont. Many thou.
sands Of figures are seen, and the average is
not in actual size more than three inches in
dimensions. SO realistic Is the painting, and
the illusion, made by the placing of the lights,
that the bodies Of soldiers lying on the ground
and those Of men in the charging and de.
icnsive lines seem several times larger, and
II appears impossible, from the view, that the
figures are so small. Both armies are shown
advancing upon each others lines at the
railroad cut, lying between Centerville turn
pike aud the base of the mountains, aud the
lines of battle are plain and accurate.
The canvas stretches from the dome of the
building to the ground, and the space between
ba vall lie nd hn
ly earth and sand, with the vegetation OF the
country. Saddles, guns bodies, and the equip.
mcnts OF the soldiers are scattered around and
The perspective is good, and the various topo-
graphical features Of the country for the
twenty-five miles covered are brought out in
bold relief, and form an excellent background
for the operations of the two armies.
The panorama was opened about o'clock,
and was being viewed by people oil the even
ing. The spectators included senators, repre-.
sentatives, government officials, and Grand
Army men. The largest attendance was about
o'clock, and several addresses were made.
The lecturer described the picture, aud then
Gen. Andreas, the president Of the company,
OF the Loyal Legion, thanked the company for
their excellent painting, and said 1t was very
acceptable. Gen. :. $. Burdett, the com.
mander.in.chief of the q. A. r., followed. and
pronounced the picture most excellent one,
and that II would instruct the younger gen.
Grafton as to the manner in which their fathers
fought their battles.
reporter If the picture was in any way objec'
tionable to the G.. A. r., md he said: Ger.
tainly not; II is fair painting md good one. "
Mai. Poore on behalf Of the press, thought
that the picture was q good one, and Gen.
very instrHctiSe description Of the picture. S"''
Commissioner. of Pensions Black, who was
present, was called on, but said that he knew
nothing about the merits OF the battle yet, and
would prefer TO look rather than speak.