Artillery Hell by Captain James Hope Poster

Artillery Hell by Captain James Hope. Artillery Hell-Early morning looking north along the Hagerstown Turnpike. The intensity of artillery fire at Antietam led Colonel Stephen D. Lee, commander of the Confederate cannons shown here, to describe the battle as "Artillery Hell." This painting depicts the earliest part of the battle. The artist's perspective is close to the present-day location of the Visitor Centre. Notice the Dunker Church on the left side of the painting. On the right is approximately 5,000 men from Sedgewick's Division of Sumner's II Corp advancing towards the West Woods at about 9:00 am. This painting, like the others seen here, does not represent a moment in time or one event, but a series of events. For example, when the Union infantry on the right side of this painting advanced, the Confederate artillery on the left had already retreated. Paintings of Captain James Hope who was present at the Battle of Antietam. Paintings of Captain James Hope who was present at the Battle of Antietam. Captain James Hope, a professional artist, was 43 years old and a member of the 2nd Vermont Infantry. Hope had taken part in a dozen engagements prior to Antietam, but disabled by illness, he was assigned to sideline duties as a scout and mapmaker. He recorded in his sketchbook the battle scenes before his eyes, and then after the battle converted his sketches into a series of five large paintings. The paintings were first exhibited in his gallery in Watkins Glen, New York. After Hope's death in 1892 the gallery was closed and fell into disrepair. A flood in the 1930's destroyed much of his work and severely damaged the battle panoramas. zazzle.