Painting of General Farnsworth at Gettysburg
The past week was the 159th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. This prompted me to pull out a painting of General Farnsworth at Gettysburg I did a few years back. It depicts the moment the Union cavalry engaged the well positioned 15th Alabama on the last day of the battle.
The attack
Late in the afternoon on July 3rd, 1863, Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick, commanding the Union 3rd Division, ordered Farnsworth to make a charge with his brigade against Confederate positions south of the Devil’s Den area of the battlefield, below Little Round Top. This was done because the Confederate assault (Pickett’s Charge) on Cemetery Ridge was repulsed and Union commander Maj. Gen. George G. Meade wanted to create a diversion to weaken any resistance to the Union counterattack.
The plan was considered almost suicidal against a well entrenched enemy over broken, undulating ground with large boulder, fences and woodlot. But, despite his objections, Farnsworth led the attack. The attack failed with great losses, Farnswoth among them. He became the only federal officer of general rank to be killed behind enemy lines during the American Civil War.
The painting
The painting was done in oil on 18″ x 24″ Gesso Board. This depicts the moment Farnsworth and his cavalry encountered the enemy, both sides with guns drawn. Looking with a fresh perspective, feel I can do better composition wise. There is too much of a gap in the middle of the painting. I would like to condense the action a little more to simulate the tension of the moment. Maybe with Farnsworth more in the foreground and centered. I am not sure how I am going to do this but I will work on some sketches.Additional Information on Farnsworth at Gettysburg
To learn more about this part of the battle, I have attached some links below:
Judson Kilpatrick, Farnsworth’s Charge, and the Hard Hand of History