Tag: phil spaugy

Posted on

The Winter 2026 Issue

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

Vol. XLIV, No. 1
(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 Confederate soldier sporting a “Sicilian”-style stocking cap with a large secession cockade attached to the front, D-Guard Bowie knife and Model 1842 musket.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
A tribute to Rick Carlile’s impact on Military Images and collectors, honoring his mentorship, scholarship, and shared passion for Civil War photography.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes notes on Texas photographer Louis de Planque, restoring the name of a misidentified soldier, and more.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
Tracking the loyalties of 1,125 surviving West Point graduates, 1802-1864, indicates that one in three wore Confederate gray.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Two new Civil War books explore a truce in Louisiana and New York City in images, offering fresh insights from James Hogg, Jonathan White, and Timothy Orr.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-10)
Research into a Civil War portrait reveals Maj. Alphonzo Nicholds and his wife, Julia, showing how photo sleuthing can restore names and stories to forgotten images.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 12)
A militia officer’s portrait reflects America’s 19th-century system of independent companies, state oversight, and reforms that led to today’s National Guard.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 14)
At Cold Harbor, George Armes, and aide to Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, rode through heavy fire to deliver an order to Maj. Gen. Francis Barlow.

The Honored Few by Evan Phifer (pp. 16-17)
Henry Goodwin of the 27th Maine served during the Gettysburg crisis, later receiving a Medal of Honor that was rescinded in the 1917 review of award criteria.

The Citizenry by Elizabeth A. Topping (p. 18)
Photographs of young women at the 1864 Metropolitan Fair show attendants of the Normandy Confectionery booth, not nurses, illustrating Civil War homefront roles.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 20-22)
An 1861 view of the 9th Mississippi Infantry at Camp Magnolia shows early Confederate clothing, arms, and leadership as the regiment entered wartime service.

Southern Exposures: Confederate images from the Paul Reeder Collection by Ron Field (pp. 24-39)
A study of Confederate soldiers through their uniforms, weapons, and wartime portraits, revealing Southern military dress, equipment, and material culture.

A Wisconsin Sharpshooter’s Changing Face: Portraits and letters trace Pvt. Henry Lye’s wartime life—and loss at Gettysburg by Jeff McArdle (pp. 40-47)
Sharpshooter Henry Lye’s letters chart marches to Gettysburg, Peninsula and Chancellorsville battles, and his July 2, 1863 death, and Myra’s long grief at home.

Twice Dismissed, Never Defeated: Robley Evans and the making of the Navy legend “Fighting Bob” by Michael F. Fitzpatrick (pp. 48-56)
The story of Robley Dunglison Evans traces his perilous youth, Naval Academy appointment, Civil War service, and ascent to rear admiral after remarkable persistence.

Q&A with Cara Arnold: Connecting Through Images by Deena C. Bouknight(pp. 60-63)
An interview with Cara Arnold of The Horse Soldier, exploring her path into military history, image appraisal, collecting, and the world of Civil War material culture.

Material Culture by Dr. Charles H. Cureton (pp. 64-66)
A study of Marine Corps boy musicians, their distinctive uniforms, and the early-war Horstmann sword pattern documented through a studio image from Brooklyn.

Women of War by Melissa A. Wynn (pp. 68-69)
Kate Chase, Washington’s ambitious Civil War socialite, her political work for father Salmon P. Chase, marriage to marriage to Gov. William Sprague, and postwar decline.

Behind the Backdrop by Buck Zaidel (p. 70)
A Civil War soldier stands before a primitive painted camp backdrop by photographer Julia Emma Jones.

Vignette by Scott Valentine (p. 72)
The 8th Vermont Infantry met its first combat near Bayou des Allemands, and Alvin B. Franklin rose through repeated wounds to lead his regiment in battle.

Stragglers (pp. 74-76)
Images include Union and Confederate musicians, a Mississippi soldier, a Richmond monument, and a possible early war field hospital scene after Blackburn’s Ford.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
The story of Bob Dillard, an enslaved man identified by name and face, whose life was bound to Captain John Dillard through the Mexican War and the Civil War.

Posted on

The Autumn 2025 Issue

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

Vol. XLIII, 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
An albumen print the Rick Carlile Collection pictures five members of Company F, 44th Massachusetts Infantry, posed with weapons and gear.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
A reflection on generative AI that animates and colorizes 19th-century military photographs, situating it within photography’s history and public engagement.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes the identification of two military images: U.S. Navy sailor Isaac H. Pierman and Sgt. John S. Koster of he 35th and 21st Massachusetts infantries.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
Newspapers.com data shows how “Contraband,” “Fugitive Slave,” “Colored Troops,” and “Freedmen” rose and fell in U.S. newspapers during the Civil War, 1861–1865.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Review of Timothy Renner’s I Have Never Minded the Loneliness, profiling 37 hermits—including Gettysburg’s Hermit of Wolf Hill—with ties to Strange Familiars.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-11)
How to use generative AI in Civil War photo sleuthing: reverse image search, facial recognition, backdrop matching, better prompts, bias checks, and cautions.

Antebellum Warriors by Ron Field (p. 12)
A South Carolina militiaman with palmetto-plumed shako, triple-breasted coat, leather stock, civilian trousers, and an 1807-pattern stirrup-hilted sword.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 14)
Franklin Y. Commagere served with the 14th Ohio Infantry, 67th New York Infantry, and the 6th U.S. Colored Cavalry; later in the 7th U.S. Cavalry. He is buried at Arlington.

The Honored Few by Evan Phifer (p. 16)
At Gettysburg, John B. Fassett led the 39th New York Infantry to retake Watson’s Battery guns near the Trostle farm on July 2, 1863, earning the Medal of Honor.

The Citizenry by Elizabeth A. Topping (p. 18)
Nine women identified as nurses at York U.S. Army Hospital, c.1864; with ties to the Ladies’ Aid Society ties and care after the Battle of Gettysburg.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 20-23)
Company B, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry on Lookout Mountain with Starr carbines in 1864, soon to ride under Kilpatrick during Sherman’s March to the Sea.

“Our Mess”: An 1862 image captures the camaraderie, campaigns, and distinctive equipment of five pards in Company F of the 44th Massachusetts Infantry by Michael R. Cunningham, Ph.D., featuring an image from the Rick Carlile Collection(pp. 24-27)
Exploring an image of five soldiers of Company F, 44th Massachusetts Infantry, posed with Enfield rifles and Short’s Patent knapsacks.

Marching Order! A glimpse of what federal soldiers looked like as they marched into battle— and into history by Michael R. Cunningham, Ph.D., featuring images from the Rick Carlile Collection (pp. 28-37)
Portraits show soldiers ready for campaigning with field gear—knapsacks, canteens, bayonets—plus other gear, from all sections of the Union.

The Bayard of the Volunteer Army: The life and death of Brig. Gen. William Haines Lytle, the poet-warrior by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 38-43)
William Haines Lytle, 10th Ohio commander and poet, received a gold Maltese cross in August 1863 and fell at Chickamauga weeks later; his verse shaped his legacy. 

On Quinby’s Watch by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 46-55)
Colorado Lt. Ira Quinby, a Signal Corps officer active at the 1864 Battle of Westport, helped guide moves that halted Price’s Raid—The Gettysburg of the West.

Mary’s Album: Cartes de visite and tintypes collected by a teenager put faces on two Loudoun Rangers of Virginia by Bob Iwig (pp. 58-60)
A Harpers Ferry teenager’s album includes photos of two Loudoun Rangers—Union cavalrymen active in an area with Mosby’s raiders and White’s Comanches.

Collecting Civil War Artifacts Before the Centennial by Norman Delaney(pp. 62-63)
Reflecting on how Civil War artifacts were found before the 1961–65 centennial, from family heirlooms to Bannerman catalogs, antique shops and early hunts.

Material Culture by Frederick C. Gaede and Paul D. Johnson (pp. 66-67)
Colonel William d’Alton Mann proposed shoulder-slung accouterments to move weight off the waist. Selected units tried the innovation, but never adopted it as standard.

Women of War by Melissa A. Wynn (pp. 68-69)
Louisa May Alcott served as a Civil War nurse in Washington, D.C., recorded her experiences in Hospital Sketches, and championed women’s rights.

Behind the Backdrop by Buck Zaidel (pp. 70-71)
A Hartford, Conn., studio’s camp-scene backdrop—attributed to Nelson A. Moore—shows up in similar form in Ohio and Philadelphia, tracing links among wartime studios.

Vignette by Scott Valentine (p. 72)
Samuel A. Duncan led the 4th and 6th USCT at New Market Heights in 1864 during the Richmond campaign; Sgt. Maj. Christian Fleetwood earned the Medal of Honor.

Stragglers (pp. 74-76)
Kentucky campaigners, a sailor of Asian heritage, a split-screen soldier on camp and on campaign, and a soldier at Point Lookout.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
Unidentified Confederate with Bowie knife, single-shot pistol, and tinware in a wool jacket—a ninth-plate ambrotype from the Paul Reeder Collection. 

Posted on

Free Talk About the 19th Indiana and the Iron Brigade, April 9, 2025

Live in Chicago and on Zoom | April 9, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. CST
📍 Zoom ID: 845 3227 1496 | No Passcode Required
Brought to you by the Civil War Round Table of Chicago
https://www.chicagocwrt.org/index.html

The Iron Brigade—famed for their black Hardee hats and fierce reputation—is often remembered as Wisconsin’s pride. But the 19th Indiana Infantry was there from the beginning. On April 9, Phil Spaugy, a senior editor who writes “Of Arms and Men” for Military Images, will share the compelling story of this hard-fighting Hoosier regiment.

At Gettysburg, the 19th Indiana fought valiantly along Willoughby Run, bearing the brunt of the July 1 assault with grim tenacity. They suffered a 62% casualty rate in a single day—an astonishing toll. Five color bearers fell carrying the flag. Their colonel, Samuel J. Williams, a farmer from Indiana with Virginia roots, was wounded at Gettysburg and later killed in action at the Battle of the Wilderness.

Phil brings decades of experience to this story. A longtime member of the North South Skirmish Association, he has live-fired nearly every type of Civil War firearm. His expertise in infantry arms, uniforms, and accouterments—especially those connected to the Iron Brigade of the West—makes him one of the most sought-after voices in the field.

In addition to his work for Military Images, Phil is the Arms Columnist for The Civil War Monitor and serves as a historical consultant to the Adams County Historical Society and Civil War News. He and his wife, Amy, live in Vandalia, Ohio.

Whether you attend in person or tune in via Zoom, this is a talk you won’t want to miss.

📆 Mark your calendar: Wednesday, April 9
💻 Zoom Meeting ID: 845 3227 1496
🕢 7:30 p.m. CST | No passcode required

Posted on

New Column: “Of Arms and Men” by Phil Spaugy

I am thrilled to welcome Phil Spaugy as a Senior Editor and columnist. His inaugural column, “Of Arms and Men: At the intersection of photography and ordnance technology,” debuts in this issue. I’ve known Phil for some years now, and he’s the trusted source I’ve turned to time and again to identify long and side arms in photographs. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit are infectious. A longtime member of the North-South Skirmish Association (N-SSA), Phil has served in numerous offices, including National Commander and the Board of Directors. He has also been active with the N-SSA’s Union Guards, 19th Indiana Infantry. Phil studies arms and accouterments of federal infantry soldiers with an emphasis on his home state of Ohio, firearms of the U.S Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, and the Iron Brigade.

Phil’s inaugural column, “The Invincible Buckeyes of the 4th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry,” explores a sixth-plate tintype in the Paul Reeder Collection of an unidentified trooper. Phil details the weapons in the portrait and, thanks to a newspaper clipping tucked into the case, connects the image to Huntsville, Ala., where this image may have been taken.

Please join me in welcoming Phil and “Of Arms and Men” to MI.

Posted on

Saluting Four Who Make MI Great

It is my pleasure to announce four individuals who have been promoted to Contributing Editor in recognition of their contributions to Military Images. Their experience, knowledge and generosity touches many of the images and stories you see and read in the magazine. Over the last year, you’ve seen their names listed in the magazine under the heading Special Thanks. Now, they are full-fledged Contributing Editors:

Dan Binder: Dan’s passion for photography is infectious and his knowledge of buttons and equipment impressive. His willingness to share this information to educate and inform is a credit to the collecting community.

Mike Cunningham: Mike’s passion for uniforms, hats and general knowledge of Civil War material culture is outstanding. He also offers strong theories to help explain why we see what we see.

Ron Maness: Ron brings a depth of knowledge of edged weapons that confirms existing identifications and helps us better understand those who are nameless—and hopefully lead to their positive identification.

Phil Spaugy: Phil’s knowledge of muskets and revolvers, and the extent to which he researches them, adds a new layer of information to portraits. His dogged determination to identify weapons, sometimes working with only a small visual fragment, is incredible.

Please join me in congratulating our new Contributing Editors!