Item #5842 Bachelder’s Album of New England Scenery. John B. Bachelder.
Bachelder’s Album of New England Scenery.

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Bachelder, John B.

Bachelder’s Album of New England Scenery.

[Boston? ca. 1855.]. Circular, 9.75” x 7.75”, blue paper. Manuscript diary entries at verso.

A scarce prospectus for John Bachelder’s Album of New England Scenery, a noted series of twenty-two tinted lithographs of New England towns and landscapes, printed by Endicott & Co. of New York and published from 1856 to 1857.

Bachelder notes that: “The subscribed is at present engaged in publishing a series of Sketches of New England Scenery, embracing Cities, Villages and Landscape Views; to be Painted and Lithographed with the most careful attention to accuracy and finish, and bound up both plain and ornamental, together with a short Historical and Statistical account of each place.” Asserting that the finest specimens of American Scenery are to be found amidst the Picturesque Valleys of New England, Bachelder states that “there has heretofore been comparatively no attempt made to present these hidden treasures to the world.” Such a work, when carried out to any extent, he notes, “must necessarily be attended with such great expense.” He expects there will be individuals in every town who will wish to obtain the fully bound series, while others will want copies only of their own place and offers “any person an opportunity to obtain the view and a historical notice of some of the most prominent, interesting and picturesque places in New England.” The whole work was compiled with “the design of rendering it useful as well as ornamental.” The lower portion of the circular consists of “Extracts From Opinions of the Press.”

Born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, John B. Bachelder (1825–1894) was a painter, topographical and city view-maker, photographer and the preeminent nineteenth century historian of the Battle of Gettysburg. After working for a time at the Pennsylvania Military Institute in Reading, Bachelder returned to New Hampshire in 1853 and married Elizabeth Stevens (whose uncle was Gen. Benjamin Butler) and began his career as an artist. In the 1850s he maintained a studio in Manchester, N.H. and painted scenes of the state as well as other sites and cities in the northeast, many of which were published as lithographs. In 1862, Bachelder accompanied the Army of the Potomac to the front, collecting data, making views and maps, and recording the history of the major battles, many of which he witnessed. In 1862 three of his views were published as lithographs: The Retreat : The wagon trains of the army of the Potomac en route from Chickahominy to James River, Va., during the seven days’ fight. (Fording Bear Creek one mile below Savage Station) June 29th 1862; Ravine Occupied by the Picket Reserves of Brig. Gen. Joseph Hooker’s Division, Heintzleman’s Corps d’Armee, at the Seige of Yorktown, April, 1862; and Capture of a Rebel Lunette, near Yorktown, Virginia, April 26th, 1862. Each of these views—featuring recreations of military actions—were made after Bachelder visited and carefully examined Virginia battle-sites.

Following the Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863, Bachelder’s interest in this important battle became all-consuming—leading him to become the nineteenth century’s most notable historian of the battle. Later in 1863, he published a spectacular and detailed bird’s-eye view of Gettysburg, his first published depiction of the battlefield. From 1863 on, he devoted the next thirty years of his life to researching the battle, documenting its most minute details, and conducting many interviews with battle participants—both Union and Confederate—to ascertain the position of all units engaged in the battle. Bachelder assumed a leading role in the erection of battlefield monuments; created a panoramic painting, “The Repulse of Longstreet’s Assault at the Battle of Gettysburg,” and toured the country with it, lecturing along the way; wrote both a guide-book and a history of the battle; organized reunions; and served as Superintendent of Tablets and Legends for the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association (1883–87).

Not in OCLC.

REFERENCES: Sullivan, Tom. Col. John Bachelder and the Gettysburg Cannon at hydeparkhistoricalsociety.org; John B. Bachelder at wikipedia.org; John Badger Bachelder (1825-1894) at americanartgallery.org

CONDITION: Old folds, mildly worn.

Item #5842

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