Colts, Knives and Cigars
Armed and Ready for War Attired in a three-button battle shirt or blouse with thick trim on the pockets and cuffs, this private strikes a determined look as he brandishes
Recent Stories
First Look at the Confederate President and Commander-In-Chief
By John O’Brien The inauguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederate States of America provides a study in contrasts. In spite of his disinterest in the office, the
Union and Confederate Soldiers
This group of musicians belongs to the 26th New York Infantry, as evidenced by the regimental number on the drums and the NY waist belt plate worn by the principal
Spiritualism Shot
Two portraits of John Huey Weeks suggest a storyline familiar to soldiers and loved ones separated during the Civil War. In the photo, left, Weeks feigns sleep as he
The Enduring Legacy of Gettysburg
The furious fighting in and about a bustling crossroads village in Pennsylvania for three days in July 1863 is Homeric in its scope. Every patch of hallowed ground on the
A Militiaman of a Different Stripe
At first glance, the rank insignia worn by this soldier seems at odds. The elongated chevrons appear to indicate his rank as corporal. Yet, his epaulettes suggest that he
Jefferson Davis, Political Soldier
By John O’Brien On Jan. 9, 1861, Mississippi seceded from the Union. Two days later, Jefferson Davis followed his home state, and resigned from the U.S. Senate with a moving
CARDOMANIA! How the Carte de Visite Became the Facebook of the 1860s
By Ronald S. Coddington Jesse Harrison Whitehurst knew the ebbs and flows of the photography business better than most of his contemporaries. The daguerreian pioneer had a knack for adapting
Finding My Great-Grandfather
By Mark H. Dunkelman I have often said that you never know when something will turn up. That was confirmed for me in February 2016, when what turned up was
“Give ‘em Hell on the Flank”
During the evening of the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Col. Wheelock Graves Veazey received orders to form an advanced picket line. He led his 16th Vermont Infantry