The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-30
SCENES OF THE CIVIL WAR
The Realistic Effects of the Cyclorama
of the Great Battle at Atlanta
What the Artists Have Done in Preserving
the Heroic Deeds Of the Soldiers
Who Fought for the Union.

battle cyclorama equal to and by many claimed
superior to any in the country, justified the in
terest shown by the throng which yesterday
afternoon went into the large building on West
Market street to witness the opening of the Bat
tie of Atlanta. To one who for the first time
visits d eyclorama the impression 10 so realistic
that the observer looks with intense interest at
the thrilling events which seem to be occurring
in his very presence. The visitor enters from
under the canvas to the center of the building.
where he stands on . platform, commanding .
view of the battlefield in every direction-with
its miles upon miles of landscape. its marching
columns Of men, the charge and counter-charge,
the smoke Of belching cannon, the skirmish.
the storming and defence of breastworks, the
the capture Of prisoners and all the heroic and
bloody deeds of modern warfare. A foreground
of actual earth. rocks, trees. broken cannon and
other objects. joins into and blends with the
painted canvas so perfectly that the line Of the
real and unreal is indistinguishable and for the
time being the observer feels himself in the
very heat and fury Of the battle.
1t is a common occurrence for the old soldier
who visits the cyclorama for the first time to
break out into a shout of triumph or stand silent
gazing out upon the battlefield. which recalls
so wildly the dangers through which he passed
in defense OF his country. An instance of this
occurred yesterday, when Mr.. Elihu Wheeler,
of Brown county, who had como up to attend
the opening. held up to the crowd about him .
hand minus one finger. There's whore l lost
il. boys-rieht there by that fence. and it seems
TO me now that l can see tho very Johnnie VINO
is firing at me-" Another gentleman remarked,
How we'll / remember that brook Logan Is
crossing. / was chaplain OF our regiment, but
l. A. - - - G-AA - 1>->
that hill. a dear comrade fell at my side, and l
took him down and bathed his wound just at
that bend" and the interested speaker
moved to one side in an effort to
see around the bend in the brook to point ous
the exact spot to his listnsrs-forcsttinR that
the vivid scene before him was but . lifsless re-
production.
The cyclorama, as . work OF art, may be fairly
regarded az . masterpiece, the composition and
figure work being exceptionally well done. The
features which seemed to strike all critical OBJ
servers as the best were tho effects of sky and
landscape, which are so perfectly done that one
seems to see the flmy clouds of the July day
floating above measureless depths OF the serene
forest northeast of Atlanta. To the west 10 the
fierce struggle and deadly conflict Of hand-to-
hand battle with its agonizing details. which
harrow and disturb the mind, while to the east
one may turn and gaze over
peaceful in the restful air. The battle depicted
Is that OF July %, 1864. the most memorable OF
those brilliant events in Shermans march to
the sea. Atlanta is shown in the background as
the objective point in the great drama. and the
long line OF brsastworks thrown mp In the strug-
gle for its possession stretch out like encircling
arms. The line of battle occupied by the vari-
ous divisions engaged before Atlanta is fifteen
miles in extent. and 80 splendidly Is the effect
of distance obtained that one seems to see the
whole country laid out before him with Great
Kenesaw mountain to the right and Stone
mountain to the left. At his feet rush the con-
tending forces in all the passionate fury Of bat
tie. :
The central incident o. the panorama is the
reeapture of De CRISIS battery. The confeder-
ates had by Q flank movement captured the
battery and were about to carry 1t OF tho field.
Sherman, from his elevated position sweeping
the whole line of battle had seen the danger.
In an instant the order Is given for one OF those
necessary but cruel acts of warfare. His guns
are directed from the neighboring bill tops to
kill the battery horses and thus prevent the re-
moval Of the guns ratil they could be recap
tured. The agony ard distress Of helpless ami
mails are shown with painful realism,
while to the right, dashing to the front,
mounted on his black charger, comes the gal
liant and fearless Logan. cheering on the rein
forcements which he brings forward to save the
day and SO make possible the triumphal march
OF sherman. who sits calmly, far away, scan-
ming the field.
The picture is rich in details, which one must
find by careful study. One can then see the
tobOAa WA6a . SSt0k oGoeSe ~ 0s4 A.of
. troop of prisoners being taken to the rear.
The apprehension of q soldier who has rolled up
his sleeve to determine whether the bullet has
broken his arm or only scratched it. The quick
binding up Of wounds. that the snf-
sad face OF one who stops only
long enough to take . parting look at the COM
rade who has fallen at his side. The deliberate
aim of . sharp shooter. The body OF one whe
has crept into q bush to die-and SO on to the
and of the andless chapter of incidents OF .
bloody battlefield.
From these impressive but solemn sights one
IL diverted by the illusions OF the foreground.
There 10 . running brook, and who can tell how
much Of the bridge over II is real and how mucn
painted Has that tree fallen on to the fore
ground from the canvasl How much OF that
army wagon do you guess is paintedY-the front
wheell Yes-but how much OF the body, and
where does the real canvas end and the painting
begin, OF is any Of it paintedf What do you say
of that ammunition box or what portion Of that
stubble field is real stubblel And 30 around the
four hundred feet of foreground one may find
much diversion in proving TO himself how easily
he may be deceived.
The stockholders and all othe 70 who were ad-
mitted yesterday were snthus iastic la their
praise. Many were the adjectives aud much
the wonder. DR.. Hyde. president OF the Art
Association, is not given to rhapsody, but be
was heard to exclaim: 1T is perfectly maenif-
cent. The effect is simply marvellous; why l
can see for fifteen miles. and those clouds and
that stretch of forest there and all this intense
action-why this is not q picture it is tragic
play"
The directors announce that the cyclorama
will be open from s A. NJ. 70 10 p. N dailv. As
it 10 lighted by twenty arc lights the effect at
| night is very fine and thought by some better
than day. The public will welcome to Indisnap-
oils this enterprise which offers so much enter
having a cyclorama second to none in the coun-