The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-07-27
Historic Picture.
correspondence Augusta Chronicle

large ClTCutaT OIlCh ouiiulhS LIN
ner of Fifteenth street and Ohio avenue.
il a large and grand oil painting. 1t is a
circular picture, containing 10000 square
feet of canvass. 1t represents the
Battle Of Manassas. Second Ball Eun.
the painting not only represents tbs"
battle Of Bull Run. The painting not
only represents the battlefield. Lut ais"
the surrounding country. The visitor
views the scene from a platform, under
a canopy Of brown cloth. in the centre
of the building. The platform has ele-
gantly cushioned seats, and the floor is
handsomely carpeted.
10 the east are hills beyond Centre
vile and to the west tn: Bull Run noun
tains. The scene between the two POINTS
embraces rs miles, and ono would hard
" believe that the canvass is so small,
so wildly do the features stand out,
The figures are not more than three
inches in dimension, although they ap-
pear several times larger. The town of
Centreyille can be plainly G eight
miles distant n little father to the right
stands the Henry House, where the first
battle Of Bull Run was fought. The
ground under the platform is made Of
natural earth, dotted here and there
with pine trees and bushes. Mrskets,
shell and other munitions of war are on
the ground. At one point a real Virginia
fence extends several feet, and when it
joins the painting is hard to determine.
On each side of a ravine stands a Con-
fedcrate and Union officer fighting II
duel one can plainly see the smoke and
fash from the pistol. A little farther, a
Confederate officer, with raised hands. is
urging forward his troops. 10 the right
of this are two soldiers, carrying one Of
their wounded comrades up the hillside;
a few steps from the ~ravine, leaning
against the fence, with one arm thrown
over the top rail for support, stands an
old Confederate soldier. wounded by Il
1i{lC JAIL III III llcdNs VII IN Ill ~
of the fence in the distance stands Will
eox's% division; directly in front Of them.
IN the foreground. mounted ON a dun
horse is Col. S. ID. Lee, directing the
firing Of a In the distance is
seen Thoroughfare gap. Gen. L:c and
staff are in the foreground the officers
around him are, Col. Long. Col. Venable,
Col. Marshall and Col. Crutchficld. In
rear Of Lee and staff is seen u field
hospital, and beyond a body Of Con-
federate cavalry. 'On the earth, a few
feet from the fence, lies the body Of a
buglcr, an efigy; and above him II
bursting shell. The railroad emi.ank-
ment, behind which Jackson's men are
in position, is being charged upon by
Sykes division 3; the deadly fire from
Confederate artillery mows down the
lines of the Union troops as they ad-
vance. Jackson in rear Of his men be-
hind the embankment can be plainly
seen as he as he sits on his horse, shad-
ing his eyes with hand. In the midst Of
tho battle is a staff officer, being drag
ged along by the strip, who has been
wounded while bearing orders. A sup
ply wagon, that has been turned over on
its side, and near by lies the body of a
negro. Adjacent to this stands a negro
with a stretcher looking at his compan-
lou WHO has been shot down. Here and
there are tho hodies of horses that have
been killed. Everywhere is confusion,
battalions hurrying to the front, here
and there a>bursting shell and cannons
belching forth their deadly fire.
All the figures in the foreground are
life like, and the lights and shadows in
troduced are executed admirably. In
various parts Of the picture will be found
numerous figures and groups that are in
themselves pictures, Some are painted
on the canvas, some part Of the artificial
foreground and some a combination Of
both. The whole is realistic in the high
est degree. 1t cost $135,OO0, and twelve
men, under Mons. Poilpot, made the
picture out Of 10000 feet Of canvas and
1000 pounds o fpaint. Many old soldiers,
both Federal and Confederate who have
visited tho panorama pronounced it per-
feet, and we'll worth visiting. The own
ers have furnished the building in ex-
ccllent style. and ladies and gentlemen
have seperate parlors and toilet rooms.
The lobby and staircase are both carpet
ed, and there Is no cause for commotion
and hustle. 1t is too vast q scene TO be |