1876 Civil War Gettysburg Art Engraving Repulse of Longstreet’s Assault

Presented is a large 21×42 engraving titled Gettysburg: Repulse of Longstreet’s Assault. It shows the aftermath of the assault (Pickett’s Charge) on the third day of the Gettysburg battle of the Civil War. As shown by the photos, the art is very delicate. It shows signs of heavy wear throughout. There are creases, storage wear and foxing (discoloration) throughout.

The illustration of Pickett’s Charge was done by John Badger Bachelder, painted by James Walker, and then engraved by H. B. Hall, Jr. The engraved scene depicts the decisive battle on the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Researched by the photographer and topographer John B. Bachelder and painted by James Walker, the original painting was created in 1870. This detailed engraving was done by H. B. Hall Jr. and published by the aforementioned Bachelder in Boston, Massachusetts.

Otherwise called Pickett’s Charge, the battle occurred on July 3, 1863. Pickett’s corp commander, Lieutenant General James Longstreet was placed in charge of the attack despite his hesitations. Longstreet’s central role led to the title of the work, Repulse of Longstreet’s Assault. In an attempt to gain control of an important supply route, nine Confederate brigades charged across three-quarters of a mile of open ground against cannon fire to take Cemetery Ridge from the defending Union Army. Despite their overwhelming numbers, the Confederate forces were repelled with considerable casualties marking not only a decisive victory for the Union, but also the beginning of the slow defeat of Lee’s Army. The furthest the charging forces advanced before being repulsed would forever be known as the “High Water Mark of the Confederacy.” The Confederate army never recovered from the losses at Gettysburg and it effectively ended Lee’s campaign into Pennsylvania.

Bachelder exhaustively researched the battle and hoped that, along with James Walker, their work would become as famous and widely celebrated as Washington Crossing the Delaware by Leutz. To achieve his goal, Bachelder studied the landscape and consulted both Union and Confederate soldiers to ensure the accuracy of his work. After Walker painted it with precise technical detail, several officers present on that day agreed that it was a fantastic depiction of the event. Even General James Longstreet wrote that the painting was a “fair and complete representation of that eventful scene.” Shortly after the painting was produced, Bachelder had engravings published. His research and collaboration with Walker had a profound influence on the country’s memory of Gettysburg.

1876 Civil War Gettysburg Art Engraving Repulse of Longstreet’s Assault