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Finding Aid: January/February 2012

2012-v31-04-xxxi

The complete issue

Vol. XXXI, No. 4
(40 pages)


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Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
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Inside

Cover image
A Confederate soldier dressed in a frock coat and a Mississippi waist belt. The sixth-plate ambrotype is from the Brian Boeve collection.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
The editor thanks everyone who responded to MI’s call for Zouave images and announces that the next issue “will feature many fine images of these hard-fighting, colorfully-clad soldiers.”

Front and Back cover details (p. 3)
Additional information is provided about the images pictured on the front and back covers.

The Photograph Album of Commissary Sergeant Oscar Sowles, 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry by James J. Hennessey (pp. 4-15)
A total of 23 images, all cartes de visite, from an album kept by W. Oscar Sowles (1838-1881) of Wauconda, Ill. He enlisted in Company C of the 37th and served as commissary sergeant and quartermaster for his entire enlistment. Sowles, also spelled Soules, was wounded in 1863 after the pistol he was cleaning accidently discharged, resulting in the loss of a finger. Included in the collection is an image of John Charles Black, who served as colonel of the regiment, and Adolphus Simons, who served as its principle musician.

In Search of Randolph Clausen, Medal of Honor Recipient, U.S. Navy by Robert Anstine (pp. 16-17)
An image believed to be Lt. Claus Kristian Randolph Clausen (1869-1958) illustrates a biographical sketch of the Danish-born navy officer who served in the U.S. navy during the Spanish-American War and World War I. Clausen was awarded the nation’s highest military honor for extraordinary heroism during the night of June 2-3, 1898. He and seven others volunteered to block the entrance to Santiago Harbor, Cuba, by sinking the Merrimac. The mission failed without achieving its objective. Clausen and his mates fell into enemy hands and were released a month later after the destruction of the Spanish Armada.

The “Sons of Auld Scotia:” Scottish Military Units of the Civil War Period by Ron Field (pp. 18-25)
According to the author, “Approximately 600,000 Scots emigrated to the United States between 1851 and 1861 bringing with them a rich military tradition. Militia companies of Scottish origin wearing full Highland uniforms were formed both in Northern and Southern states, including Massachusetts, New York, Illinois and South Carolina.” What follows is an accounting of Scottish companies and regiments, illustrated with 10 photographs, an engraving and an advertisement. One of the images showcased in a carte de visite of a sergeant from the 79th New York Infantry from the collection of Michael J. McAfee.

Colonel George L. Willard, Gettysburg Casualty (p. 26)
Willard, the colonel and commander of the 125th New York Infantry, was milled in action on July 2, 1863, while in command of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps.

The 157th New York Infantry at Gettysburg: A Costly Endeavor by Steven Karnes (p. 27)
An accounting of the regiment’s near annihilation on July 1, 1863, when 309 of 409 of its members became casualties when they faced 1,300 Georgians in a fight along Carlisle/Biglerville Rd. The narrative is illustrated by an eight-plate tintype of unidentified soldier who served in Company I of the 157th.

Our Glorious Cause (pp. 28-32)
A gallery of five hard-plate images of Confederate soldiers from the Brian Boeve collection is prefaced by a verse from the song The Southern Soldier Boy. Two of the images are identified, Pvt. Mims Walker of the 4th Alabama Infantry and Pvt. Kenneth McIntosh of the 6th Tennessee Infantry.

The Confederate Soldier (p. 33)
James Monroe Edwards served in the 4th and 12th Georgia cavalries and survived the war. He settled in Ringgold, Ga., after the end of hostilities, married and raised three sons. He died in 1911.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (pp. 34-38)
In “The Frock: Part One,” McAfee examines the ubiquitous uniform coat and explains how it earned its reputation for economy, comfort and uniformity. The text is illustrated by eight cartes de visite of soldiers wearing interesting variations on the standard frock.

Sutler’s Row (p. 39)

The Last Shot (p. 40)
Maj. Thomas H. Hartmus (1835-1903) was a cotton broker in Memphis, Tenn., before the war began. He enlisted in the 34th Tennessee Infantry (Confederate) and served as a staff officer to Gen. William Bate. Hartmus participated in the battles of Jones Station, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Franklin and Nashville and the Atlanta Campaign. He was paroled at Greensboro, N.C., in May 1865.

Inside Back Cover
Three portraits of men who served in the 37th Illinois Infantry from the collection of Stephen Burgess include 1st Lt. Henry Curtis Jr. of Company A, Capt. Lorenzo B. Morey of Company A and Capt. George R. Bell of Company G.

Back Cover
An undated cabinet card from the John Sickles collection pictures a group of Hatfield’s (from the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud). Standing at the far left is Confederate veteran William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield.

Finding Aid: May/June 1998

1998-may-june

The complete issue

Vol. XIX, No. 6
(40 pages)

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

Cover image
A quarter-plate ambrotype of a soldier from the 5th New York Infantry, also known as Duryee’s Zouaves, is from the Helder Costa Collection.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 3)
The editor laments the passing of long time contributor Wendell Lang.

Mail Call (pp. 4-5)
Letters include corrections to stories in the previous issue about the Frolic, “Hope of the 22nd Ohio,” and an image misidentified as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

Light & Shadow (p. 6)
In this ongoing column about technical aspects of photography and collecting, the characteristics of the ambrotype are highlighted.

Passing in Review (p. 7)
The books Images of the Spanish-American War, April-August 1898 (Pictorial Histories) by Stan Cohen and Mathew Brady and the Image of History (Smithsonian Institution) by Mary Panzer are reviewed.

The Gun Runner from West Point by Richard Faulkner (pp. 8-11)
A history of Capt. Joseph Haddock Dorst’s Gussie Expedition and the first American landing in Cuba is detailed here. The narrative is illustrated with images of Durst and the Gussie.

James Bailey: An Obscure Louisiana Photographer and His Obscure Confederate Legacy by George C. Esker III (pp. 12-13)
Newspaper advertisements for Bailey’s gallery appeared in editions of the Plaquemine, La., Gazette and Sentinel between February and July 1861. Only one portrait credited to him is known to have survived, and it is an ambrotype of a Confederate officer tentatively identified as 2nd Lt. Joseph Warro of the 11th Louisiana Infantry. The photograph is reproduced here.

Southern Soldiers: Faces from the Antebellum & Confederate South (pp. 14-19)
This collection of Southern military men includes Simon Turman of the 7th Florida Infantry, Robert A. Duncan of the 13th Arkansas Infantry, Mitchell Putnam of the 1st Texian Volunteers, Cornelius Patrick of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry and his wife Mary Agnes Sullivan Patrick, Pvt. Elihu H. Griffin f the 5th Alabama Battalion and seven unidentified soldiers.

A Family in Gray: The LeRoy Brothers of the ‘Oconee Rifles’ by John Mills Bigham (pp. 20-21)
Six of seven LeRoy boy served as privates in the “Oconee Rifles,” which became Company E of the 1st South Carolina Rifles, also known as Orr’s Rifles. All of them died. Portraits of five of them illustrate the text: David, Samuel P., Charles T., John and Hiram Andrew.

Zouaves! Images from the Collection of David Wynn Vaughan (pp. 22-27)
This survey of Zouaves totals 17, and it includes a squad of men from Company C of the 34th Indiana Infantry, an original Zouave in the French army, a member of the 5th New York Infantry, a soldier in the 11th Indiana Infantry, a Papal Guard Zouave and more.

Nameless Zouaves from the Collections of Our Readers (p. 28)
Five portraits are all unidentified soldiers.

Brothers at War: James and Richard Taylor by Charles G. Markantes (pp. 29-31)
Sgt. James E. Taylor of the 10th New York Infantry, also known as the National Zouaves, and Pvt. Richard Louis Spalding Taylor of the 6th New York Infantry, or the Billy Wilson Zouaves, and later the U.S. navy, are profiled here. Portraits of both brothers are included are, along with illustrations of Civil War scenes created for the regimental history of the 10th by James.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (p. 32)
In “Brave Lancers: Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer cavalry (Rush’s Lancers), 1861-1865,” McAfee examines the distinctive uniform and record of this Keystone State regiment. The column is illustrated with a portrait of a Col. Richard Rush and an outdoor view of soldiers from the regiment in camp.

The Auction Block (pp. 33-34)

Capt. Bob’s Caveat Emptorium (p. 35)
In this installment, the sly captain tries to sell readers an original portrait of Bobby Lee. But let the buyer beware! Looks can be deceiving, as is certainly the case here.

Sutlers’ Row (pp. 36-37)

 Stragglers (pp. 38-40)
A dozen solo photos from the collections of our readers include three portraits of individual with canine friends, Union soldiers and a group of men, perhaps Southern soldiers or a hunting party, posed with a wagon drawn by a pair of white horses.

Back cover
An ambrotype from the Greg Starbuck Collection pictures an unknown militiaman or early war volunteer with the letters BRG on his shako. He may have been a member of the Bedford Rifle Grays, a company of the 14th Virginia Infantry.

Call for Images: North Carolina!

NC 13th InfantryThe lineup for the next issue of Military Images will include several articles about North Carolina. You’ll also find a number of wonderful images, including this sixth-plate ambrotype of an unidentified soldier from the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs at the Library of Congress.

His uniform indicates that he served in Company F of the Third North Carolina Volunteers (Thirteenth North Carolina Infantry). The regiment fought at South Mountain on Sept. 14, 1862, and witnessed the death of Brig. Gen. Samuel Garland Jr. According to this excerpt of the after action report in the Official Records, which also mentions brigade commander Col. Alfred Iverson Jr.:

Early in the morning of the 14th we were ordered by Gen. Garland to go, in company with the Twentieth North Carolina, commanded by Col. Iverson, out by a road leading along the top of the mountain, and then to occupy a position on the left of the old Sharpsburg road, which we did at about sunrise, and remained there about two hours. We were then ordered to move farther to the right to the support of the Fifth North Carolina Regiment, which we proceeded to do, and, being met by Gen. Garland, were directed to take position in an open field upon the brow of a high hill. The enemy, we found, were posted upon a high hill densely wooded, and immediately facing the hill occupied by ourselves. There was also a regiment under cover of a rail fence upon our left. Not being able to see the enemy in our front, our whole fire was directed upon those upon the left, and, as our men were cool and fired with precision and effect, they soon drove that portion of the enemy entirely off the field. All this, while those in our front were firing constantly into us, and it was then that Gen. Garland fell.

NC 13th Infantry detailThis closeup shows the youthful soldier’s face and forage cap as it appeared (left), and reversed (right) to adjust the for photo technology of the time, which had yet to introduce the mirror or prism to compensate for the mirror image.

If you have images of North Carolina soldiers to share, please contact editor Ron Coddington at militaryimages@gmail.com.

Open for Subscriptions

SubscribeAs the transfer of ownership period continues, I’ve focused the vast majority of my efforts these past couple weeks in establishing a digital and social media presence. And now, new and returning subscribers can also pay online. I decided to use Paypal because it is has established a reputation for trust and reliability, and is used around the world. See the SUBSCRIBE NOW! page for details.

Announcement of the Sale of MI in the Civil War News

Civil War NewsTranscribed from the latest issue of the print edition:

Ron Coddington Is New Military Images Publisher

ARLINGTON, VA.—Historian David Neville, who owned and edited Military Images magazine since 2003, sold it to Ronald S. Coddington of Arlington in early August.

Coddington, who is familiar to Civil War News readers as the author of “Faces of War,” took over as publisher and editor immediately.

Noting the magazine’s long tradition of excellence in bringing to light rare military portrait photographs, Coddington said, “I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to guide MI to the next chapter in its life.”

He said, “The magazine continues to play a key role in preserving the visual record and stories of citizen soldiers in America, and is a key source for information about uniforms and other aspects of the military.”

Coddington said, “In the current digital age, with so much new material surfacing, it is more important than ever to have a publication that showcases and interprets these important images.”

Harry Roach founded the Military Images in 1979. He set a mission to document the photographic history of U.S. soldiers and sailors from the birth of photography in 1839 through World War I, although the vast majority of published images date from the Civil War Period.

Roach sold the magazine in 1999 to Phillip Katcher, from whom Neville purchased it four years later.

Regular contributors to MI include some of the most knowledgable collectors in the country, including Michael J. McAfee, John Sickles, Chris Nelson, David Wynn Vaughan, Ron Field and Ken Turner.

Coddington said he is excited to continue working with all of the MI contributors and invites new faces with a passion for military photograhy to participate.

He may be contacted at militaryimages@gmail.com or militaryimagesmagazine.com

A Letter to Subscribers

Military Images subscriber letterToday I will be begin sending this letter announcing the change in ownership of Military Images to subscribers. It reads:

August 20, 2013

Dear Subscriber,

I am pleased to announce that MI has changed ownership. On August 10, 2013, I signed an agreement with Dave Neville to purchase the magazine, and became the fourth publisher and editor in its thirty-four year history.

Military Images has a long tradition of excellence in bringing to light rare military portrait photographs, and I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to take the helm of this unique publication. I have been a long time subscriber and an occasional contributor, and know firsthand how special MI truly is.

I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge my deep commitment to advancing the work begun by Harry Roach in 1979, and followed by Philip Katcher and Dave Neville. All three men have my deepest respect and appreciation.

I also extend a profound thanks to our contributors, who have worked with energy and enthusiasm for years. I’ve had the pleasure to communicate with a number of them since the purchase, and all have expressed their excitement and willingness to continue to contribute their wonderful images and well-researched stories.

Finally, thank you for subscribing. Your support is critical to the ongoing success of MI. If you believe as I do that Military Images plays a crucial role in preserving the visual record of citizen soldiers who forged this country in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, please take a moment to fill out a brief survey to share your opinions about the magazine. Your feedback will be a tremendous help: http://bit.ly/16T4s7t

Exciting changes to the magazine are already in the works, including a redesign. You can follow the progress at facebook.com/militaryimages, and a new web site, militaryimagesmagazine.com.

Again, many thanks for your support. A new and exciting chapter in the history of MI begins now!

Kindest regards,

Ronald S. Coddington
Publisher and Editor, Military Images
P.O. Box 50171
Arlington, VA 22205
703-568-1616
militaryimages@gmail.com
militaryimagesmagazine.com

Picking Up the Last of the Back Issues

Bella with back issuesYesterday I drove to Dave Neville’s home outside Pittsburgh, and picked up boxes of back issues of the magazine. This was my second trip. Last weekend, I picked up the first half the boxes and signed the purchase agreement. On that trip, I drove alone. This time I brought along Bella, our 10-year-old pug. Here she poses with some of the 40 boxes that I unpacked from the car. In the two trips combined, I brought home 81 boxes containing about 6,000 issues. Not bad considering the moving vehicle was a Honda Civil Hybrid!

Next comes the task of organizing and making an inventory of the contents. This work will help me to determine which issues are missing from the archive, and also allow me to list the inventory for sale on tis site and elsewhere.

Prototype for the Cover Redesign

Cover prototypeIn reviewing various magazine-related materials yesterday, I came across this phrase, “By photo collectors for photo collectors.” It caused me to reflect upon the essential strength of Military Images: The contributors who bring forth superb examples of nineteenth and early twentieth century photographs of soldiers and sailors, and the subscribers, many collectors themselves, who appreciate the quality and subject matter. It is this relationship that drives the magazine.

MI should have a design that recognizes this relationship, and meets the demanding aesthetics and sensibilities of contributors and subscribers. This includes a full-color cover—a first for the magazine, and long overdue. I spent some time last night working with the new logo and a few images from my collection.

In the end, I came up with the prototype shown here. The logo is in the upper left, but can be moved the the upper right depending upon the contents of each cover photo. I modified the logo slightly to accommodate the issue date, which is located just below the “I” in “MI.” In this example, the black box behind the “MI” has been removed because of the darkness of the background. If the background happened to be light, the black box would be added. I also decided not to display any headlines or other text that might take away from the power of the portrait. This follows the traditional look of the magazine, although there have been past issues that do include headlines and other promotional material. The headline-free design also recognizes the collector-subscriber relationship at the heart of the publication.

The MI Flag Is Transferred to Virginia

Post Office BoxYesterday, MI officially transferred its flag from Pennsylvania, where the magazine has lived for the last 34 years, to its new home in Arlington, Virginia. In the space of five hours, I formed a limited liability corporation (LLC), filed for and received a tax number, opened a bank account in the name of the magazine, and secured the post office box pictured here. It was surprisingly easy to make all of this happen.

Of the several individuals I worked with during the day, Suman Barua of Burke & Herbert Bank deserves special mention. In less than it takes to write this post, he explained in simple terms how to setup the LLC, acquire the tax number, and what documentation was required to set up the account. Had I not crossed paths with him, my day might have been more complicated. Thanks, Suman. And welcome to Virginia, MI!

BTW, the new address for Military Images is:
P.O. Box 50171
Arlington, VA 22205