Rule of Thumb
A photographer captured this Union officer giving the time-honored gesture of derision or disdain. His technique matches an instruction printed in an 1863 issue of the Semi-Weekly Wisconsin of Milwaukee:
Tag: Last shot
Wed by the “Famous Fighting Methodist Preacher”
One spring day in 1864, John W. Widney and Mary A. Fitzwater Brown were married in Orange, Ohio. The newlyweds were accompanied by John’s mother, Eliza, and Mary’s brother, John.
Hat Trick
A trio of young ladies in cold weather clothing surrounds their prisoner, a Union first sergeant. His captors are all smiles, especially the woman in the middle, who dons his
Pound Loaf
Though the phrase “an army marches on its stomach” is credited to Napoleon or Frederick the Great, it might easily have been uttered by Ulysses S. Grant or Robert E.
A Southern Trooper
Though the identity of this Southern trooper is currently lost to history, the expression on his face and casual pose suggests he was a cool customer. Armed with a
Secess Cap
No known record exists of how David Henry Bennett, a corporal in the 28th New York Infantry, came into possession of the Confederate cap he wears in this portrait.
Drink Up, Pard!
These Virginia heavy artillerymen attack a bottle of wine, as evidenced by the two generously filled drinking glasses. Theories for exactly what they celebrated abound: The Confederacy, joining the army,
Under the Care of Gen. Winder
A pipe wielding, unnamed Union officer stands beside a large wood box, marked in chalk, “Prisoner of War Richmond Va care of Gen’l Winder.” A period pencil inscription on the
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
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