Lightning Strikes Twice
The cover story of our Summer 2024 issue profiled Evander M. Law’s rise to general in the Confederate army. The project began after I met collector Craig Wofford, who shared
Tag: ambrotype
A Painted Camp and Forts Backdrop from Virginia
By Dave Batalo These portraits of Confederate soldiers posed in front of a painted backdrop are normally difficult to locate in a specific state. Such military imagery painted in a
Plate or Paper? Choosing the best format for a portrait photograph during the Civil War
Behind every Civil War portrait photograph lies a question that the person paying the bill had to consider: Which format do I choose? Two primary options were available. Hard plates,
Miniature Flags and Secession Cockades: Images from the Matthew L. Oswalt M.D. Collection
Folk art and the humanistic side of the Civil War have long captivated Matt Oswalt. “Photography is a natural extension of these interests,” notes Oswalt, who began collecting soldier images
Army Life: An essay in ambrotypes and tintypes
By David B. Holcomb, with images from the author’s collection The Sentries Around 8 a.m. following reveille, breakfast call, and sick call came the call for Guard Mounting. The first
The Tiger Tree Backdrop of Kalamazoo, Michigan
By Adam Ochs Fleischer In the previous installment, I focused on a backdrop used in Lexington, Mo., during a storm of sectarian conflict. Identifying the backdrop to photographer Thomas D.
Revealing the Hidden Beauty of an Ambrotype
By Adam Ochs Fleischer If you haven’t had the opportunity to peruse the Library of Congress’ digitized collection of Civil War glass plate negatives, I encourage you to do so.
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
Carbines, Colts & Confederates
Charles Darden has collected carbines for almost a half century—and he doesn’t have any plans to stop. Darden might have focused on the unique firearm exclusively. But that changed in
Carried into Battle: Images that came under fire—and survived
Port Hudson: Taken from the Body of a Confederate One day in mid-1863, a Confederate soldier died—one of many who fell in defense of Port Hudson, La., the fortress city