The Winter 2026 Issue of Military Images Magazine
Confederate images take center stage in this issue. Two years ago, Executive Editor Rick Brown and I spent almost three days making digital versions of the images of Paul Reeder,
Tag: kurt luther
Finding the Identities of a Mystery Civil War Couple
By Kurt Luther Portraits of Civil War couples have long captivated me. They capture a fleeting moment of togetherness, a quiet counterpoint to the distant bugles and battles. We see
The Autumn 2025 Issue of Military Images Magazine
Civil War images speak to us in unique and varied ways. The cover photograph for this issue tells the story of five Union citizen‑soldiers who belonged to the same mess,
A Guide to Exploring Photo Sleuthing and Generative AI
By Kurt Luther Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be everywhere lately–in the news, on our phones, in schools and workplaces. Civil War photo sleuthing is no exception. AI has been
Applying the “Trinity” to ID Some Faces in a 557-Image Album in the National Archives
By Kurt Luther Civil War photo sleuthing is more than just giving a name to an unidentified soldier or sailor portrait. While a name is a critical clue in rediscovering
How to Discover Soldier Photos from a Specific Civil War Battle
By Kurt Luther How can we find photos of Civil War soldiers connected to a particular battle? Earlier this summer, I was confronted with this question when Emma Nostheide, a
Oscar F. Douglas: The Photographer Behind the Iconic USCT Drummer Boy
By Kurt Luther The pair of cartes de visite of a young African American boy transformed from a runaway slave into a Union drummer boy are among the most memorable
Photo Sleuthing Some Virginia Tech Cadet Portraits
By Kurt Luther In past columns, we often focused on identifying Civil War soldier photos. However, military images are a much broader genre, and one type of portrait that has
Civil War Photo Sleuth Goes Social
By Kurt Luther One of the most remarkable attributes of the Civil War photo sleuthing community is the willingness of its members to help one another. In a previous column
Hampton’s Battery at Gettysburg and Puerto Rico
By Kurt Luther In April of this year, the Facebook page “Civil War Pittsburgh,” managed by public historian Rich Condon, posted an intriguing photo of a group of Civil War