Gettysburg’s Damned Black-Hats and Other Distinctive Fellers
By Michael J. McAfee By the early summer of 1863, most of the unusually dressed soldiers in the Army of the Potomac had been fairly well shaken out in the
Recent Stories
Confederate and Union Soldiers
An enlisted man in the 46th Georgia Infantry sat for this portrait in the studio of celebrated Charleston, S.C., photographer George S. Cook. The image was likely made between September
Butterflies and Battle Scars
The inhumanity of war is underscored in these portraits of an unnamed Vermont private, taken after his enlistment and release from prison. Themes of God, war and music dominate
A Sharp’s Sharpshooter
A member of the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters shows off his recently issued Sharp’s rifle as he stands before a camp photographer at Falmouth, Va., in June or July 1862. The
Courage in the Cornfield at Antietam
At Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862, an awful moment occurred when heavy Confederate artillery fire from the vicinity of the Dunker Church greeted the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry as it
Soldier or Civilian?
One finds it difficult to discern whether the subject of this portrait is a soldier or a civilian. The pattern 1839 fatigue cap, worn at a jaunty angle, and the
The Great Outdoors: Civil War Soldiers at Work, Rest and Play
Images of soldiers pictured in camp, on campaign and other locations have always held a special interest for C. Paul Loane. “There is more going on than just the soldiers
The Hidden Power of Microhistories
The rare tintypes of Jefferson and Varina Davis showcased in this issue share much in common with the portraits MI has long featured for its readers. Since 1979, we’ve published
On the Eve of a Crossroads
By Joan E. Cashin These photographs capture perfectly the dilemmas of Jefferson Davis and Varina Howell Davis in early 1861. Soon, they would depart Washington, D.C., where they had lived
The Absolute Truth of Photos
By William C. Davis Back in 1976 when we celebrated the Bicentennial of our declaration of independence from Britain, I was often asked why it was that during the ensuing