Prince Rivers and the Post-Civil War South Carolina Legislature
By Stephen Berry and Kurt Luther Prince Rivers (c. 1822-1887) was born enslaved in South Carolina and worked as a coachman before escaping to Union lines in 1862. He became
Tag: usct
“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
The Summer 2026 issue of Military Images Magazine
Welcome to our summer issue! Military Images Senior Editor and curator extraordinaire Chuck Joyce worked closely with a wonderful group of collectors, including first-time and veteran contributors, to tell the
A Trio of USCT Group Portraits Identified
By Kurt Luther and Bryan Cheeseboro Group portraits of U.S. Colored Troops (USCT), like all photos of USCT, are rare, and identifying their subjects rarer still. Back in 2015, this
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,
Shifting Terminology for Enslaved People
As the Civil War transformed the legal and social status of Black Americans, the language used to describe them evolved as well. In 1861, Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler claimed
Autumn 2024 Issue Highlights
Two years ago, I visited collector Al Niemiec in the Chicago suburbs. I had met Al in person once before for coffee, and since then we corresponded from time to
“Shall We Sustain the Government?”: A sergeant’s open letter to fight for the Union
By Ronald S. Coddington On a September day in 1864, a Union sergeant stationed at the sprawling military hub in Louisville, Ky., put the finishing touches on a letter. It
Investigating the Iconic Portraits of a USCT Drummer Boy
By Kurt Luther The pair of portraits of an African American young man—one version in tattered clothes and another in the uniform of a Union drummer boy—is among the most
A Rare Image of Historical Significance
All Civil War photographs can be arranged on a broad spectrum of historical significance. Where they fall is determined by criteria that include provenance, subject and content, as well as