Civil War Images; Fallen Soldiers
By Robert Lee Blankenship Some wore a uniform of gray,Some wore the one of blue,They were brothers from north and south,Some were sons and fathers too, Each one was a
Category: Feature
A Navy Lieutenant Faces Divided Loyalties in His Final Discharge of Duty
By Fred D. Taylor A man of untiring zeal and firmness of character, Lieutenant Otway Henry Berryman was no stranger to the expectations of an officer. In fact, his 32-year
Glinting Cutlasses and Flashing Revolvers: Ensign Abner Stover’s Civil War
By Ronald S. Coddington Abner Stover stood atop Roper Hospital and took in his first panoramic view of Charleston, S.C., on an August evening in 1864. Freshly bathed and satiated
The Borderer: The antebellum origins of the Father of the American Cavalry
By Mike Medhurst In late 1827, a second lieutenant fresh from the U.S. Military Academy arrived at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis. He was Philip St. George Cooke, a son
Vermont Faces in The Wilderness
Had a Wrestling Match Decided the Battle… Odds are George Washington Flagg of the 2nd Infantry would have won it for the federals. The 6-foot temperance man and sergeant was
Forrest Family Faces: Rare images from the collections of Matt Hagans and Steve and Mike Romano
One can easily envision Nathan Bedford Forrest as the Confederacy’s sole cavalry genius. Often-repeated references to him as “The Wizard of the Saddle” and “That Devil Forrest” reinforce the vision
The Past is Made Present: A reflection on photography
By Naomi Subotnick with images from the Liljenquist Family Collection at the Library of Congress This portrait of two men seated side by side conflates two very different worlds. On
Ogle’s Ruination: How alcohol ended a West Pointer’s promising military career
By William Gorenfeld Ruination by drink is an unfortunate but common tale in military as well as civilian life. In all ranks and all regiments of the antebellum army or,
The Norman Brothers Meet Up in New Orleans: Photo sleuthing a Civil War journey
By Ron Field Over the century-and-a-half since Civil War photographers produced portraits, it was not unusual for names and faces to become separated, leaving only scant clues to make an
Elmer Ellsworth, Haute Couturier? A previously unknown portrait of the Union martyr offers insight into his design method
By Ron Field, Michael J. McAfee, and Ronald S. Coddington Had the Civil War not taken place, Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth might have been best remembered as the visionary brainchild behind