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Finding Aid: November/December 2008

2008-v30-03-xxx

The complete issue

Vol. XXX, No. 3
(48 pages)


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Inside

Cover image
carte-de-visite-sized tintype of a petty officer, most likely a boatswain, aboard Adm. David Farragut’s flagship Hartford from the Steven Karnes collection.

Inside Cover Image
A carte de visite by Samuel Cooley from the Richard Rosenthal collection pictures the shell damaged gun turret of the ironclad Passaic.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
The editor notes that nearly 16 years have passed since MI published an issue dedicated entirely to the navies of the Civil War. More than 100 images are collected here.

A Letter From Ron Field (p. 3)
The author shares his experience of learning that an image in his collection is a fake that was purchased on eBay. He hopes that his experience will serve as a warning to other collectors and urges that we continue sharing images with the collecting fraternity to surface other possible fakes.

Civil War Sailors in Blue From the James Stokes Collection (pp. 4-24)
A total of 58 Union sailor portraits, mostly cartes de visite, are included in this expansive gallery. All of the subjects are enlisted men, and only one is identified: Seaman Edward H. Kenney of the Housatonic and New Ironsides. One of the most unusual images is a carte de visite of a young woman dressed in naval style attire.

Civil War Sailors From the Collections of Our Readers (pp. 25-37)
Another large gallery, mostly cartes de visite, features 27 Union and Confederate portraits of enlisted men and officers. Identified sailors include Landsman David Cesar of the Confederate gunboat Isondiga, Cmdr. Austin Pendergrast of the Congress, Water Witch and Nyack, Acting Ensign James Jordan of the Nyack, Landsman Freeman MacArthur of the Florida and Queen, Marcus (Mark) Lewis of the Michigan and Silver Lake, Confederate Lt. George T. Sinclair, Confederate Midshipman Richard H. Bacot of the Arkansas, Chicora and Neuse, Acting Master’s Mate William H. Gray of the Hastings and Juliet, Landsman Albert H. Angell of the Catskill, Seaman Alex Fraser Jr. of the Choctaw, Confederate 1st Lt. Charles Manigault Morris, Acting Ensign John R. Russ of the Aroostook, a sailor identified only as Milo Johnson, Seaman William H. Ayles of the Ohio, Colorado, Minnesota, Brandywine and Young America, Sailors William Ramsey and William Brune of the Frolic, Sailor James O. Ormand of the Benton and sailor George M. Early.

More Photographs of the U.S. Steamer Michigan (pp. 38-40)
Images from the Ted Karle collection include four images of the Michigan, which is the first iron-hulled warship in the U.S. navy. Also included are two portraits of men who served on the vessel. One of the men is identified: Pilot William Hinton.

Back Cover Story: Hubbard Taylor Minor Jr., Confederate States Navy (p. 41)
Minor began his service in the 42nd Tennessee Infantry in November 1862. He left the army eight months later to accept a commission as an acting midshipman and went on to serve the rest of the war in Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C. A leg wound suffered during the capture of the Union gunboat Water Witch on June 3, 1864, was perhaps the highlight of his war service. Minor died in 1874. The story is illustrated with a carte de visite portrait of Minor from the collection of David W. Vaughan.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (pp. 42-45)
In “Sailors: their uniforms and the collecting of their portraits,” McAfee highlights the distinctive and varied uniforms of the Union navy and reflects on his own collection of images. A total of eight portraits illustrate the text, including two identified photographs: Chaplain Thomas G. Salter and his son, Timothy G.C. Salter.

Sutler’s Row (p. 46)

The Last Shot (p. 48)
An “action” shot of crewmembers exercising with a 12-pounder Dahlgren howitzer on the deck of the monitor Lehigh. The image, a carte de visite by E.G. Fowx of City Point, Va., is part of the Steven Karnes collection.

Inside Back Cover
An unidentified sailor wearing a cap and shirt emblazoned with the name of his vessel, the Essex. The carte de visite by Excelsior Gallery of Memphis, Tenn., is part of the collection of James Stokes.

Back Cover
A carte de visite of Confederate States Navy Midshipman Hubbard Taylor Minor Jr. by Howell & Brown of Savannah, Ga., is part of the David W. Vaughan collection.

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