The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-12-31

sTUPENpoUs UNDERTA ny A COUPLE
OF CAMPING SOLDIERS.


About year ago a company was
formed in Philadelphia called the
Gettysburg Diorama Company, Of
which General ST. Clair A. Mulholland
became President, the purpose of which
was 10 have painted panorama of the
great three days fight that decided the
fate of the Union. The talent of the
eminent American artist Frank ID.
Briscoe, was secure !, and he, together
with an able corps of assistants, began
the work which is now fast approach
ing completion. The work differs
from the wonderful cyclorama of Phil
apotanp, now on exhibition in Pbila
| delphia, inasmuch as the latter shows
but one scene of the battle whilst Bris-
GOES work covers the entire three days
fight. 1t consists of ten great paint
ings in oil, covering thousands of feet
of canvass, the figures being life size,
showing the ten principal episodes of
the three days. The first scene is the
opening of the battle, the death of the
heroic Reynolds In McPherson's woods,
Cutters Brigade and Halls Battery
opening the fight on,.he right of the
Railroad cut, the Iron Brigade deploy-
ing 10 the woods where few minutes
after they captured General Ancher
and his entire brigade. The picture
also shows the ground 80 gallantly held
by Roy Stones Brigade, all Pennsyl-
vaniaus, the One Hundred and Forty
third, One Hundred and Forty ninth,
and One Hundred and Fifticth Regi-
ments. The second scene is the re-
treat of the First and Eleventh corps
when they were driven back by the
overwhelming number of the enemy.
The third picture is the meeting of
Hancock and Howard on East Gene
terry Hill at o'clock in the afternoon,
when Hancock assumed command, halt
ed the retreating troops and selected
the ground on which the glorious VIC
tory was accomplished. The fourth
scene is the fight on Little Round Top,
The dea'h of Weed, Hazlptt, Vincint
aud O'Rourk. The fifth picture is the
awful fight in the Devil Den. The fifth
scene is the magnificent charge of the
Pennsylvania Reserve, when at sun
down on the evening of the second they
charged over the valley Of death and
drove the confederate line back to the
wheat field. The seventh picture is the
mighty attack of the Louisiana Tigers
supported by Hayes and Hookei's bri-
gade on Cemetery Hill when the gal
ant Ricketts, hurled them back with
guns doubled shotted with canister.
The eighth picture shows the Twelfth
corps driving the confederates out of
our works on Culp's Hill, which they
had captured and occupied the evening
before. The ninth scene is the great
cavalry fight on the left of our army on
the afternoon of the third where the
Pennsylvania cavalry male such splen-
lid fighting and Custer led his Wolver
mes against the chivahy of Wade
Hampton and Fi,z Hugh Lee. The
te nth and last picture is the sublime
scene of Pickett's charge, when Han
c"ck fell amongst his men and the
rebel lines were broken, crushed and
hurled back from Cemetery Ridge. The
neg.nning of the end of the great re-
belliou. The scenes are all wonderful
ly realistic and correct, Briscoe and
his assistants spending many days on
the field during last summer, sketching
sud painting every point of interest.
The old so diers of our State are much
interested H. the work and are giving
valuable assistance in furnishing data
to the artists.