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The Autumn 2024 Issue

A complete table of contents for the Autumn 2024 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XLIII, No. 4
(80 pages)

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Inside

Cover
A sixth-plate tintype from the Claudia and Al Niemiec Collection pictures two soldiers from the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) at Benton Barracks in St. Louis. 

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
After a quarter century of subscription costs remaining the same, the rate for a single year will change from $24.95 to $30 effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes an observation about uniform coats buttoned on the opposite side, praise for columnist Phil Spaugy, praise for theory about the iconic image of three Confederate prisoners after Gettysburg, and more.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
A breakdown of about 2.1 million soldiers contributed by each state and territory to the U.S. Army during the Civil War as a percent of the 1860 U.S. Census population figures.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Book review of The Atlanta Campaign, 1864,(Casemate Publishers) by David A. Powell.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-11)
Exploring the search for Civil War soldier photos from the Battles of First and Second Manassas, uncovering portraits and expanding collections for museums.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 12)
This unidentified soldier wears the antebellum uniform of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry, which gained national attention in 1861 during the Baltimore riot.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 14)
General John A. Rawlins, Ulysses S. Grant’s chief-of-staff, died in 1869. Grant missed being at his deathbed by an hour. Rawlins rests in Arlington Cemetery.

The Honored Few (p. 16)
Jenny Langbein, a drummer boy in Hawkins’ Zouaves during the Civil War, bravely saved his comrade at the Battle of Camden, earning a Medal of Honor and becoming a New York lawyer.

The Citizenry by Elizabeth A. Topping (pp. 18-19)
Calisthenics, introduced in the 1830s, revolutionized fitness for women with light exercises and gymnastic routines, promoting health, grace, and preparing women for motherhood.

Of Arms and Men by Phil Spaugy (pp. 22-25)
The First Model Maynard Carbines carried by the Bolivar Troop of Mississippi during the early part of the Civil War proved formidable, almost mythical, weapons.

The Black Phalanx at Benton Barracks: Transforming men of color into U.S. soldiers, late 1863 to early 1864 by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 28-31)
African American soldiers of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) at Benton Barracks in St. Louis endured prejudice and hardship before becoming distinguished U.S. Army men.

JEB: A portrait taken in Hagerstown captures Stuart during the withdrawal following Gettysburg by Phil McCoy (pp. 32–40)
During the retreat after the Battle of Gettysburg, JEB Stuart posed for this portrait in the Hagerstown, Maryland, gallery of photographer Elias M. Recher.

Back to Libby: In 1864, Capt. Matt Boyd successfully made the Great Escape from Libby Prison. In 1889, he returned to deal with his demons. by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 42-52)
Boyd, a captain in the 73rd Indiana Infantry surrendered at the abrupt end of Streight’s Raid, returned to Libby Prison as a guard when the building was moved to Chicago and opened as a museum.

Forever Peace: A former Confederate gives a miniature of the Appomattox surrender table to Ulysses S. Grant by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 54-58)
Ulysses S. Grant received a hero’s welcome in Philadelphia in 1879, featuring a grand parade and the presentation of a gold miniature table symbolizing peace after the Civil War.

Artisans of Ames: An antebellum portrait of the people behind the prominent Civil War arms manufacturer by Ron Maness(pp. 60-63)
Ames Manufacturing Company artisans, known for producing military arms, gathered circa 1850 in Chicopee, Mass., posing with cannons, swords, and silverware near their factory.

Material Culture by Bill Thompson (pp. 66-67)
Robert S. Capen of the 1st and 4th Massachusetts cavalries carried this Colt Model 1860 revolver during the Civil War, and a photograph of his wife and son.

Women of War by Melissa A. Winn (pp. 68-70) 
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor, was a pioneering Civil War surgeon, women’s rights advocate, and a champion of dress reform.

Behind the Backdrop by Adam Ochs Fleischer (pp. 72-73)
The Moore brothers’ Hartford, Conn., studio produced high-quality Civil War portraits with a unique military backdrop, blending photography and fine art.

Vignette: Episodes of the Civil War by Scott Valentine (p. 74)
William Estes Hacker of the 3rd Maryland Infantry, wounded at Antietam in 1862, never fully recovered. He died of typhoid fever in 1863 and is buried in Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Stragglers (pp. 76-77)
Union soldier images contributed by Military Images magazine subscribers include men from the 43rd Wisconsin and 12th Connecticut infantries, and others.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
Two political cartoons depict Lincoln’s decisive 1864 election victory over McClellan, highlighting the Union’s support during the Civil War.

Civil War Buglers

A gallery of 31 images collected in collaboration with Editor Dale Niesen of the Facebook group “The Image Collector” and contributions by collectors, reviewed by Contributing Editor Chris Nelson, is focused on soldiers pictured with bugles and trumpets. All are Union musicians.

This story is part of our Summer 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and learn how to purchase a copy or subscribe in our finding aid.

Mississippi Marine Brigade

One of the Civil War’s most novel fighting forces, the Mississippi Marine Brigade, began its life as a fleet of rams, the brainchild of civil engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. After his death from an infected wound, command passed to his brother, Alfred, who built the MMB. This is its story.

Story by Paul Russinoff

This story is part of our Summer 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and learn how to purchase a copy or subscribe in our finding aid.

“Lost an Arm in Freedom’s Fray”

About 25,000 Union soldiers suffered amputations during the Civil War. These limbless men re-entered society, some faring well and others not. Here, we examine seven men who lost an arm as a result of the Battle of Gettysburg. Among them is artilleryman John F. Chase, who barely escaped when a canister charge exploded prematurely. Surgeons counted 48 shrapnel wounds on his body.

Story by Charles T. Joyce

This story is part of our Summer 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and learn how to purchase a copy or subscribe in our finding aid.

Research Rabbit Hole: Backdrop Business

A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET.

Season 1, Episode 9, is focused on backdrops, one of the great clues to help trace the photographers who used them—and, with a little grit, determination, and luck, maybe identifying the unknown face looking back at you. But where did photographers get those backdrops? We’ll shed some light on this question.

The full season is available on YouTube.

New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole premier every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.

Research Rabbit Hole: Inside an Iron Brigade Pension

A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, April 19, at 9 p.m. ET.

Season 1, Episode 8, is focused on a soldier who served in the storied 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, an Iron Brigade regiment that made its name at Gettysburg and other major Civil War battles. The 2nd paid a high price in casualties, including Sgt. Theodore Dosch Bahn of Company H. A look inside his pension file provides details about his military service—and reveals the value of these unique documents as a research tool.

The full season is available on YouTube.

New episodes of Research Rabbit Hole will be released every two weeks on our Facebook page. The host, Ronald S. Coddington, is Editor and Publisher of Military Images.

Blue, Gray & Khaki: Civil War Veterans and Doughboys

Last autumn, Military Images marked the centennial of World War I with a unique collection of images of Civil War veterans posed with Doughboys. In honor of their service, and as an ongoing part of our mission to showcase, interpret and preserve these old photos, we’re making this 11-page gallery available to you for free!
 

The Official Launch of Civil War Photo Sleuth

Kurt Luther, pictured here, in the moment he launched our Civil War Photo Sleuth software on August 1 in the Innovation Lab at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Kurt (head of CWPS), Ron Coddington (editor of Military Images magazine), and the rest of the team introduced guests throughout the day to the website to learn how to identify unknown Civil War photos, find photos of Civil War ancestors, and add identified photos to our reference database.

Attendees included Garry Adelman of the Civil War Trust and the Center for Civil War Photography, Melissa Winn of Civil War Times, Karen Chittenden from the Library of Congress and Tom Liljenquist, whose collection is part of the Library of Congress.

Images and live video of the event were carried on Facebook.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. CWPS is a historic moment for anyone interested in Civil War soldier and sailor photography.

Military Images Magazine at the Gettysburg Civil War Show

Join Military Images at the 45th Civil War Artifact and Collectibles Show in Gettysburg, Va. Stop by our table and bringing your best Civil War images—we’ll scan them free of charge and featured selected images in upcoming issues. We’ll be side-by-side with Kurt Luther and Civil War Photo Sleuth, a new website that uses technology and community to rediscover lost identities in American Civil War-era photographs. The show is sponsored by the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association.

Event Details
45th Civil War Artifact and Collectibles Show
Eisenhower Hotel & Conference Center Allstar Expo Complex
2634 Emmitsburg Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Saturday, June 30, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, July 1, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Admission: Adults: $8. Children 12 and under free if accompanied by an adult.

July 1 Talk: Cardomania! The Rise and Fall of the Carte de Visite

The Civil War Generation was the first to grow up with photography. This transformative medium made it possible for Americans from all walks of life to preserve their own likeness, a privilege once reserved only for the wealthy. During photography’s early years, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes ruled the portrait world. Then, on the eve of the Civil War, a curious new format landed in America—the carte de visite. After hostilities began, hundreds of thousands of citizen soldiers and sailors posed for their likenesses. Countless millions of photographs were produced. Significant numbers of these most intimate and personal artifacts survive today. Some are finding a place among the iconic images of the war. Join Ron Coddington, author of four books of collected Civil War portraits and editor and publisher of Military Images magazine, as he tells the story of the rise and fall of the carte de visite—and what became of them.

Also appearing at the event are our friends from Gettysburg Publishing, represented by Kevin Drake and several of his authors:

  • Mark H. Dunkelman
  • Cindy Small-Jennie Wade of Gettysburg
  • Patricia Rich
  • Scott Mingus, Sr
  • Bernadette Loeffel-Atkins
  • Lisa Shower

Event details:
Sunday, July 1, 5-6 p.m.
Gettysburg Heritage Center
297 Steinwehr Ave.
Gettysburg, PA 17325
No admission charge

For more information, visit:
http://www.gettysburgpublishing.com/upcoming-events.html
https://www.facebook.com/Gettysburgpublishing/
https://www.gettysburgmuseum.com/author–artist-events.html