Category: Military Images

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4 Military Images Stories Named Finalists for 2025 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards

Delighted to share that four stories from Military Images magazine have been named finalists for the 2025 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards:

“Fort Donelson: Early turning point of the Civil War,” by John Walsh
The Union victory at Fort Donelson in February 1862 reshaped the war in its first year and propelled Ulysses S. Grant to national prominence. Read.

“‘Died at Gettysburg’: No Prouder Epitaph Need Any Man Covet,” by Charles T. Joyce
A moving exploration of the life and legacy of Davids, a Philadelphia aristocrat whose sacrifice at Gettysburg resonated through family memory and history. Read.

“On Quinby’s Watch,” by Ronald S. Coddington
Colorado Lt. Ira Quinby, a Signal Corps officer at the 1864 Battle of Westport, helped direct movements that checked Price’s Raid—often called the Gettysburg of the West. Read.

“Bonds of Loyalty: Forged in Mexico, 1847 — Tested in Texas, 1864,” by Ronald S. Coddington
Two Indiana soldiers who served together in the Mexican War found themselves on opposite sides fifteen years later during the Civil War—a powerful story of divided loyalties. Read.

Presented annually by the Army Historical Foundation, the Distinguished Writing Awards recognize excellence in historical scholarship and storytelling that deepens understanding of the U.S. Army’s past.

Final scores are due from the judges on July 1, with winners to be announced shortly thereafter.

We are proud to see Military Images so strongly represented among this year’s finalists. Since 1979, our mission has been to showcase, interpret, and preserve Civil War portrait photography—pairing compelling original images with research-driven narratives that bring the past to life. These nominations reflect that commitment.

Congratulations to our authors, and our thanks to the Army Historical Foundation for this meaningful recognition.

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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.

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Military Images Represents Civil War Portrait Photography at the Rich Mountain Symposium

I was honored to attend and represent Civil War portrait photography in all its forms—daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, cartes de visite, and other albumen prints—at the recent symposium, “Chronicling the Fight: Art & Photography of the Civil War,” presented by The Rich Mountain Battlefield Foundation and Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, W. Va.

Cliff Krainik discusses the career and contributions of Mathew Brady. (Military Images)

Held near the historic Rich Mountain battlefield, the setting placed us squarely on ground tied to the 1861 Western Virginia Campaign—an early and decisive phase of the war that helped secure the region for the Union and set the stage for the creation of West Virginia. You students of the Civil War know the names associated with this campaign: George B. McClellan, whose success here helped launch his national reputation; William S. Rosecrans, whose flanking movement at Rich Mountain proved decisive; Lew Wallace, then early in his wartime service; and Robert E. Lee, whose struggles in the rugged terrain marked one of the few setbacks in his military career.

My sincere thanks to Rick Wolfe for the invitation and to the entire team at Davis & Elkins for their warm welcome and thoughtful hospitality. The setting, organization, and attention to detail made for an outstanding experience from start to finish.

The symposium itself was exceptionally well structured: four engaging presentations spaced comfortably throughout the day, a welcome lunch break that encouraged conversation, and a terrific panel discussion that brought all the speakers together for a lively and insightful exchange.

My fellow presenters inspired me: Rick Wolfe on “Photos and Stories of West Virginia Soldiers,” Hunter Lesser discussing “Artists at War: The First Campaign,” and the legendary Cliff Krainik sharing his knowledge about “The Incomparable Civil War Photographer, Mathew B. Brady.”

Last but not least, I very much appreciated the audience—curious, engaged, and asking thoughtful questions that elevated the discussion. The combination of venue, pacing, and participation created a comfortable atmosphere. I left energized!

For more about the Rich Mountain Battlefield and its history, visit: https://beverlyheritagecenter.org/rich-mountain-battlefield/

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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.

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Bringing a Civil War Photographic Treasure to Hart Island

Military Images magazine is especially proud to help connect historic Civil War photographs and the private collectors who preserve them with researchers and educators around the country. Recently, Charles Handras, Park Supervisor for Hart Island in the Bronx, reached out to us as his office deepens its historical research into the island’s past.

Hart Island.

Their work includes exploring Hart Island’s connection to the U.S. Colored Troops who trained there before serving in the Union Army. Among the images that captured their attention was a historically significant 1864–65 photograph of African American soldiers at L’Ouverture Hospital in Alexandria, Va.,—an image featured in Military Images’ story “Freedmen Warriors, Civil Rights Fighters” by Charles Joyce, a onetime owner of the image.

Group at L’Overture Hospital, Alexandria, Va., about December 1864-April 1865, from left to right: Tobias Trout, 31st USCT, Wounded, Crater; William DeGraff, 22nd USCT, Sick; John H. Johnson, 27th USCT, Sick, diarrhea and rheumatism; Jerry Lisle, 28th USCT, Wounded, Crater; Leander Brown, 30th USCT, Wounded, Crater; Samuel Bond, 19th USCT, Sick; Robert Deyo, 26th USCT, Sick, pleurisy; Adolphus Harp, 19th USCT, Wounded, Crater; Stephen Vance, 30th USCT, Wounded, Crater; George H. Smith, 31st USCT, Wounded, Crater; Adam Bentley, 19th USCT, Wounded, Crater; Chauncey Leonard, Chaplain, USCT, Assigned to hospital. Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection.

The photograph now resides in the National Portrait Gallery, thanks to Ross J. Kelbaugh, who generously donated it and graciously granted permission for Supervisor Handras and his colleagues to publish it in their educational work.

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Top 20 Military Images stories in 2021

A look back at the most popular feature stories and columns in Military Images magazine in 2021. The list is based on the most viewed stories on Journal Storage, the non-profit company that preserved historically important journals.

Watch the reveal on YouTube:

Or, check out the list:

  1. Masculine Ideals in Civil War Photographs
    Austin Sundstrom
  2. They Knew Gettysburg Before the Battle
    Adams County Historical Society
  3. When Yellow Is Black and Blue Is White
    Elizabeth A. Topping
  4. New Hampshire Volunteers During the Civil War
    Dave Morin, Editor
  5. Investigating the Iconic Portraits of a USCT Drummer Boy
    Kurt Luther
  6. Uniforms of the Granite State
    Ron Field
  7. A Savior of the Capitol
    Paul Russinoff
  8. The Compact
    Ronald S. Coddington
  9. Lost an Arm in Freedom’s Fray: Union amputees after Gettysburg
    Charles T. Joyce
  10. Tracking Booth
    Richard A. Wolfe
  11. Participants in an Early Commemoration at Gettysburg’s National Cemetery?
    Elizabeth A. Topping
  12. Drummers
    Dale Niesen of The Image Collector, Chris Nelson, Editor
  13. From Vivid Eggplant to Unpleasant Cheesy Hues
    Ronald S. Coddington
  14. Military Anthropologist: Press coverage of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, May-November 1863
    Military Images
  15. Investigating the origins of three similar albums
    Kyle M. Stetz
  16. Morgan’s Lightning Strikes
    Dave Batalo, Ben Greenbaum
  17. Not a Forty-Eighter
    Daniel Carroll Toomey
  18. The Cambrian Oratress
    Richard L. Leisenring
  19. Early Uniforms of Duryee’s Zouaves, 1861
    Ron Field
  20. Green-Wood Cemetery
    Jeffrey I. Richman
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Finding Aid: Autumn 2021

A complete table of contents for the Autumn 2021 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XXXIX, No. 4
(80 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe to MI
Explore the MI Archives:
Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial

Inside

Cover image
A sixth-plate tintype from the Dan Schwab Collection pictures a U.S. Colored Infantryman.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
In “A Word About Mail Delivery,” the editor shares details about the history of the U.S. Post Office’s periodicals rate.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes praise for the gallery of buglers, a memorial to Trevor Boeve, a journey to recognize the grave of a Civil War veteran, and notes on fluted Colt Revolvers and Maynard Carbines.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
A breakdown of Medals of Honor awarded to Union army soldiers, by rank.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
Two books are reviewed: Colonel Mobley: The 7th Maryland Infantry in the Civil War by Justin T. Mayhew (self-published) and Military Prisons of the Civil War: A Comparative Study by David L. Keller (Westholme Publishing).

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-10)
In “Civil War Photo Sleuth Goes Social,” Luther provides information about several new features that focus on collaboration and community.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 12)
A sixth plate daguerreotype features a soldier dressed in a uniform with hints of militia and regular army from the Mexican War to early 1850s era.

Most Hallowed Ground (p. 14)
Pvt. Oliver Gardner of the 3rd Michigan Infantry survived a wound at the Battle of Gettysburg but succumbed to injuries sustained during the Battle of The Wilderness. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

The Honored Few (p. 16)
Maj. John Curtis Gilmore of the 16th New York Infantry put himself in harm’s way during the Battle of Salem Church when he grabbed the colors and rallied the men. His actions resulted in the Medal of Honor.

The Citizenry by Ross J. Kelbaugh (p. 18)
In “Free at Last,” the origins of a carte de visite of Freedmen on the grounds of a home is traced to Louisiana and the Baton Rouge studio of photographers McPherson and Oliver.

Bandsmen (pp. 21-35)
A gallery of 42 images collected in collaboration with Editor Dale Niesen of the Facebook group “The Image Collector” and contributions by collectors, reviewed by Jeff Stockham, is focused on musicians pictured with cornets and saxhorns.

Miniature Flags and Secession Cockades: Images from the Matthew L. Oswalt M.D. Collection (pp. 36-46)
30 representative images showcase Southern soldiers and civilians. The photographs are introduced with a biographical information of Oswalt and how he became a collector of Civil War images.

Sylvester’s War: The journey of an Indiana volunteer from Tippecanoe County to Tennessee by Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 48-51)
Wagonmaker Sylvester Leaming left his family and joined the 40th Indiana Infantry. His travels as a soldier took him to numerous battlefields, including Missionary Ridge, where a wound proved mortal. This is his story.

A Father and His Sons Fighting Together: The Drown family of the 5th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery by Norman C. Delaney (pp. 52-54)
Joshua Champlin Drown, Sr., and his sons, Joshua, Jr., and Benjamin, served and survived their Civil War military experience. This is their story.

Army Life: An essay in ambrotypes and tintypes by David B. Holcomb (pp. 55-59)
The author captures the essence of the Union soldiers’ Civil War experience in eight photographs.

Green-Wood Cemetery by Jeffrey I. Richman, with images courtesy of The Green-Wood Historic Fund Collections (pp. 61-66)
A final resting place for more than 5,000 Union and Confederate veterans in Brooklyn, N.Y., the cemetery is also distinguished as one of the earliest burial grounds in the rural cemetery movement of the early 19th century. A selection of images of Civil War soldiers interred in the historic cemetery is included here.

Groundbreaking Calendar, a Q&A with Confederate Calendar creator Lawrence T. Jones III (pp. 67-70)
In 1976, Texas photography Larry Jones of Austin, Texas, produced his first calendar with Confederate photographs. Little could he have realized that he’d continue making them for years. In this exclusive interview, Larry discusses the calendars and his lifetime of collecting.

Material Culture by Ron Field (pp. 75)
In “Navy Round Jackets,” Field provides detail about the blue cloth jackets that originate with the first U.S. Navy frigate crews in 1797.

Behind the Backdrop: Origins, artistry, and photographers by Adam Ochs Fleischer (pp. 74-75)
In “The Tiger Tree Backdrop of Kalamazoo, Michigan,” Fleischer examines the distinctive painted canvas with a striped tree and military scene. This presence of this background is a clue that the soldier pictured likely served in a small number of regiments formed in the region during the Civil War.

Stragglers: Distinctive Images from MI contributors (pp. 76-78)
Included are portraits of members of Company E, 44th New York Infantry, two members of U.S. Colored Infantry regiments, Henri B. Loomis of the 56th New York Infantry, Stephen Hannas of the 11th Virginia Infantry and a group of soldiers from the 21st Wisconsin Infantry atop Lookout Mountain, Tenn.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
A sixth plate post-mortem ambrotype pictures a Union officer in death, his body carefully cleaned and dressed.

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Finding Aid: Summer 2021

A complete table of contents for the Summer 2021 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions.

Vol. XXXIX, No. 3
(80 pages)

Print edition: Visit our store to check availability
Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchase
Subscribe to MI
Explore the MI Archives:
Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial

Inside

Cover image
A sixth-plate tintype from the Brian Boeve Collection pictures a musician with his bugle.

Table of Contents (p. 1)

Editor’s Desk (p. 2)
In “Musings on Showcasing,” the editor discusses the first word in the publication’s motto: Showcase. Interpret. Preserve.

Mail Call (pp. 3-4)
Feedback includes praise for RickWolfe’s profile of Everton and Seymour Conger, Jeremy Rowe’s story about “The Little Sack of Flower That Won the West,” Elizabeth Topping’s exploration of color in Civil War era photography, and more.

Military Anthropologist (p. 4)
A survey of newspapers from May through November 1863 reveals how many times the press referenced the Siege of Vicksburg and the Battle of Gettysburg.

Passing in Review (p. 6)
The three-volume Black Lives in Focus series by Ross J. Kelbaugh is reviewed: Part I: Colonial-Antebellum America, Part II: The Civil War & Reconstruction, and Part III: Jim Crow to Barack Obama.

Photo Sleuth by Kurt Luther (pp. 8-10)
In “Hampton’s Battery at Gettysburg and Puerto Rico,” Luther traces the backstory behind a post-war reunion photo taken at Gettysburg by W.H. Tipton. The image is unique due to the presence of Civil War veterans and National Guardsmen—all connected to Pittsburgh, Pa.

Antebellum Warriors (p. 12)
A quarter-plate ambrotype features a militia corporal with an artillery sword. The style of his uniforms asks more questions than it answers.

The Honored Few (p. 14)
Sgt. Maj. Herbert Elon Farnsworth of the 10th New York Cavalry received the Medal of Honor for volunteering to cross dangerous ground to stop a Union artillery battery from firing on its own troops—a case of friendly fire.

Most Hallowed Ground by Perry M. Frohne (p. 16)
Long before Capt. Emmet Crawford of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry was murdered while he chased Apache Chief Geronimo in Mexico, he served in the Civil War with the 71st Pennsylvania Infantry. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

The Citizenry (p. 18)
In “Author of a Southern Anthem,” we meet James Ryder Randall of Baltimore, Md. In April 1861, he penned the poem “Maryland, My Maryland” after learning of the failure of pro-secession rioters to stop the 6th Massachusetts Infantry as it marched through his hometown. The poem was soon set to music and became a popular tune with Confederate soldiers and Southern citizens. It was the Maryland state song from 1939-2021.

Buglers (pp. 21-32)
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.

MMB: A concise history of the unconventional, untethered and unruly warriors of the Mississippi Marine Brigade by Paul Russinoff (pp. 34-42)
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.

The Compact: In 1864, a group of soldiers at an army hospital pondered their futures. They pledged to meet 20 years later to find out. By Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 44-54)
At the U.S.A. General Hospital in York, Pa., a dozen soldiers, including three hospital stewards, planned a reunion at Niagara Falls in 1884 to find out where life took them after the war ended. What happened to them, and the fate of the reunion, is revealed in this account.

“Lost an Arm in Freedom’s Fray” by Charles T. Joyce (pp. 55-62)
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.

On the Art, Science and technology Behind the Modern Coloring of Images, a Q&A with Matt Loughrey of My Colorful Past (pp. 63-65)
“Coloring imagery is as old as photography itself,” notes Matt Loughrey, owner of My Colorful Past, a company that colorizes and adds motion to historic images. In this interview, he describes his process and how his work is rooted in research and history.

Marcus Aurelius Root Wrote a Photographer’s Handbook in 1864. It Includes 6 Tips That Can Help You Better Appreciate 19th Century Portraits. By Ronald S. Coddington (pp. 66-67)
Pioneer daguerreotypist Marcus A. Root believed photography was an art form, not purely a mechanical process. His handbook, The Camera, and the Pencil, makes the point in several ways, including these tips.

Participants in an Early Commemoration at Gettysburg’s National Cemetery? By Elizabeth A. Topping (pp. 68-70)
A carte de visite of a Union officer wearing a sash and two ladies dressed in Goddess of Liberty costumes taken by Gettysburg, Pa., photographer Levi H. Mumper is a clue to a little remembered event that took place on July 4, 1865.

The USCC at Camp Letterman by Elizabeth A. Topping (pp. 72-74)
A group of soldiers, men and women gathered at the United States Christian Commission station in Gettysburg, Pa., reveals details not previously explored. The station operated from July to November 1863.

Material Culture by Frank Graves (pp. 75)
In “Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver, early Fluted Cylinder,” Graves shares a tintype of a soldier holding the revolver, and provides details about its fluted cylinder, comparing it to the more popular rebated cylinder.

Behind the Backdrop: Origins, artistry and photographers by Adam Ochs Fleischer (pp. 76-77)
In “A Backdrop Connected to Portraits of Quantrill’s Men,” Fleischer examines the distinctive painted canvas with a vessel and ruins visible in two photographs by Thomas D. Saunders of Lexington, Mo. This background matches other images of men who served with William Quantrill’s raiders.

Stragglers: Distinctive Images from MI contributors (pp. 78-79)
Included are portraits of Brig. Gen. Alfred Jefferson Vaughan, Jr., who started the war as a captain in the 13th Tennessee Infantry and went on to suffer the loss of a leg during the Atlanta Campaign, and William G. Edwards of the 14th Mississippi Infantry, who suffered the amputation of an arm after at Spring Hill, Tenn., an action leading up to the Battle of Franklin.

The Last Shot (p. 80)
A quarter-plate ruby ambrotype pictures Pvt. James Lawrence Secrest of Mississippi’s Jeff Davis Legion of Cavalry. Secrest is seated on his horse, Sela.

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Research Rabbit Hole: The Man Who Changed Photography

A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, June 14, at 9 p.m. ET.

Season 1, Episode 11, begins in London in 1855, and travels back in time to the origins of photography and the great Daguerre. But he’s not the only mover and shaker who influenced “sun pictures” in the 19th century. In this episode, you’ll meet an inventor who dreamed of a different future for photography—and made it come true.

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.

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Research Rabbit Hole: Memorial Day at Arlington

A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday afternoon, May 31, at 3 p.m. ET.

Season 1, Episode 10, marks Memorial Day with a live event from Arlington National Cemetery. The focal point of the episode is the grave marker in Section 13, Plot 10500: James Downey of the 2nd Ohio Cavalry, who suffered a mortal wound at the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, 1865, and succumbed to his injury on April 26. He is one of the 750,000 Civil War dead, which equates to 7.5 million in today’s population.

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.