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Finding Aid: Spring 2015

The complete issue

Vol. XXXIII, No. 2
(60 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
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Inside

Cover image
In this tintype from the Chris Foard collection, Civil War nurse Carrie Wilkins Pollard cared for sick and wounded men in Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky and on hospital ships, and after hostilities ended she taught orphans.
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Table of Contents (p. 1)
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Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
“A groundbreaking gallery” describes the selection of extraordinary portraits of Northern nurses from the Chris Foard collection—the first gallery in MI history dedicated to women who served as caregivers. Included is this quote from Our Army Nurses by Mary A. Gardner Holland: “The privations and dangers which these noble characters endured called for a fortitude equal in many respects to the valor of the soldier.”
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Mail Call (p. 3)
Feedback from previous issues includes the mis-identification of a bird, the re-identification of a pair of ambrotypes of a North Carolina Confederate in the Library of Congress, and the identification of a South Carolina militia company.
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Passing in Review (p. 4)
“Images from Little Connecticut Leave a Big Impression” is a review of Heroes for All Time: Connecticut Civil War Soldiers Tell Their Stories by Dione Longley and Buck Zaidel.
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Ministering Angels (pp. 5-15)
A selection of images of Civil War nurses from the Chris Foard collection. “Whether motivated by patriotism, a calling or the realization that they were needed, nurses became more skilled and confident treating the wounded throughout the entire war. These men and women were the true pioneers of American nursing,” Foard explains in the introduction. Among the images of identified nurses are Annie Etheridge, Almira Fales, Helen Gilson and “Belle” Reynolds.

Mourning a Martyred President (pp. 16-23)
150 years ago, Northern soldiers observed traditional Victorian fashions and rituals in the wake of the assassination of President and Commander-in-Chief Abraham Lincoln. This photo essay explores the practices through the lens of the citizen soldier.

Men of Connecticut! To Arms!!! (p. 24-33)
More than 50,000 sons of Connecticut participated in the Civil War, and one in 10 would not survive to tell their stories. Whatever their fate, many left behind their patriotic portraits. A representative sample of images compose this exclusive gallery from Heroes for All Time, a new book by Wesleyan University Press.

Faces of 1865 by Bryan Flanagan and Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 34-36)
The tragic fate of two men, a Confederate in Virginia and a federal in Tennessee, at the end of the war. Lt. Charles Minnegerode, an aide to Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, was shot in the chest and left for dead at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Lt. Jacob Skirvin of the 7th Indiana Cavalry and a detail of 30 of his comrades got caught in a fierce fight after they were ambushed by Confederate guerillas in Tennessee on April 3, 1865.

The Honored Few (p. 37)
Pvt. Charles A. Taggart of the 37th Massachusetts Infantry wrested a flag away from a Confederate soldier during the Battle of Sailor’s Creek, Va., on April 6, 1865. He was one of 57 men awarded the Medal of Honor for actions that day—47 of which were presented for the capture of enemy flags.

Hard Luck Regiment by Mark H. Dunkelman (pp.38-44)
The 154th New York Infantry was nicknamed the Hardtack Regiment. But justifiably, it could also have been called the Hard Luck Regiment. Perhaps its best known soldier, Sgt. Amos Humiston, became famous when he was identified by means of an ambrotype found in his lifeless hand at the Battle of Gettysburg. A history of the regiment told through the stories of five of its members.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 45)
A shako with a large red and white fountain plume and the brass crossed cannon insignia indicate that the soldier sitting next to it was an artillery militiaman who sat for his daguerreotype between 1854-1860.

Stragglers (pp. 47-51)
Included in this selection of images from MI subscribers are two Confederate images by influential photographers: A Confederate navy officer by Charles R. Rees of Richmond, Va., and an infantryman holding his Enfield rifle by George S. Cook of Charleston, S.C.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 54-55)
“Confirmation bias, in which we get fixated on a single, preferred confusion—trust me, it’s a young Robert E. Lee!—leads us to disregard any evidence to the contrary, no matter how compelling,” writes columnist Kurt Luther. He goes on to discuss, using a recent experience of his own, how to blaze a path from confirmation bias to airtight identification.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (pp. 56-57)
Chevrons are chevrons, right? Not exactly. Mike McAfee shares a sampling of images showing soldiers wearing chevrons of a different stripe. Despite regulations, a surprising number of variations are documented in the visual record of non-commissioned officer portraits from the Civil War period.

The Last Shot (p. 60)
A quarter-plate ruby ambrotype of Christian Funk and three pals prior to his enlistment in Company H of the 210th Pennsylvania Infantry.

Spring Issue Table of Contents

Pleased to announce the lineup for the spring issue of Military Images magazine. The complete Table of Contents is shown here. The issue is scheduled to be printed and mailed today!

Details:

03-p1-tocEditor’s Desk
“A groundbreaking gallery” describes the selection of extraordinary portraits of Northern nurses from the Chris Foard collection—the first gallery in MI history dedicated to woman who served as caregivers. Included is this quote from Our Army Nurses by Mary A. Gardner Holland: “The privations and dangers which these noble characters endured called for a fortitude equal in many respects to the valor of the soldier.”

Mail Call
Feedback from previous issues includes the mis-identification of a bird, the re-identification of a pair of ambrotypes of a North Carolina Confederate in the Library of Congress, and the identification of a South Carolina militia company.

Passing in Review
“Images from Little Connecticut Leave a Big Impression” is a review of Heroes for All Time: Connecticut Civil War Soldiers Tell Their Stories by Dione Longley and Buck Zaidel.

Ministering Angels
A selection of images of Civil War nurses from the Chris Foard collection. “Whether motivated by patriotism, a calling or the realization that they were needed, nurses became more skilled and confident treating the wounded throughout the entire war. These men and women were the true pioneers of American nursing,” Foard explains in the introduction. Among the images of identified nurses are Annie Etheridge, Almira Fales, Helen Gilson and “Belle” Reynolds.

Mourning a Martyred President
150 years ago, Northern soldiers observed traditional Victorian fashions and rituals in the wake of the assassination of President and Commander-in-Chief Abraham Lincoln. This photo essay explores the practices through the lens of the citizen soldier.

Men of Connecticut! To Arms!!!
More than 50,000 sons of Connecticut participated in the Civil War, and one in 10 would not survive to tell their stories. Whatever their fate, many left behind their patriotic portraits. A representative sample of images compose this exclusive gallery from Heroes for All Time, a new book by Wesleyan University Press.

Faces of 1865 by Bryan Flanagan and Ronald S. Coddington
The tragic fate of two men, a Confederate in Virginia and a federal in Tennessee, at the end of the war. Lt. Charles Minnegerode, an aide to Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, was shot in the chest and left for dead at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Lt. Jacob Skirvin of the 7th Indiana Cavalry and a detail of 30 of his comrades got caught in a fierce fight after they were ambushed by Confederate guerillas in Tennessee on April 3, 1865.

The Honored Few
Pvt. Charles A. Taggart of the 37th Massachusetts Infantry wrested a flag away from a Confederate soldier during the Battle of Sailor’s Creek, Va., on April 6, 1865. He was one of 57 men awarded the Medal of Honor for actions that day—47 of which were presented for the capture of enemy flags.

Hard Luck Regiment by Mark H. Dunkelman
The 154th New York Infantry was nicknamed the Hardtack Regiment. But justifiably, it could also have been called the Hard Luck Regiment. Perhaps its best known soldier, Sgt. Amos Humiston, became famous when he was identified by means of an ambrotype found in his lifeless hand at the Battle of Gettysburg. A history of the regiment told through the stories of five of its members.

Antebellum Warriors
A shako with a large red and white fountain plume and the brass crossed cannon insignia indicate that the soldier sitting next to it was an artillery militiaman who sat for his daguerreotype between 1854-1860.

Stragglers
Included in this selection of images from MI subscribers are two Confederate images by influential photographers: A Confederate navy officer by Charles R. Rees of Richmond, Va., and an infantryman holding his Enfield rifle by George S. Cook of Charleston, S.C.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther
“Confirmation bias, in which we get fixated on a single, preferred confusion—trust me, it’s a young Robert E. Lee!—leads us to disregard any evidence to the contrary, no matter how compelling,” writes columnist Kurt Luther. He goes on to discuss, using a recent experience of his own, how to blaze a path from confirmation bias to airtight identification.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee
Chevrons are chevrons, right? Not exactly. Mike McAfee shares a sampling of images showing soldiers wearing chevrons of a different stripe. Despite regulations, a surprising number of variations are documented in the visual record of non-commissioned officer portraits from the Civil War period.

The Last Shot
A quarter-plate ruby ambrotype of Christian Funk and three pals prior to his enlistment in Company H of the 210th Pennsylvania Infantry.

Finding Aid: Winter 2015

01-coverThe complete issue

Vol. XXXIII, No. 1
(60 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe to MI
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Inside

Cover image
A Confederate with a decidedly defiant expression is ready for action in this sixth-plate tintype from the Brian Boeve collection.
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Table of Contents (p. 1)
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Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
New Changes for a new volume include a description of design modifications, the inclusion of two new departments (The Honored Few, images of Medal of Honor recipients, and Photo Sleuth, a column by Kurt Luther that offers real-life accounts on the research trail) and access to digital version of MI.
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Mail Call (p. 3)
Feedback from the previous issue includes details about the Carolina Mountaineers uniform, praise for young authors in MI, and the identification of the Union soldier pictured in The Last Shot.
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Passing in Review (p. 4)
“Tribute to Alabamians Is a Tentative First Step” is a review of 150 Faces of Alabama Confederates on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War by Willis Downs.
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Faces of Nobility and Honor (pp. 6-30)
A feature selection of images from the collection of Brian Boeve, a longtime MI contributor who has collected Civil War portraits for 25 years. “To look into the eyes of these noble men and honor their sacrifice is the fuel that drives my passion to collect Civil War images,” he observes.

Rally Round the Flag, Boys! (pp. 32-39)
The tattered remnants of the colors of the 23rd Ohio Infantry are one of the cartes de visite of Union patriots posed with regimental banners and national flags from the collection of Rick Carlile.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 40)
Samuel Stillman Parker Sr., a New York militia officer, did not serve in the Civil War, but two of his sons did. Samuel Stillman Parker Jr. (1840-1910) and Sewell Augustus Parker (1843-1936) enlisted in the 87th New York State Militia as privates in the autumn of 1861. They transferred to the 40th New York Infantry, also known as the “Mozart Regiment,” in September 1862.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 41-42)
In his inaugural column, Luther discovers a never-before-seen wartime photograph of his great-great-great uncle, Oliver W. Croxton of the 134th Pennsylvania Infantry, with good old-fashioned legwork and a generous portion of serendipity.

Stragglers (pp. 43-48)
Included in this selection of images from MI subscribers is Stanford L. Jessee of the 29th Virginia Infantry, who suffered a mortal wound in the chest during the Battle of Middle Creek, Ky. His last reported words: “‘Tell my friends I died a soldier at my post. I have done all I can do and will soon be in a better world than this.’”

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (pp. 49-50)
In this issue, titled “Service, War and Veteran Stripes: True Badges of Distinction,” West Point curator Mike McAfee examines the 1851 regulations that called for the use of a half-chevron to mark years of service in the U.S. army, and shows several variations on how the stripes were displayed on uniforms during the Civil War.

“Ugly as the Devil” by Ron Field (pp. 51-55)
A field guide to Havelock hats in the Civil War explores the origins and development of what generally became known as the “Havelock hat” or “Improved Military Cap.”

The Honored Few (p. 56)
Irish-American Michael Emmet Urell received the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the Battle of Bristoe Station, Va.

Hellion in Blue by Hailey House (pp. 57-58)
Every regiment had its share of good-natured rowdies, and in the 165th New York Infantry, William J. Walker proved himself a man not to take himself too seriously.

The Last Shot (p. 60)
Col. Milton Cogswell (1825-1882) strikes a Napoleonic pose as he stands in front of the Stars of the Stripes. The West Point-educated officer is remembered for his role in attempting to save the Union army after the death of Col. Edward D. Baker during the 1861 Battle of Ball’s Bluff.

The Winter 2015 Lineup: Noble Faces, Ugly Havelocks and a Hellion in Blue

03-p1-tocDelighted to announce the Table of Contents for the Winter 2015 issue. 60 pages of images include a feature gallery by longtime collector and MI contributor Brian Boeve, a gallery of flag bearers from another longtime contributor, Rick Carlile, a guide to the Havelock hat, “Ugly as the Devil,” by MI Senior Editor Ron Field, and “Hellion in Blue,” a wonderful profile of a New York officer.

You’ll also find all our regular departments and two debut departments—Photo Sleuth: Real life accounts on the research trail by Kurt Luther, and The Honored Few, which features Medal of Honor recipients.

If you like what you see, please take this opportunity to subscribe. The annual cost is $24.95 for four quarterly issues—240 pages of original images of citizen soldiers. MI needs your support, so please step forward and march with our army of core subscribers today!

MI Introduces Digital Edition

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Pleased to announce that the digital edition of Military Images magazine is now available. Formatted identically to the print version, it is produced directly from the master pdf files sent to the printer. Now you can enjoy all the rare and wonderful images, features and departments in every issue of MI on your laptop, tablet or phone. Single issues are now available for purchase at $7.95 each, and the downloadable pdf is yours to keep. The MI digital edition is powered by Tinypass.

Access the MI digital edition now.

Finding Aid: Autumn 2014

mi-cover-32-4-autumn-2014

The complete issue

Vol. XXXII, No. 4
(60 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
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Inside

Cover image
Quarter-plate tintype by an anonymous photographer of Henry A. Wiggins of the 10th Massachusetts Infantry from the Paul Russinoff collection.
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Table of Contents (p. 1)
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Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
Guest editorial by Harry Roach. The founder of Military Images, Roach served as editor from 1979 to 2000.
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Mail Call (p. 3)
Feedback from the previous issue includes the identification of a column of troops as members of the 22nd U.S. Infantry on a practice march in the Yellowstone River Valley near Fort Keogh, Mont., in 1896.
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Passing in Review (p. 4)
“Myths That Can Be Told and Touched” is a review of Smithsonian Civil War, edited by Neil Kagan and Stephen G. Hyslop.
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One Soldier at a Time (pp. 5-22)
A gallery of Civil War images from the collection of Paul Russinoff features 18 tintypes and ambrotypes of Union and Confederate soldiers. The title for the gallery is taken from a quote Paul used to describe the research he does for every identified photograph in his collection: “You could say I’m learning about the Civil War one soldier at a time.”

Hail! Glorious Banners (pp. 23-27)
If a Union soldier’s photo album embodied the visual record of his Civil War experience, the album’s heart and soul was the image of the colors under which he and his comrades fought. This selection of distinctive cartes de visite comes from the collection of Rick Carlile.

An Epic Battle for the Yorktown Cup by Nicholas P. Ciotola (pp. 28-31).
Jerseymen led by Civil War veterans took home the coveted prize at the 1881 centennial competition. The honor was presented by Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, who had been asked to select the unit that showed the “best military appearance,” and present its members with an ornate, sterling silver vase.

Personalized Accouterments (pp. 33-38)
Inscribing the names, rank and regiment on a portrait photo was a common practice used by a Civil War soldier to record his identity. But for a tiny percentage of soldiers, an autograph was unnecessary—their personalized accouterments performed the same function. A selection of images of soldiers with names added to caps, canteens and other equipment.

Life and Limb by Hailey House (p. 39)
A series of photographs commissioned by German-American inventor Dietrerick W. Kolbe in 1864 made the case for an innovative prosthetic design. The images, all cartes de visite, showed how the leather and steel arms and hands were technical marvels—and they helped Union veteran amputees to a better life.

Life Behind the Iron Shield by Shelby Crouse (pp. 40-42).
Union Navy officer William Frederick Keeler recalls his experiences the good, bad and ugly experiences he endured as paymaster on the famed ironclad Monitor.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (pp. 43-45)
In this issue, titled “In Forage cap or kepi? (Maybe fatigue cap would be better),” West Point curator Mike McAfee explains the origins of the terms, and suggests their proper usage.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 46)
Featured in this issue is a quarter-plate ambrotype of Lt. Vincent Marmaduke attired in the uniform of the Hamtramck Guards, a local militia company in Shepherdstown, Va.

Stragglers (pp. 47-55)
Images submitted by the MI audience in this issue includes a Southern patriot with a pleated shirt and Enfield musket, a sixth-plate tintype of Jacob R. Brinker of the 104th Pennsylvania Infantry, and a ninth-plate tintype of a woman dressed in the uniform of a Union private. Stragglers appears regularly in MI.

Sgt. Branch’s Lucky Day by Scott Valentine (pp. 56-57)
Sgt. Charles Franklin Branch of the 9th Vermont Infantry barely escapes capture in North Carolina. His story begins, “On an early winter’s morning in 1906, a Civil War veteran looked out the window of his Amherst, Mass., study, and stared at a storm looming on the distant horizon. Sleet sputtered against the window …”

The Last Shot (p. 60)
This issue features a carte de visite of a Union soldier with his feet propped up on a chair.

Finding Aid: Nov./Dec. 1985

1985-v7-03-vii

The complete issue

Vol. VII, No. 3
(32 pages)


Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
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Inside

Cover image
The Sprach brothers, William Elias and Bennett, grace the front cover. Both served in Company B, 1st Battalion, North Carolina Sharpshooters and enlisted in early November 1864. A brief biography of the brothers is found on page 1.

Editor’s Desk (p. 1)
The editor admits that he should have been aware of the identity of a mysterious Zouave unit; Military Images associate editor had already identified the unit as the Philadelphia Fire Zouaves in a 1983 publication. The mail generated by the previous issue is also mentioned.

Mail Call (pp. 2-3)
The mail regarding the identification of Zouaves was extensive. One image was identified as a member of the Heath Zouaves, a post-war unit in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Other letters discussed the potential identification of other units as well. Other readers were able to identify additional images from recent issues of Military Images as well. There was also a great deal of reaction from readers regarding the editor’s views on the situation in Nicaragua. The letters included a very strong resentment of the editorial and a few others that wrote in support, reflecting the overall 4:1 response in favor of the editor’s sentiments.

Passing in Review (p. 4)
Two publications are reviewed for this issue. The first is U.S. Armored Cruisers: A Design and Operational History by Ivan Musicant. The author describes the twelve ships of this class, built between 1888 and 1905, providing the reader with an exceptional view of what these unique ships were like. A photograph of the gun crew from the armored cruiser Montana is included, with some descriptions of their insignia. The second publication is U.S. Grant: the Man and the Image by James G. Barber, produced as a catalog from the exhibit of Grant’s items at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Some lesser-known images, such as a tintype copy of a 1843 daguerreotype, are included.

Vignette: Joseph Newton Spence, North Carolina State Troops by Bob Jones (p. 5)
The author is the great-grandson of the subject, who enlisted in the 7th North Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company F (“The State Guards”) just days before North Carolina seceded from the Union in 1861. Joseph Newton Spence was part of the coastal defenses of North Carolina until taken as prisoners in February 1862. Paroled in August, Spence returned home to Pasquotank County until March 1863, when he joined the 8th North Carolina State Troops as part of Company A. He took part as Color Corporal in fighting at Drewry’s Bluff, the Bermuda Hundred, and Cold Harbor, taking a bullet in the ankle in an attack against Fort Harrison. His furlough from the General Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond in October 1864 was the last item in his official service record, suggesting that he did not return to the army, like many others at that point in the war. The image accompanying the vignette was taken by George Cook in Charleston, South Carolina, in early 1863 with Spence’s return to Confederate service.

Antebellum Photography, Part VI by Michael J. Winey (pp. 6-19)
A total of 21 different images make up this pictorial article. There is a wide variety of uniforms shown in these images, from an ambrotype of a militia man wearing a Continental type uniform that harkened back to the Revolutionary era to ambrotypes of the elaborate uniforms of militia men from both New York and Virginia. As is often the case with antebellum images, most of the names and histories of the subjects are unknown, however many of the images are of men whose histories can be traced. This would include Samuel Cooper, who was the Adjutant and Inspector General of the Confederacy; the article includes an 1852 image of Cooper as Colonel and Adjutant General of the U.S. Army. Another image, probably from 1847 or 1848 depicts Captain Benjamin Stone Roberts, 1st Regiment of Mounted Rifles; he rose to the rank of brigadier in the service of the U.S. Army during the Civil War. The final image of the article is the only one that is not of a single subject, depicting the 7th Regiment, New York State Militia shortly before the advent of the Civil War.

The Big Picture: Four Views of the Military, 1873-1901 (pp. 16-19)
This pictorial article features four different images with groups of soldiers, beginning with traditional views of Massachusetts National Guardsmen and several civilians in front of their armory and Company M, 1st Infantry, Illinois National Guard on parade down Michigan Avenue during Chicago’s Memorial Day parade in 1901. Two other images show units during more relaxing times. An image taken in 1873 is of an afternoon of croquet at Fort Bridger, Wyoming, while the merry-go-round at Mount Gretna amusement park provides the setting for a summer encampment photograph of some of the guardsmen from the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1885.

Vignette: “Irish Johnnie” Delaney, 107th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry by Richard Matthews (pp. 20-21)
The youthful face in the image accompanying the article is a newly commissioned 2nd lieutenant, holding a presentation sword given to him on June 30, 1865 by the regiment with which he fought from the beginning of the war when he enlisted in January 1862. Emigrating from County Galway in Ireland in 1853, “Irish Johnnie” Delaney was just 13 years, 8 months, 14 days when he enlisted. He was thought captured at Second Bull Run, but made his way out of being surrounded to return to his unit later in the day. Johnnie was shot at Antietam after picking up the regimental colors in the cornfield there. He was made corporal at 15, severely wounded in the right leg in fighting at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, and wounded once more in the leg during the Petersburg assaults of June 17-18, 1864. As sergeant in February 1865, “Irish Johnnie” was in command of Companies I and D at Hatcher’s Run and it was through his example that several men of Company C were saved from the brush fires that broke out, threatening to burn wounded men still on the field alive. For this action, John Delaney was presented with the Medal of Honor. He was not yet 17 years of age.

The Buckeye Vanguard: History of the 49th Ohio Infantry by Richard Mann (pp. 22-25)
This short article, accompanied with nine images of soldiers from the 49th Ohio Volunteer Militia, outlines the various points of action taken by this unit from its inception outside of Tiffin, Ohio in July 1861, introduction to General Robert Anderson at Louisville, Kentucky in September, to its mustering out of service in Victoria, Texas in November 1865. The images of the men of the 49th include three brothers, Isaiah, Henry, and George Terry, all of whom were killed as a result of fighting with the unit saw action at Stone’s River, Pickett’s Mills, and Atlanta. The 49th was also involved at Shiloh, Chickamauga, and Franklin. After the war was over, they were assigned to the 80,000 man expedition to Texas led by General Phil Sheridan.

In the Advance: A Month in the Life of a Signal Officer by Richard K. Tibbals (pp. 26-27)
As the Chief Signal Officer for the 17th Army Corps, the records kept by Captain Lucius M. Rose provide a glimpse into the kind of action undertaken by a signal corps unit during the Civil War. Having already been seriously wounded at Fort Donelson, and hindered for a while with a bout of typhoid fever, Capt. Rose was leading the 17th when General William Tecumseh Sherman set out for Vicksburg with 26,000 troops. The excerpted notes show a spirited force that rode reconnaissance ahead of the main force from February 3 to March 3, 1864.

Vignette: A Scot in the Confederacy by David M. Sullivan (pp. 29)
Archibald Stuart Johnston arrived from Glasgow, Scotland in Mobile, Alabama in 1856, hoping to make his fortune. And he did, creating a flourishing dry goods business and becoming involved in the affairs of his adopted home, and joining the elite “Mobile Cadets” militia. He left his business when mustered into Confederate service in April 1861 as a private with the Cadets in Company A, 3rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry. However, Johnston’s service with his unit was brought to an end due to an on-going shoulder condition that limited his ability to perform field service; he was discharged in May 1862 and returned to Mobile, where he joined a local defense force known as “The British Guard” in mid-1863. The image of Johnston shows him in uniform of Mobile’s “British Guard” from that time. Taken prisoner when Mobile was occupied in April 1865, Johnston signed parole twelve days later.

Stragglers (pp. 30-31)
Three images are included in this edition of “Stragglers.” The first is an oval portrait taken of Private William A. Gerald of Company A, 46th Georgia Infantry Regiment, C.S.A. Next is a photograph taken in late May 1876, depicting the San Carlos Apache Police in their battle shirts; an inscription by Indian Agent John P. Clum identifies the photo as having been taken in Tucson, Arizona. The last image is a carte de visite of an unknown soldier wearing his hospital dressing gown, complete with large bowtie and a slippered right foot.

Back Image
The image shows a bearded antebellum militiaman wearing a shako, possibly from the “Southern Guard” in a sixth-plate ambrotype.

Finding Aid: Sept./Oct. 1985

1985-v7-02-vii1985-v7-02-vii

The complete issue

Vol. VII, No. 2
(32 pages)


Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
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Inside

Cover image
The cover of the issue features a half-plate tintype of an unidentified member of the Boston fire Zouaves, Company I, 30th Massachusetts Infantry.

Editor’s Desk (inside front cover)
The editor, who is a veteran and military historian, provides his views on the increasing instability in Nicaragua.

Mail Call (p. 3)
A reader sends in thanks to the generous subscribers who share their images with his renewal, and a reader makes suggestions regarding the continuing influx of fake tintype images at memorabilia and antiques shows. Another reader provides some clarity regarding the Custer badge.

Action Aboard the Iroquois: A letter from Seaman Edgar North edited by Seward R. Osborne (pp. 4-5)
Written to his father at New Orleans on April 28, 1862, the letter describes his ship’s role in the taking of the city by Federal army and naval forces, and includes an image of Seaman North and a friend posing with two lady friends. The sailors cut the chain that the Confederates had placed across the Mississippi River as part of their defenses and were then soon subjected to fireboats and shelling. North describes the gruesome deaths of some of his comrades aboard the U.S.S. Iroquois and tells his father that he felt splintering but was not harmed. He also described the reaction of Rebel troops in the city when they passed which they scattered “in a shower of grape.” He also discussed the number of Ironclads that were under construction and had been destroyed.

A Sharp Eye by Kean Wilcox (pp. 6-9)
Thirteen various images from the collection of Kean Wilcox are presented in this pictorial article. The first is a quarter-plate tintype group image of six Union veteran soldiers enjoying some bread and wine in a relaxed outdoor setting. Most of the images are of Union soldiers with their weaponry, such as the soldier wearing his complete field pack with British Enfield or the bugler with his gridiron jacket and Zouave-style kepi. One of the images is of a Confederate wearing his battle shirt, commonly worn in the early days of the war; similarly, the “Boys of ‘61” quarter-plate ambrotype is of three young men, two wearing the smock-style blouse that many Rhode Islanders wore at that point in the conflict.

Coppens’ Louisiana Zouaves: A Louisiana Battalion in Lee’s Army by Barry I. Mickey (pp. 10-12)
They were rough and tumble, and had a reputation as hard fighting and hard drinking, having once stolen a train when their officers were not on board to take off carousing. The image shown at the start of the article shows the traditionally garbed Zouaves of Lt. Col. George Auguste Gaston Coppens, although by the time they were attached to the Army of Northern Virginia under Brig. Gen. John Bankhead Magruder, they were wearing the more traditional Confederate uniform. They fought well in 1862, taking part in Seven Pines, Malvern Hill, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg (Antietam), and other heavy fighting that left them almost obliterated at the end of the Civil War.

An Excellent Breed of Soldier: The Life of a Sergeant-Major by Barry I. Mickey (pp. 13-15)
Walter Bruce Williams was the son of slaves who had relocated to Paris, Illinois. Following the footsteps of his father, who had become a railroader after the war, it was not surprising that Bruce, pictured with his future wife Ella, followed suit, which explained his entrance into the U.S. Army just prior to the Spanish-American War. He had been assigned to the 24th Infantry, one of the units known as the “Buffalo Soldiers.” Williams took part in the assault on San Juan Hill in Cuba. Their bravest effort was as volunteer nurses at the yellow fever hospitals after eight other units refused; Bruce Williams was afflicted with typhoid fever as a result. After recovering the 24th was sent to the Philippines, spending 1899 to 1901 in conflict with Emilio Aguinaldo’s forces there; Bruce Williams, however, was serving with the regimental band in Manila. He was promoted to the rank of Regimental Sergeant-Major in 1903, becoming one of four black soldiers holding this highest non-commissioned rank in the U.S. Army. The 24th was assigned to various posts within the United States with occasional tours to the Philippines until 1916 when the 24th Infantry accompanied “Black Jack” Pershing into Mexico to catch Pancho Villa. Black troops and black officers would be soon needed in the First World War, and Williams entered an all-black Officers’ Training Camp in 1917, becoming one of 105 captains to graduate. He was assigned to the 367th Infantry of the 92nd Division – the “Buffalo Regiment” – which was awarded the Croix de Guerre for valor by the French. After his retirement at the end of September, 1919, Walter Bruce Williams then returned to active service as Master Sergeant in 1921, leading the cadets at Lincoln High School in the JROTC program in Kansas City to much success.

Warriors in Baggy Pants: Another look at American Zouaves and Chasseurs by Clothilde Chatt (pp. 16-25)
A total of 29 different images of Zouaves (or those soldiers commonly mistaken as such) are presented in this pictorial. The fourth Military Images article featuring the unique uniform begins with a brief history of the Zouave unit begun by Elmer Ellsworth in 1869 and then shows a mystery image of six Zouaves whose regiment is unknown. One pair of images is of Henry K. Dikeman who was part of New Jersey’s d’Epineuil Zouaves, a unit that was mustered out early due to their unruliness. Apparently, Dikeman enlisted in another Zouave unit and then deserted less than three weeks later. Other images in the collection are identified while others are not; some wear recognized uniforms while others can be mistaken as Zouaves. Even children were pictured wearing uniforms based on the dashing Zouave. A carte de visite image from after the war depicts an Ellsworth-style uniform worn by a youngster, identified on the back as a “Captain of the New York Soldiers Orphanage. Major by Brevet.”

Indiana Zouave: Vignette by Kean Wilcox (p. 28)
The serious soldier in the quarter-plate ambrotype image shows Oliver S. Daugherty of Co. E, 11th Indiana Infantry, “Wallace’s Zouaves” taken on April 28, 1862, three weeks after taking part in the Battle of Shiloh. The vignette describes the first and second uniforms worn by Wallace’s Zouaves, as well as the background of its distinctive commander. After serving at Donelson and Shiloh, Daugherty transferred out of the regiment to become a captain in Company K, 1st Regiment of Arkansas Volunteers, African Descent (later 46th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops). Dissatisfied with the service, Daugherty resigned in June 1864.

Stragglers (p. 29)
Two dogs and a pig make up the “pets on parade” featured in this issue of “Stragglers.”

Passing in Review (pp. 30-31)
Four different publications are included, beginning with Custer in Photographs by D. Mark Katz. The book has two reviews, one of which has negative comments, but does provide some points of note that signifies some unique value in the book. The other pans the book, stating that it is disorganized and does not provide sufficient identification or information to show that the author delivers what he promises. Next is With Crook in the Black Hills: Stanley J. Morrow’s 1876 Photographic Legacy by Paul L. Hedren. The author provides a photographic glimpse into the campaign of which Custer’s demise was but part. As noted by the reviewer, the result “is this small gem of a book.” Third is A Pictorial History of Civil War Era Musical Instruments and Military Bands by Robert Garafalo and Mark Elrod. Complete with a small recording, the book provides a comprehensive identification of instruments and their manufacturers, some color images of drums and equipment, and images of bands and uniforms. The only reviewer regret is that it is not hard covered. Lastly, From Manassas to Appomattox by General James Longstreet is reviewed. This reprinted volume is often considered to be dull reading, and the reviewer regrets that the general did not include insight into his reported sense of humor or provide the interesting life stories that make these types of works compelling. It is, however, a complete review of the major battles fought by the First Corps, supported by information about force strength, and gives insight into how the Confederate high command worked throughout the Civil War.

Back Image
A quarter-plate ambrotype of a young Texas rebel wearing the insignia of the Ordinance Department.

Finding Aid: July/August 1985

1985-v7-01-vii

The complete issue

Vol. VIII, No. 1
(32 pages)


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Inside

Cover image
Second Lieutenant Kenyon Ashe Joyce from the 6th U.S. Cavalry is the subject of this image, taken in about 1900.

Editor’s Desk (p. 1)
The editor announces this current issue as the “long-awaited all-cavalry issue.” It features a mix of biographies, unit histories, insignia, uniforms, and many items submitted by the readership. There was such a huge response, that another cavalry issue is in the works for 1986. Upcoming will be another issue on Zouaves and Chasseurs as well as a feature on National Guard uniforms from 1870-1900.

Mail Call (p. 3)
The readers of Military Images submitted a number of letters, ranging from the identification of a mystery Civil War monument from a previous “Stragglers” feature to a request for how to clean images from the early years of photography (with a comprehensive response). The discussion regarding faked ambrotypes and tintypes also continues.

Vignettes: Short Biographies of American Mounted Troops by Richard Rottenbury, Wendell W. Lang, Jr., Richard K. Tibbals, and John R. Sickles (pp. 4-6)
Starting with an image of five Confederates, four of which were from Company C, 8th Texas Cavalry, the pictorial includes the images and stories of these and six other Civil War cavalrymen. Some of them died during the Civil War, such as Sgt. Lamister Milan Parks, who died in Andersonville in August 1864, while others went on to other careers, such as Lt. Col. William R. Parnell of the 4th New York Cavalry, who went on to fight in the Indian Wars of the 1870s.

“Come On, You Wolverines!”: Custer’s Michigan Cavalry Brigade by Gregory J.W. Urwin (pp. 7-15)
The history of the Michigan Brigade is illustrated with the images of 16 members of the 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan cavalry, including one of its most illustrious commander, General George Armstrong Custer. Combined with the 1st Michigan Cavalry and Light Battery M of the 2nd U.S. Artillery, when Custer took command, the Michiganders took soon took to the field against “Jeb” Stuart three miles east of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Breaking Stuart’s lines with a head-first charge, Custer led the men of the 7th Michigan into the fray while units from the 5th and David Gregg’s 2nd Cavalry Division hit from the flanks. Days later, they attacked Heth’s units at Falling Waters during the Confederate retreat after Gettysburg, inflicting a great deal of damage. Other engagements are described in the article, which takes the Michigan Cavalry through fighting in the Civil War and beyond. They were sent directly after the Grand Review of the Army to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and into action in the Great Plains until their enlistments were through. A sidebar article describes the origins of the Custer Badge, which was a solid gold Maltese cross with a brigadier’s star, inscribed with Custer’s name, these were presented only upon Custer’s personal order, making them a very sought-after distinction among the Michigan brigade’s officers.

The Pawnee Scouts: Auxilliary Troops in the U.S. Cavalry, 1864-1877 by Thomas R. Buecker and R. Eli Paul (pp. 16-19)
Seven images from the Nebraska State Historical Society illustrate the story of Pawnee who assisted the U.S. Army in its fighting against several hostile Native American tribes, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe. Starting in 1864, uprisings in Indian Territory led the Army and the Pawnee, also targets of the Sioux, to join in putting down the uprisings. Eventually, these Pawnee Scouts were officially enlisted as soldiers beginning in 1866 under the command of Frank North, a civilian from the Pawnee Agency who simultaneously garnered military rank. Although provided with weaponry and uniforms like their white American counterparts, the Pawnee wore them as they desired inside the forts, but stripped to the bare minimum for recognition when about to engage in battle. Saddles and uniform boots were removed, and hats were often replaced with bandannas.

Boots and Saddles: A Survey of Images of the U.S. Cavalry from the Civil War to the Great War by Dennis Bender (pp. 20-29)
This pictorial article features 28 different images of the American cavalryman taken between 1861 and 1912. One quarter-plate ambrotype taken in 1861 features friends Alan G. Copenhaven of the 8th Virginia Cavalry, C.S.A. and Charles S. Venable, who was to eventually become an aide to Robert E. Lee. Images of the uniforms (Private Levi Scott, trumpeter of the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment), insignia (a farrier wears a hammer and tongs within a horseshoe on his sleeve and a first sergeant with a rare star buckle), and weaponry of all types are shown. The troopers of the Spanish-American War era are depicted in full uniform and also in parade, seen with the all-black 10th Cavalry and a troop of “Rough Riders” in Philadelphia after the war. One page shows the cavalryman with his horse in various forms, from posing with a dog in the saddle, to the horse taking a defensive position on the ground for his rider to use for protection while firing, to taking jumps on a beach in the Philippines.

Passing in Review (pp. 30-31)                                                                                   This issue of Military Images features three publication reviews, beginning with The Spanish War: An American Epic, 1898 by G.J.A. O’Toole. The reviewer found it to be a useful work, that saw Americans joining together again after the Civil War – both Fitzhugh Lee and Joe Wheeler joined as commanders for the U.S. Army. The author looks at the domestic and international concerns of the time, especially the impact of a rising Germany into the international arena. Second is Unto This Hour by Tom Wicker, a novel of the Civil War that seems to be fraught with errors that those knowledgeable about the conflict will note easily, leaving the reviewer to not recommend the book for the readership? Finally, Sons of the Morning Star by Evan Connell, is reviewed and comes away with a much different review. Written about Custer in the Indian Wars, the novelist’s approach is solid and is factually based, giving the reader an accurate account of both sides of the conflict. It should satisfy both those knowledgeable about Custer and those who want to read a balanced view of the Plains Indians and their lifestyle as well.

Back Image
Lt. W.B. Brainerd of the Chicago “Black Hussars” in 1891 is featured astride his mount.

Finding Aid: Summer 2014

mi-cover-32-3-summer-2014

The complete issue

Vol. XXXII, No. 3
(60 pages)

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Inside

Cover image
A young infantry soldier fully prepared to march graces the cover of this issue. The image is a ruby glass ambrotoype from the featured collection of Civil War images owned by Matt Cranford.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
“The Scanner Light Is Always On” and Military Images will often be in attendance at Civil War and photography shows as well, following the precedent set by founding MI editor Harry Roach. Armed with a flatbed scanner and laptop computer, readers are urged to bring their own images to shows so they can be scanned and included in future issues. The magazine is also pursuing a more vibrant social media presence, providing images and education on Facebook, for example. Many of the images in the “Stragglers” section of MI are from these shows and other sources of media sharing.

Mail Call (p. 3)
Subscribers continue the discussion of whether images show photographer props or soldier property based on images from the Spring 2014 issue of Military Images. A letter provides a tentative identification of a Georgia infantry soldier. Another subscriber offers more information on the “Battle Shirt!” article, explaining how Maj. Gen. Buford’s statue at Gettysburg was based on the battle shirt he wore on the first day of fighting there.

Passing in Review (p. 4)
Lens on the Texas Frontier by Lawrence T. Jones III is reviewed. The publication includes early images from Texas beginning in 1843, and traces the development of the Lone Star State and its many different cultures.

Art of War: Fighting Men from the Collection of Matt Cranford (pp. 5-19)
Fourteen different images from the extensive collection of Matt Cranford are included in this article. Cranford describes some of the known histories behind many of the images, including one of his great-grandfather, but also explains why he was drawn to include them in his collection. He selects images that are aesthetically interesting, such as the cover image which includes a background that gives the illusion of the soldier being outdoors in nature, or the very tall and thin Confederate infantryman whose uniform evokes images of homespun. One image in the collection depicts two soldiers relaxing with their pipes, with one soldier wearing a knit cardigan. The collection also includes a few group images that give a sense of what camp life might have been like, as well as more formal poses that illustrate standard equipment as well as demonstrating a cavalry guard position.

Antebellum Warriors (pp. 21-22)
This article presents two different images, beginning with a ninth-plate daguerreotype featuring a newly graduated West Point cadet wearing his uniform as a second lieutenant of engineers in about 1854. A smaller image reveals the antebellum image to be that of the future Union Maj. Gen. James MacPherson, who was killed during the Battle of Atlanta in 1864. A second antebellum image is from a half-plate daguerreotype of a much older man wearing a uniform believed to be from the Ringgold Light Artillery, formed as a volunteer militia in 1849 by Pennsylvania veterans of the Mexican War. The ornate uniform, which includes a Dragoon dress hat with horse hair plume, is an example of a full dress uniform of the era.

Homeland Security: Civil War Style by Philip Katcher (pp. 23-26)
Readers of MI generally expect to find images of soldiers, but this interesting article traces the expansion of uniformed police forces in the North during the Civil War. The author describes the wide range of challenges that emerged while fighting a civil war with only a few major cities having police organized in a way that we would recognize today. New York City police were expected to assist the War Department in the surveillance and apprehension of spies, halting arms transfers, and capturing bounty jumpers. Police were also expected to deal with minor crimes that resulted from the war, such as juvenile delinquency and petty crimes that came from minors who were unsupervised by effectively single mothers. Through a collection of 13 images, the article highlights the different uniforms worn by police departments during the Civil War era.

In Lambent Glory: A Pennsylvania Private Fights His Last Battle by Scott Valentine (pp. 28-29)
A carte de visite of Pvt. Thomas G. Grier, 51st Pennsylvania Infantry, inspired this article, which examines the impact of yellow fever on the New Berne, North Carolina area in 1864. Pvt. Grier lost his life assisting both military and civilian victims during an outbreak of the disease.

Master’s Mates: A Primer by Ron Field (pp. 30-34)
The massive expansion of the Federal navy during the Civil War required a similar expansion of various crew members. This article explores the role of the master’s mate, focusing on the basic requirements to be considered for the role, the expectations of a master’s mate, and how the navy went about finding qualified candidates as the need for these skilled crew members grew. The article uses six carte de visite images to illustrate the discussion of what the master’s mate uniform consisted of, each with a considerable description of the uniform and a biography when possible.

Mobile Bay & Havana Harbor: A Newly Discovered Tintype of Battleship Maine Commander Charles D. Sigsbee When He Was A Civil War Ensign by Brooke Hollingsworth (pp. 35-36)
This article highlights the discovery of a new image of Capt. Charles D. Sigsbee, the commander of the battleship Maine, the destruction of which precipitated the Spanish-American War in 1898. The new image, showing a relaxed ensign leaning against a prop with one hand in his pocket, is a tintype of carte de visite size, found attached to a government document that included Sigsbee’s name and dates to sometime after Sigsbee’s 1863 graduation from the Naval Academy. Sigsbee served during the Battle of Mobile and the 1864 and 1865 assaults on Fort Fisher during the Civil War, and continued his naval career until retirement in 1907. The article also includes a photograph taken from an 8×10” negative with Sigsbee and his staff officers aboard the Texas, the command he was given after the destruction of the Maine.

Uniforms & History: Civil War Corps Badges Are Symbols of Service and Sacrifice by Michael J. McAfee (pp. 37-40)
The article outlines the origin and use of corps badges by the Union Army of the Potomac. Originally devised by Maj. Gen. Philip Kearney to allow him to clearly identify the officers under his command of the Third Division, the practice was expanded by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker throughout the Army of the Potomac. Eventually, the corps badge would go from a helpful way for commanders to identify their soldiers to becoming “marks of esprit de corps” that unified troops in all Union army commands. The trefoil, round disc, Greek cross, Maltese cross, and other corps badges are shown in the 11 images that accompany the article. Each image has an accompanying description of how the soldier wore his corps badge on his uniform.

Stragglers (pp. 41-56)
A wide variety of 25 different images is presented, some of which include poignant stories or unusual scenes. A pair of images, including a previously unknown carte de visite, illustrates the story of Hettie Clary Stone and her father, Brig. Gen. Charles Pomeroy Stone. A half-plate tintype from 1861 tells the story of the Taylor brothers from McLennan County, Texas, who were shortly to leave for service in the Confederate army. A carte de visite image features five soldiers of the 63rd New York Infantry with one civilian; their flags identify them as part of an Irish Brigade from the Army of the Potomac. Animals appear in a number of images, to include a cat with a Federal second lieutenant, two cavalry troopers with their mounts, and one carte de visite with a Union cavalryman leading a lady riding sidesaddle. Perhaps the most unusual image of this collection is most likely from 1898; a close-up detail from the photograph is accompanied by a lengthy description of a bicycle messenger who appears with the military unit.

The Last Shot (p. 60)
A Federal artillery soldier holds a small, uncertain girl on his lap. Most likely his daughter, the sixth-plate ambrotype asks the viewer to imagine the relationship between the toddler and the soldier and the story behind the image.