Tag: Civil War portraits

Posted on

The Autumn 2026 Issue

A complete table of contents for the Autumn 2026 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XLIV, No. 4
(80 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe or renew your subscription

Explore the MI Archives:
Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial

Inside

Cover
Gettysburg’s Lutheran Theological Seminary photographed by Mathew B. Brady’s team in July 1863.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
A visit to Gettysburg offers hope for the future as a new generation of collectors embraces Civil War photographs and the stories they preserve.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes praise from new and veteran subscribers, a request for information about a Sanitary Fair statuette, the identification of a Tennessee officer, and more.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
William F. Fox’s Civil War data identifies nine Union infantry regiments that lost more than 100 men killed or mortally wounded in a single battle.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Reviews of new books on Civil War nurse Cornelia Hancock by Carolyn Ivanoff and Don Troiani and Ron Field’s detailed study of Union and Confederate uniforms.

Photo Sleuth by Stephen Berry and Kurt Luther (pp. 8-9)
A composite photograph of South Carolina legislators reveals the power, politics, racism, and violence surrounding Prince Rivers during Reconstruction.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 10)
Marine officer William Stokes Boyd helped lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable aboard the USS Niagara in 1858, linking Britain and America.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 12)
Augustus G. Kellogg fought aboard the USS Powhatan at Fort Fisher before embarking on a distinguished 26-year career in the U.S. Navy.

The Honored Few by Evan Phifer (pp. 14-16)
Wounded twice at Gettysburg, Henry S. Huidekoper refused to leave his regiment and later received the Medal of Honor for his courage under fire.

The Citizenry by Richard Look (p. 18)
Two women posed in a Union soldier’s uniform in 1863, connecting their portraits to a Massachusetts family touched deeply by the Civil War.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 20-22)
Union soldiers rallied behind a rail barricade on Seminary Ridge, buying precious time during the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg’s Lutheran Seminary in the Line of Fire by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 24-32)
A Brady photograph reveals Gettysburg’s Lutheran Seminary as a battlefield observation post and hospital during three days of fighting in July 1863.

Within These Walls: Gettysburg’s Seminary Hospital (pp. 34-47)
Portraits and personal accounts reveal the Union soldiers, surgeons, and nurses who experienced Gettysburg’s Seminary hospital during and after the battle.

The Civil War’s First Amputee by Jan K. Herman (pp. 51-52) 
Moses S. Herrick suffered the surgical removal of his foot in an accidental shooting inside the U.S. Capitol, becoming the Civil War’s first documented amputee.

Faces of the Sultana by Gene Eric Salecker (pp. 53-57)
Portraits and stories reveal the soldiers, survivors, and victims of the Sultana disaster, which claimed an estimated 1,164 lives in April 1865.

Grim Reunion at Galveston: A Father and Son on Opposite Sides of the War by Curt Robbins (pp. 61-63)
A Confederate father finds his mortally wounded Union son after the Battle of Galveston, a tragic reunion of family divided by Civil War.

Practical Stewardship for the Modern Collector by Kevin Canberg(pp. 64-65)
How collectors can inventory, plan, and protect their collections while preparing artifacts for the next generation of caretakers.

Different Journeys, Shared Passion by Larry West, Ross J. Kelbaugh, Dr. Robert Drapkin, and Greg French (pp. 66-69)
Four collectors share the discoveries, stories, and unexpected journeys behind their passion for 19th-century photography.

Material Culture by Ron Field (pp. 70-71)
Explore the distinctive Havelock hats worn by Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin troops and the manufacturers who supplied them during the Civil War.

Women of War by Melissa A. Wynn (pp. 72-73)
Martha Coston perfected a pyrotechnic signal system that helped Union Navy ships communicate, enforce the blockade, and coordinate operations.

Behind the Backdrop by Buck Zaidel (pp. 74-75)
A portrait reveals how backdrops, military gear, personal objects, and even a pair of worn boots helped photographers tell a soldier’s story.

Vignette by Ronald S. Coddington (p. 76)
Seth Ledyard Phelps helped build the Union’s Brown Water Navy and fought at Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, and in the Vicksburg Campaign.

Stragglers (p. 78)
Three images reveal a fallen Mississippi soldier, an unidentified USCT infantryman, and soldiers punished in barrel shirts.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
A Union infantryman poses as if advancing into battle, armed with a converted musket and Colt revolver in this dramatic Civil War tintype.

Posted on

New Exhibit! Sacrifice on Seminary Ridge

After months of planning, we are thrilled to announce Sacrifice on Seminary Ridge, a special exhibition opening October 9 at the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center in Gettysburg.

The exhibit uses wartime portraits and personal accounts to tell the stories of Union soldier-patients, surgeons, and nurses whose lives intersected within the walls of the Lutheran Theological Seminary during and after the Battle of Gettysburg. Some fought in the desperate struggle around the Seminary on July 1, 1863. Some entered its hospital grievously wounded. Others worked amid overwhelming suffering to care for them.

The exhibition grew out of a collaboration between the Seminary Ridge Museum and Military Images. Paul Russinoff, a Military Images senior editor and member of the museum’s board, originated the idea and played a key role in making it a reality.

Sacrifice on Seminary Ridge will be on view October 9–December 6, 2026. An opening-night reception will mark its debut.

We are grateful to Fleischer’s Auctions, the exhibition’s exclusive sponsor, for helping make this project possible.

The exhibit also demonstrates the power of the Civil War portrait collecting community. Images were generously shared by Scott Hann, Scott Hilts, Charles T. Joyce, Jeff Kowalis, Jason and Mark Krausz, C. Paul Loane, Faye and Ed Max, Robert May, Ronn Palm, Jim Rivest, Paul Russinoff, Brian White, and Ronald S. Coddington, with assistance from Dale R. Niesen. Additional portraits came from the Adams County Historical Society and The Liljenquist Family Collection at the Library of Congress. By bringing together these long-scattered faces, the community has allowed the soldier-patients, surgeons, and nurses of the Seminary hospital to stand together once more.

The Autumn 2026 issue of Military Images will feature two related articles: Within These Walls, a collection of portraits and accounts featured in the exhibit, and In the Line of Fire, an investigation of a memorable Mathew Brady photograph and what it reveals about the building and grounds in the battle’s aftermath.

Military Images Editor and Publisher Ronald S. Coddington will speak about the project at the Center for Civil War Photography’s conference in Gettysburg, October 2–4.

For more information, contact militaryimages@gmail.com.

Register now to attend the opening (free): Friday, October 9, 2026, 6:00-8:30 p.m., Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center in Gettysburg: https://www.seminaryridgemuseum.org/events/sacrificeonseminaryridge

Posted on

The Summer 2026 Issue

A complete table of contents for the Summer 2026 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XLIV, No. 3
(80 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe or renew your subscription

Explore the MI Archives:
Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial

Inside

Cover
A tintype of Lt. Col. William A. Throop of the 1st Michigan Infantry on horseback beneath the shade of trees.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
Thoughtful planning can help collectors find future caretakers for Civil War images and artifacts while easing the burden on loved ones.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes praise from new and veteran subscribers, and corrections on a weapon identification and a death place.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
Data reveals how emergency militia call-ups from New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Indiana reinforced Union defenses during key Civil War crises.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Reviews of two new books: Scott Hippensteel’s Civil War Photo Forensics and the first volume of James McLean’s regimental history of The 14th New York State Militia in the Civil War.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther and Bryan Cheeseboro (pp. 8-13)
The identification of three rare U.S. Colored Troops group portraits, revealing their regiments, forts, photographer, and early postwar service in Washington, D.C.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 14)
A daguerreotype by Henry Earle Insley depicts a U.S. Army captain during the Mexican War era. Uniform details offer clues, but his identity remains unknown.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 16)
Capt. George “Van” Vanderbilt led a daring cavalry action at Bristoe Station, delaying Confederates and helping secure a Union victory.

The Honored Few by Evan Phifer (pp. 18-20)
Artilleryman Frederick W. Fout earned the Medal of Honor for rallying abandoned guns during the 1862 siege and surrender of Harpers Ferry.

The Citizenry by Elizabeth A. Topping (pp. 22-24)
General George McClellan’s wife, Nelly, embraced society life, drew criticism for limited wartime charity work, and remained devoted to him until his death.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 26-27)
Phil investigates three Ohio soldiers, Austrian Lorenz muskets, and conflicting evidence that challenges a long-accepted identification.

Gettysburg: Echoes of Three Days in July 1863 Curated by Charles Joyce, with contributions from Rick Brown, Scott Hann, Robert May, Dale Niesen, Paul Russinoff, and Melissa Winn (pp. 29-43)
Portraits and stories reveal stories of courage, sacrifice, wounds, death, and survival across three days of the Battle of Gettysburg.

War Compromised His Health. Photography Gave Him a New Lease on Life. The Life and Times of Enos F. Hilton, 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry by M. Jane Johansson (pp. 44-47)
Civil War cavalryman Enos F. Hilton battled illness, reinvented himself as a photographer, and documented Colorado boomtowns.

Mountain Legion: The hard-fighting 156th New York Infantry in the Eastern and Western Theaters by Kyle A. Williams and Paul D. Thompson(pp. 48-55)
The 156th New York Infantry fought from Louisiana bayous to the Shenandoah Valley, earning distinction in both the Eastern and Western Theaters.

Rocket Man: Acting Signal Officer George H. Felt and his innovative pyrotechnics by Dale R. Niesen and Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 56-61)
Acting Signal Officer George H. Felt developed innovative signal rockets and coded pyrotechnics that sought to transform Civil War communications.

Material Culture by Ronald S. Coddington (p. 64)
Though linked to Confederate forces, Maynard carbines also armed select Union cavalry regiments, including the 1st Wisconsin and 9th Pennsylvania.

Women of War by Melissa A. Wynn (pp. 66-68)
Educator Emma Brown Montgomery devoted her life to teaching Black children during and after the Civil War, leaving a lasting legacy in Washington, D.C.

Behind the Backdrop by Buck Zaidel (pp. 70-71)
Four cartes de visite reveal how photographer J.P. Ball used painted backdrops to distinguish civilian life from military service in wartime Cincinnati.

Vignette by Scott Valentine (p. 72)
Colonel John A. Koltes fell leading a charge at Second Bull Run. His blood-stained scabbard rested atop his casket during a well-attended funeral in Philadelphia.

Stragglers (pp. 75-77)
Confederate Capt. William Pratt Parks, Sgt. John W. Taylor, Capt. Samuel D. Irvin, a Zouave, and a portrait of a print of Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth.

The Last Shot by Robert May(p. 80)
Color Sergeant John A. Kiggins repaired his regiment’s flagpole at Gettysburg and earned the Medal of Honor for heroism at Lookout Mountain.

Posted on

Faces of Gettysburg’s Seminary Hospital: A Research Update

One Friday last January, I drove to Gettysburg to visit the Seminary Ridge Museum and met with Codie Eash, the Director of Education and Interpretation, and Paul Russinoff, a Military Images senior editor and a member of the museum’s board. Paul organized the meeting to discuss an idea—an exhibit of images of surgeons, patients, and attendants who were on the seminary grounds used as a temporary hospital during the three-day battle.

The meeting was a success, and it kicked off a larger effort to locate original, wartime, photographic portraits of those who were there. The project began with a remarkable dataset: a documented list of 498 patients treated at the hospital during and after the Battle of Gettysburg, along with registries of 147 attendants and 30 surgeons who cared for them—675 unique individuals.

Here’s an update on our progress.

The first and most important phase of the project relied on the generosity of collectors. Through social media, personal outreach, and the support of the Civil War photography community, collectors shared images from their collections and helped identify individuals connected to the hospital. Their contributions formed the foundation of this effort.

As the project evolved, we explored new research methods alongside traditional approaches. Using Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models, we compared the 675-person list against thousands of identified Civil War photographs. We searched about 6,600 records of Union images published in Military Images and analyzed more than 9,000 images in the Library of Congress’s Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs. Using ChatGPT to assist our efforts, we were able to compare the datasets, surface potential matches, and direct our attention to promising leads that were then verified through traditional historical research.

To date, we have identified 25 unique individuals connected to the Seminary Hospital for whom original wartime photographs are known to survive. Some are represented by multiple views.

This work would not have been possible without the efforts of many individuals. In addition to Paul and Codie, thanks tot he collecting community who responded to the call: Sid Dreese, Scott Hahn, Scott Hilts, Chuck Joyce, Paul Loane, Ronn Palm, Jim Rivest, and Tom Liljenquist and the staff of the Library of Congress.

While our analysis of major image databases is largely complete, the search continues. We will continue to crowdsource through social media, collector networks, descendants, and institutional contacts in hopes of locating additional photographs.

It is not too late to participate! Here’s the spreadsheet.

The exhibit is expected to open at the Seminary Ridge Museum this September. The opening is planned to coincide with the annual symposium of the Center for Civil War Photography, which will be held in Gettysburg, where the project will be shared with attendees—and, of course, with a wider audience of historians, collectors, and Civil War enthusiasts.

Onward!

Ronald S. Coddington
Editor & Publisher

Posted on

New Special Issue Tells the Fort Donelson Story Through Photos and Stories of Those Who Were There

A new special issue from Military Images and John Walsh brings the story of Fort Donelson to life through powerful portraits and firsthand accounts.

Originally published as the cover story in our Winter 2025 issue, this 20-page presentation by John Walsh—founder of Fort Donelson Relics and a lifelong student of the Western Theater—offers a deeply informed and personal look at one of the Civil War’s pivotal early victories.

As Walsh writes, the Union triumph in February 1862 “broke the back of the secession serpent.” The fall of the fort triggered the surrender of 14,600 Confederates, opened vital rivers, and led to the loss of Nashville—while elevating a little-known general, Ulysses S. Grant, to national prominence with his demand for unconditional surrender.

From the twin blows at Fort Henry and Donelson—supported by the ironclads of Andrew H. Foote—to the engagement of more than 40,000 soldiers, this issue captures the human dimension of the campaign through the faces and stories of those who were there.

Walsh, who lives near Fort Donelson National Battlefield, has spent decades preserving relics and advancing understanding of the soldiers who fought on this ground. His work reflects a commitment to responsible collecting, historical research, and battlefield preservation.

Founded in 1979, Military Images is dedicated to showcasing, interpreting, and preserving Civil War portrait photography—and the stories behind the faces.

Get your copy for $10 plus shipping at shopmilitaryimages.com.

Posted on

The Spring 2026 Issue

A complete table of contents for the Spring 2026 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XLIV, No. 2
(80 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe or renew your subscription

Explore the MI Archives:
Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial

Inside

Cover
A tintype of a Hoosier cavalryman posed with a Merrill carbine and a .44-caliber Model 1860 Army Colt revolver.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
A reflection on collectors Rick Carlile and Perry Frohne, stewardship, and the future of Civil War photography collecting in a changing digital community.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes praise for Mike Fitzpatrick’s profile of “Fighting Bob” Robley, identifying three Confederate soldiers, and more.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
National Archives data shows how 2,700 women served in concentrated Union hospital centers, revealing the scale and geography of wartime care.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
A new book by Richard Leisenring Jr. examines Elmira prison images as historical evidence, revealing how photography, commerce, and memory shaped views of the Civil War camp.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-9)
Why many images of women soldiers are misidentified or fake—and how research separates verified portraits from myths in Civil War history.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 10)
A militia officer’s portrait raises questions about daguerreotype reversal, revealing clues in uniform details, sword presentation, and camera technology.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 12)
Major Ruel M. Johnson led the 100th Indiana Infantry under heavy fire at Missionary Ridge, earning the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the Chattanooga Campaign.

The Honored Few by Evan Phifer (p. 14)
Iron Brigade officer William Wade Dudley lost a leg at Gettysburg, later served veterans as Pension Bureau chief, and was tied to the 1888 Block of Five scandal.

The Citizenry (p. 16)
A Lafayette, Ind., firm’s Civil War contracts fed Union troops, revealing how Midwestern businesses powered the Northern war effort in the Western Theater.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 18-20)
A Terre Haute, Ind., portrait of veteran Union soldiers reveals clues in Model 1842 muskets, Greenwood alterations, and field gear used to trace their unit.

Hoosiers: Indiana Faces of the Civil War (pp. 22-40)
A gallery of Indiana Civil War portraits and stories, from early enlistments to major battles, prison camps, and home-front sacrifice across the Western Theater.

Long Sol: Indiana’a Fighting Quaker by Lance J. Herdegen (pp. 42-46)
The rise of Solomon “Long Sol” Meredith and his Iron Brigade, from Brawner’s Farm to Gettysburg, where wounds ended his battlefield career.

Thunderbolts and Lightning at Hoover’s Gap: How Wilder’s Lightning Brigade received its nom de guerre by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 48-52)
How John T. Wilder’s mounted infantry and Spencer rifles secured Hoover’s Gap and earned the name “Lightning Brigade” in the Tullahoma Campaign.

Dynamite Man: The life and times of Hoosier soldier, sailor, and inventor James Weir Graydon by Ronald S. Coddington(pp. 54-59)
From teenage bugler in the 7th Indiana Cavalry to Navy officer and prolific inventor, the remarkable life and ambitions of James W. Graydon.

Harper’s Weekly Needed an Image of Wallace’s Zouaves. They Commissioned This One. by Ron Field(pp. 60-62)
How photographs of the 11th Indiana Infantry, also known as Wallace’s Zouaves, became Harper’s Weekly engravings.

Material Culture by Ron Field (pp. 64-68)
How the 11th Indiana Infantry’s Zouave uniforms changed during the war, from gray militia dress to distinctive blue patterns worn in major campaigns.

Women of War by Melissa A. Wynn (pp. 70-71)
Indiana nurse Eleanor Ransom survived the 1864 sinking of the transport North America and returned to care for Union soldiers through war’s end.

Behind the Backdrop by Buck Zaidel (pp. 72-73)
How focus, depth, and staging at an Indianapolis gallery turned painted Civil War backdrops into convincing camp scenes for Indiana soldiers.

Vignette by Scott Valentine (p. 74)
Captain Poinsett Cooper of the 42nd New York Infantry survived four wounds from Antietam to the Wilderness, including a guerrilla attack during evacuation in Virginia.

Stragglers (pp. 75-77)
Profiles of Union and Confederate soldiers through Civil War portraits, including rare “Jeff. Davis and the South!”placard images, battlefield service, and personal wartime histories.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
How the 58th Indiana Infantry funded and dedicated one of Indiana’s first Civil War monuments to honor its fallen, conceived while the regiment was still in service.

Posted on

Civil War Nurses Exhibit Opens at Carnegie Free Library

On February 14, 2026, the traveling exhibit Faces of Civil War Nurses opened to a warm welcome at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, Pa., just outside Pittsburgh.

Presented in partnership by Military Images and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, the exhibit features 20 life-size portraits of women who served as nurses during the Civil War—bringing viewers face-to-face with the caregivers who tended the wounded and dying in hospitals, camps, and on the battlefield.

The Carnegie installation marks the second stop for the exhibition following its premiere at the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office in Washington, D.C.

Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall .

A Record-Setting Opening

The Valentine’s Day opening program exceeded expectations in every way.

According to program coordinator Jon-Erik Gilot, the event set an attendance record for the library’s long-running Second Saturday Civil War Series, which began in 2014.

Coddington, left, with Jon-Erik Gilot.

The audience reflected the library’s broad educational mission. While many were Civil War enthusiasts, others came simply out of curiosity and a love of lifelong learning. Despite limited parking and a busy weekend, the room filled quickly, and late arrivals continued to stream in after the program began.

Bringing the Nurses to Life

The opening presentation explored the stories behind the images and the larger effort to identify, research, and interpret the visual record of Civil War nurses. The strong turnout—and the many thoughtful comments afterward—underscored the growing public interest in the human side of Civil War photography.

As Gilot noted, the program “set a high bar not just for attendance, but for content and quality,” and the enthusiastic response highlighted the power of portrait photography to connect modern audiences with the past.

Continuing the Journey

Faces of Civil War Nurses continues its run in Carnegie through May 9, offering visitors a rare opportunity to encounter these women at full scale and learn about their service and sacrifice.

The success of the opening affirms the exhibit’s mission: to honor the caregivers of the Civil War and to share their stories with communities across the country.

Posted on

A Family Genealogist Finds His Ancestor in Military Images

Every so often an email lands in my inbox that reminds me of the value of Military Images.

Last night, I heard from James Burdin, a family genealogist researching his ancestor Melville Soper, a major in the 5th Indiana Cavalry. James’ research led him to discover a carte de visite of Soper published in Military Images nearly two decades ago. Until that moment, he had never seen Soper in uniform. Surviving photographs of Soper show him only at the end of his life.

James glimpsed Soper, standing in his dress uniform, sword at his side. 

This moment—when a descendant sees a Civil War ancestor—is deeply satisfying. I never tire of it.

James’ email also underscored another truth about Civil War photography: images often carry fragments of stories that still wait to be fully told. According to the original caption with the photograph, written by John Sickles and published in our March/April 2006 issue, Soper started the war as a musician in the 37th Indiana Infantry, and is pictured at the beginning of his service in the 5th as a first lieutenant. “Major Soper was captured on the Stoneman raid. Influential people tried to intercede in obtaining his freedom to no avail. Senator James Lane of Kansas called Soper a ‘noble, daring soldier,’ and General John Farnsworth concurred. He was discharged in May, 1865.”

Sickles, a meticulous and generous historian and a former senior editor, is no longer with us. Yet John’s scholarship continues to spark discovery—sometimes decades later, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. John’s work reminds me of the importance of sharing images and stories.

This brings me to a call to action.

If you have letters, photographs, documents, or other items connected to Major Soper, reach out. Share them. And keep on sharing artifacts related to other soldiers, sailors and their families.

Posted on

How a Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Found a Soldier Portrait Through Military Images to Help Tell the Story of the Fight

When Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Jerry Hahn watched a YouTube episode of Life on the Civil War Research Trail featuring Capt. Davis Eugene Castle of the U.S. Signal Corps, a wartime portrait of Castle—standing confidently, binoculars in hand—appeared on the screen.

Hahn, who tells Castle’s story as part of his tour, had not previously seen the image.

Carte de visite by an anonymous photographer. The late Rick Carlile Collection.

Hahn reached out and requested permission to use it, and for a higher resolution copy.

The image, part of the late Rick Carlile Collection, first appeared in our Summer 2019 issue in a feature story titled “Optics: Military men with field glasses and telescopes.”

In 2022, Castle’s image and story appeared in the book Gettysburg Faces: Portraits and Personal Accounts, printed by Gettysburg Publishing.

Castle’s Gettysburg story is memorable. According to an official report by his commanding officer, “On July 3, when the enemy made their furious attack upon our center at Gettysburg, Captain Castle occupied a signal station at General Meade’s headquarters, near Cemetery Hill, and remained there on duty after all others had been driven away. His flagmen had also left with his signal equipments, under the impression that their officer had gone with the rest. Having occasion to send a couple of important messages to the general commanding, then at General Slocum’s headquarters, Captain Castle quickly cut a pole, extemporized a signal flag from a bedsheet procured nearby, and sent his dispatches through under a most galling fire.”

Courtesy Jerry Hahn.

We gladly granted Hahn’s permission to use the portrait in his interpretive work on the battlefield. Using ChatGPT’s image-generation tools, he created a compelling artistic interpretation of Castle, standing with his improvised bedsheet signal flag, with Meade’s headquarters behind him. This imaginative visualization reflects what great battlefield guides do—take historical evidence, understand it in context, and bring it to life in ways that help visitors see the past more vividly. Hahn’s image reinforces Castle’s extraordinary moment of bravery and ingenuity.

Licensed battlefield guides like Hahn help visitors understand the human stories that shaped the battle. Their work depends on primary sources—photographs, letters, memoirs—and on the historians, editors, and collectors who preserve and publish them.

When battlefield guides and other students of Civil War history reach out to request an image—as Hahn did—we see it as a sign that the magazine remains a relevant resource for public history. We’re honored to support Hahn and all who interpret America’s defining conflict.

Posted on

The Summer 2025 Issue

A complete table of contents for the Summer 2025 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XLIII, No. 3
(80 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe or renew your subscription

Explore the MI Archives:
Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial

Inside

Cover
A carte de visite from the Karl Sundstrom Collection pictures Maj. Horace N. Attkisson of the 50th Indiana Infantry, “The Gallant Hero of Edgefield Junction.”

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
Civil War portraits of wounded, like battlefield photos in 1862, evoke powerful emotions—reminders of war’s cost and the courage of those who endured it.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes references to Confederate Gen. Evander Law, North Carolina photographer Esley Hunt, and American heritage and memories.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
A chart reveals how far Union regiments marched in the three weeks before Gettysburg. The range is from under 60 to more than 350 miles.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Two new books spotlight overlooked forces in the Civil War—Catholic chaplains who served troops and the powerful role of weather in the Gettysburg Campaign.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-10)
A mystery Brady photo once thought to be Thomas Meagher or John Buford is correctly re-identified as Capt. Atlee W. Putnam of the 7th U.S. Infantry.

Antebellum Warriors by Joe Bauman (pp. 12-13)
Lt. Col. Joshua Howard fought in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War—one of a small group to serve in all three major conflicts.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 14)
Captain Edward C. Townsend, a Union officer and War Department clerk, mourned Lincoln’s assassination and led U.S. Colored Troops at the Battle of the Crater.

The Honored Few (p. 16)
Christian Fleetwood, a free Black man from Baltimore, earned the Medal of Honor for heroism at New Market Heights and fought to preserve the legacy of Black soldiers.

The Citizenry (pp. 18-19)
In 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln met 94-year-old Joshua Dewey, a Revolutionary War veteran who had voted in every U.S. election since Washington.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 20-22)
The story of John Burns, the civilian hero of Gettysburg, his iconic firearms, battlefield bravery, and how history and photography remembered him—and his weapons.

Bonds of Loyalty: Forged in Mexico, 1847 — Tested in Texas, 1864 by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 24-32)
In Indiana during the Mexican War, two soldiers fought side by side. Fifteen years later during the Civil War they met again—this time on opposite sides.

Capturing Elmira: The photographers who documented a Northern prisoner of war camp by Richard Leisenring, Jr., adapted from his forthcoming book(pp. 34-38)
The story of Elmira’s Civil War prison camp—“Hellmira”—through photographs, historical details, and the harsh realities faced by Confederate prisoners.

A Boy Company Goes to War: William Henry Harrison Ewing and His Hampden-Sydney College Classmates by Dave Batalo and Hunter Lesser (pp. 40-43)
Hampden-Sydney College students formed a militia in 1861, fought at Rich Mountain, were captured, and sent home with a lesson from Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan.

The Last Grand Army Vets and a Youthful Symbol of America’s Fighting Men by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 44-47)
A 1952 Boston Globe cover honored the last Union veterans and a young Korean War soldier, bridging generations of service and capturing a poignant national moment.

The Last Confederate Veteran by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 48-49)
Pleasant Riggs Crump, the last confirmed Confederate veteran, survived Hatcher’s Run, lived to 104, and became a symbol of memory in the postwar South.

“‘Died at Gettysburg!’ No Prouder Epitaph Need Any Man Covet.”: The Tragedy of Capt. Richard Wistar Davids of the 118th Pennsylvania Infantry by Charles T. Joyce (pp. 50-59)
The life and legacy of Davids, a Philadelphia aristocrat whose sacrifice at Gettysburg shaped his family’s story and historical memory.

Collector and Mentor: Seven decades after he began his Civil War journey, Karl Sundstrom continues to inspire by Austin Sundstrom(pp. 60-65)
Explore Civil War portrait photography through the unique lens of Karl Sundstrom’s collection, introduced by his nephew and fellow collector, Austin Sundstrom.

Material Culture by Ron Field (pp. 66-68)
Explore how to distinguish U.S. and British Navy sailors in Civil War-era photos by comparing subtle uniform differences in rare images from Ron Field’s collection.

Women of War by Melissa A. Wynn (pp. 70-71)
Elizabeth Keckly rose from slavery to become Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker and confidante—then risked it all by publishing her bold and controversial memoir.

Behind the Backdrop by Buck Zaidel and Ronald S. Coddington (p. 72)
Philadelphia photographer Washington L. Germon’s Sea of Tents background is likely inspired by the many military camps in the city during the Civil War.

Vignette by Scott Valentine (p. 74)
Brigadier Gen. Joseph King Fenno Mansfield, a veteran engineer and Mexican War hero, was mortally wounded at Antietam just two days after taking corps command.

Stragglers (p. 74)
A Union soldier grips a War of 1812-era cavalry saber, dressed in early war uniform with 1851 eagle belt plate, and a collector’s first image.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
John “Laurenz” Rosenberger, a Confederate band member and postwar orchestra leader, played music through war and peace, from Richmond to Ford’s Theater.