Below is selection of photographs and links to other materials that were created during the Civil War years. Most of the photos in Part I are among those included in the Library of Congress' outstanding collection of original photographs. (Some photos are digitally
restored.)
Since I am very much a "people photographer", I lean towards those examples of Civil War photography in which the actual participants appear. These are the faces of the people who experienced the War Between the States firsthand. This very modest collection by no means tells the complete story of the War, but it is an attempt to present key images of several different aspects of the conflict.
As it was with so many items, photographic materials were in short supply in the South and thus were reserved primarily for portraiture. The North had no such shortage, but the cumbersome wet plate processes of the day (and long exposures) prevented the photographers from doing the kind of war photojournalism that became so common during the twentieth century. Fortunately for us, they were willing to
record everything else in a very thorough manner so that future generations would know the places and people of The War Between the States.
Click on a thumbnail for a larger photo. (A new browser window will open.)
First published in 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel greatly helped the aniti-slavery movement.
Campaign poster for the Republican party's 1860 Presidential ticket. (Library of Congress)
The South announces its independence from Washington.
The Confederate flag flies over Fort Sumter near Charleston Harbor on April 14, 1861.
Abraham Lincoln President of the U.S.A. Brady National Photographic Art Gallery (1864) (Library of Congress)
Jefferson Davis President of Confederate States of America
Robert E. Lee Officer of the Confederate Army Photographer: Julian Vannerson (Library of Congress)
Ulysses S. Grant Officer of the Federal Army Brady National Photographic Art Gallery Wash., D.C.
(Library of Congress)
Pvt William S. Askew Company A, (Newman Guards) 1st Georgia Infantry, C.S.A. (Library of Congress)
Pvt. George A. Stryker New York Regiment, U.S.A. (Library of Congress)
Drum Corps, 93rd New York Infantry Photographer: Timothy O'Sullivan (Library of Congress)
Company H, 114th Pennsylvania Infantry (Zouaves) (Library of Congress)
The 1st Virginia Militia or the "Richmond Grays"
9th Mississippi Infantry Photographed in 1861 at Pensacola, Florida
Officers of the 114th Pennsylvania Infantry playing cards. (Library of Congress)
Co. D, 93d New York Infantry's Noncommissioned Officer Mess Photographer: Timothy O'Sullivan (Library of Congress)
Northern Recruitment Poster
Singing and performing music was important to the soldiers and to those waiting at home.
50th Pennsylvania Infantry in parade formation (Feb 1862) Photographer: Timothy O'Sullivan (Library of Congress)
A Zouave ambulance crew shows how it removes wounded soldiers from the field of battle. (Library of Congress)
Fort Corcoran, Arlington, Va. 24pdr. siege gun on wooden barbette carriage. (Library of Congress)
Company E, 4th US. Colored Infantry Fort Lincoln, District of Columbia African Americans served with distinction in the Federal Army. (Library of Congress)
Chickahominy River,Va. Grapevine bride built May 27-28, 1862 by 5th New Hampshire Infantry Photographer: D.B. Woodbury (Library of Congress)
Antietam bridge. Battle of Antietam, Md. Sept - Oct, 1862 Photographer: Alexander Gardner (Library of Congress)
Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln and Maj. General John. Mclernand (Battle of Antietam) Photographer: Alexander Gardner (Library of Congress)
Ruins of Harper's Ferry, W.Va. (Battle of Antietam) Photographer: S.A. Holmes (Library of Congress)
Company F, 2d New York Artillery at Fort C.F. Smith Arlington, Va. Photographer: W.M. Smith (Library of Congress)
William T. Sherman on horseback at Federal Fort No.7 Atlanta, Ga. Sept-Nov, 1864
Photographer: George N. Barnard (Library of Congress)
Confederate prisoners Gettysburg, Pa. July 1863 (Library of Congress)
Dead Confederate soldier with rifle. April 1865 Siege of Petersburg (Library of Congress)
Savage Station, Va. field hospital after battle of June 27,1862
Photographer: James Gibson (Library of Congress)
Richmond, Va. Graves of Confederate soldiers in Hollywood Cemetery. April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
A company of 6th Maine Infantry after the battle of Fredericksburg (NARA)
Massaponax Church, Va. General Grant examining map held by General Meade. Grant's Wilderness Campaign May-June 1864 Photographer: Timothy O'Sullivan (Library of Congress)
Union Navy Recruitment Poster
"Powder monkey" by gun of U.S.S. New Hampshire off Charleston, S.C. (Library of Congress)
Steam Frigate Pensacola. Alexandria, Va. (1861) Photographer: James Gibson (Library of Congress)
Sailors on deck of U.S.S. Monitor, cookstove on left. James River, Va July, 1862 Photographer: James Gibson (Library of Congress)
Deck & turret of U.S.S. Monitor James River, Va. July, 1862 Photographer: James Gibson (Library of Congress)
Ex-Confederate iron-clad ram Stonewall at anchor, U.S. Capitol in background. (Library of Congress)
Parapet of Fort Sumter with stacks of ammunition. Charleston, Va. 1963-1865 (Library of Congress)
Battery of Confederate Fort Johnson. Fort Sumter in distance. 1863-1865 (Library of Congress)
Gettysburg, Pa. View of Little Round Top June-July 1863 (Library of Congress)
Gettysburg, Pa. Center of the Federal position viewed from Little Round Top. June-July 1863 Photographer: Alexander Gardner (Library of Congress)
Gettysburg Address in President Lincoln's handwriting.
Crippled locomotive Richmond & Petersburg Railroad Depot Richmond, Va April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
Richmond, Va. General View. April-June 1865 Photographer: Alexander Gardner (Library of Congress)
Ruins of paper mill. Richmond, Va. April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
Another view of ruined paper mill. Richmond, Va. April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
Ruined buildings in burned district. Richmond, Va. April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
View of Richmond, Va. from Belle Isle. April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
Richmond, Va. Barges with African Americans on the canal. Ruined buildings beyond. April-June 1865 Photographer: Alexander Gardner (Library of Congress)
Richmond, Va. Street in the burned district. April-June 1865 (Library of Congress)
General Lee's Farewell Order.
The North announces Lee's surrender.
Infantry units passing on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Treasury. Grand Review of the Army. Washington, DC May 1865 Photographer: Mathew Brady (Library of Congress)
