“Barrel Shirts,” Killed at Franklin, and a USCT Soldier
Wearing “barrel shirts” or “wooden overcoats,” four soldiers under armed guard are paraded through Camp Lookout, Md. In this common form of army punishment by humiliation, the signs on the
Tag: tintype
Austrian Lorenz Rifle Muskets Raise Questions About the Identification of Three Buckeyes
By Phil Spaugy When I first encountered this compelling image from the Rich Jahn Collection, I believed it would serve as the foundation for an engaging article on Ohio soldiers.
Civil War Portraits: Union and Confederate Soldiers, a Sailor, and an Indiana Quartermaster at Point Lookout
Western campaigners, one wearing an identification badge and another with a cigar, posed in Kentucky towards the war’s end. A U.S. sailor of Asian heritage posed for his likeness in
Collector and Mentor: Seven decades after he began his Civil War journey, Karl Sundstrom continues to inspire
Introduction by Austin Sundstrom, with images from his Uncle Karl’s collection Some of my earliest memories of my uncle, Karl Sundstrom, revolve around visiting his house in the town just
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
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
New Technology + New Equipment = Better Fakes
By Perry M. Frohne I’ve previously mentioned how each upgrade in technology and equipment used to improve our lives also produces a new wave of technically enhanced fakes. I have
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