- 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 purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Life-Sized Tribute: New Traveling Exhibit Brings Civil War Nurses Into Focus
We are thrilled to share that the opening of Faces of Civil War Nurses at the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum on May 24 drew an enthusiastic and engaged crowd. This unique traveling exhibition, on view through September 1, 2025, shines a light on the remarkable women who stepped beyond the boundaries of traditional life to care for soldiers during the Civil War. - Faces of Freedom Exhibit Opens at Lincoln Depot Museum
Peekskill, NY — June 7, 2025 Military Images officially launched its traveling exhibit, Faces of Freedom: African American Faces of the Civil War Era, today at the historic Lincoln Depot Museum—just as a steady rain tapped against the roof of the 19th-century depot. Inside, the energy was high and the room full, as a packed …Continue reading “Faces of Freedom Exhibit Opens at Lincoln Depot Museum”
- 3 Military Images Stories are Finalists in the 2025 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards
Delighted to announce that three stories from Military Images magazine have been named finalists for the 2025 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards: “First in War, First in Blood” by Richard A. Wolfe: Union Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley is remembered for his 1861 victory and his 1865 capture by partisan rangers. Here’s what happened … - 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 RequiredBrought to you by the Civil War Round Table of Chicagohttps://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 …Continue reading “Free Talk About the 19th Indiana and the Iron Brigade, April 9, 2025”
- Military Images Connects Local Historians Writing a Book With a Civil War Era Photograph
Since its founding in 1979, Military Images magazine has played a vital role in connecting authors, historians, and researchers with compelling photographs to illustrate their work. As the only publication dedicated solely to the study and appreciation of Civil War portrait photography, Military Images has cultivated a vast network of collectors, archivists, and history enthusiasts … - Faces of Freedom Exhibit Travels to the Lincoln Depot Museum
We are thrilled to announce that our traveling exhibit, Faces of Freedom, is coming to the Lincoln Depot Museum in Peekskill, N.Y. The exhibit will be on display from June 7 through July 12, 2025, offering visitors a powerful opportunity to connect with the courageous Black men who fought for freedom during the Civil War. …Continue reading “Faces of Freedom Exhibit Travels to the Lincoln Depot Museum”
- The Spring 2025 Issue
A complete table of contents for the Spring 2025 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLIII, No. 2(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Preserving History, Shaping the Present at a National Military Park
At Military Images, we know that every historical photograph is more than just an image—it’s a window into the past, offering valuable insights for today’s Americans. That’s why we were honored to receive a recent request from the National Park Service to include one of our published photographs in a Cultural Landscape Report for Chickamauga …Continue reading “Preserving History, Shaping the Present at a National Military Park”
- Cover Image To Be Used in Civil War Trails Guide
The use of Civil War photographic portraits to aid in the interpretation of battlefields and other historic sites is part of the larger mission of Military Images magazine. Recently, Terry Heder, Historian/Editor of Civil War Trails. reached out to request permission to feature the image that graced the cover of our Winter 2020 issue. It …Continue reading “Cover Image To Be Used in Civil War Trails Guide”
- The Winter 2025 Issue
Highlights of the Winter 2025 issue of Military Images magazine - 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. XLII, No. 4(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Autumn 2024 Issue Highlights
The feature stories and columns you’ll find in our Autumn 2024 issue. Pick up a copy or a subscription in our store. - Faces of Freedom Exhibit Travels to Manassas
Our traveling exhibit, Faces of Freedom, is coming to Manassas National Military Park. The exhibit will be on display at the Visitor Center from September 2 through November 1, 2024. Established in 2019, the exhibit first appeared at the Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum in Ashtabula, Ohio. Covid paused our travels until 2024, when the …Continue reading “Faces of Freedom Exhibit Travels to Manassas”
- The Summer 2024 Issue
A complete table of contents for the Summer 2024 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLII, No. 3(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - 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 …Continue reading “New Column: “Of Arms and Men” by Phil Spaugy”
- Military Images Nominated for National Writing Award
As an image-driven magazine, we strive to showcase, interpret and preserve unique and compelling Civil War era portraits. We also strive to put these images into context and historical perspective. With this in mind, I am delighted to announce that two of our stories are finalists for the 2023 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards. …Continue reading “Military Images Nominated for National Writing Award”
- The Spring 2024 issue
A complete table of contents for the Spring 2024 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLII, No. 2(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - New Column: Women of War by Melissa A. Winn
I am delighted to announce the debut of a new column: Women of War. It explores the life and service of women who served on the battlefield and homefront with patriotism and dedication equal to their male counterparts. Taking on this mission is Melissa A. Winn. I’m thrilled to welcome her as a Senior Editor. …Continue reading “New Column: Women of War by Melissa A. Winn”
- The Kenneth J. Bertholf Jr. Civil War History Education ProgramMilitary Images brings Civil War history to communities—one subscription at a time. The Kenneth J. Bertholf Jr. Civil War History Education Program provides free subscriptions to Military Images magazine for educational use at Civil War battlefields, historic sites, museums, and related institutions across the United States. What began with 10 pilot locations—including Gettysburg and Vicksburg—has …
Continue reading “The Kenneth J. Bertholf Jr. Civil War History Education Program”
- Finding Aid: Winter 2024
A complete table of contents for the Winter 2024 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLII, No. 1(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Finding Aid: Autumn 2023
A complete table of contents for the Autumn 2023 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLII, No. 4(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Free Guide to Fakes, Forgeries and Frauds
Military Images is pleased to offer a free guide adapted from a compilation of columns, “Fakes, Forgeries and Frauds: Arming you with knowledge and tools to combat counterfeit images” by Perry M. Frohne. The columns appeared between Autumn 2019 and Autumn 2023 in Military Images. The order of the columns has been changed, and some …Continue reading “Free Guide to Fakes, Forgeries and Frauds”
- Finding Aid: Summer 2023
A complete table of contents for the Summer 2023 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLI, No. 3(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Finalists in the 2022 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards
I am delighted to announce that two Military Images stories have been recognized as finalists in the Journals and Magazine category of the Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards. The annual competition honors books and articles published in 2022. Please join me in recognizing and applauding: “How They Went Forth to the Harvest of Death” …Continue reading “Finalists in the 2022 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards”
- A New Limited Edition Book
This week I met at a local coffee shop with the printer to review proof pages for a forthcoming book by Brian Boeve, America’s Defining Moment: Civil War Portraits from the Collections of Brian C. Boeve and Friends. I am overjoyed with the superb quality and high production values, as you’ll see in the photos … - Finding Aid: Spring 2023
A complete table of contents for the Spring 2023 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLI, No. 2(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Thanks from Military Images Magazine for a Great 2022
The holiday season is always a time to pause and reflect on the year, and its been a great one for Military Images magazine. I am grateful to subscribers, collectors, contributors from across the United States and the world, and our advertisers. All of you make Military Images magazine possible. I want to take a …Continue reading “Thanks from Military Images Magazine for a Great 2022”
- Finding Aid: Winter 2023
A complete table of contents for the Winter 2023 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XLI, No. 1(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe or renew your subscription Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | … - Nominees for the 2022 AHF Awards
It’s contest season! The call for entries for the Army Historical Foundation’s annual Distinguished Writing Awards competition is out, and I’m pleased to announce four nominees from 2022 issues of Military Images magazine. They are: “How They Went Forth to the Harvest of Death”: A concise account of the U.S. Regular Infantry at Gettysburg by … - Happy 200th Birthday, Mathew Brady
By Cliff Krainik Washington, D.C. – Saturday, September 17, 2022 On a bright, beautifully clear Indian summer afternoon about a hundred invited guests attended the unveiling of the new interactive memorial to Mathew B. Brady in Congressional Cemetery. The memorial was erected on a double plot right next to Brady’s final resting place and features … - Finding Aid: Autumn 2022
A complete table of contents for the Autumn 2022 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XL, No. 4(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MI Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside … - Looking for a Portrait Photograph of a Civil War Veteran? We Can Help.
The search for portrait photographs of specific Civil War veterans can be challenging and time-consuming—and incredibly rewarding when you look upon the face of the person you’ve been seeking. Military Images might be able to help you in your quest. We are building a database of all the identified U.S. and C.S. soldiers, sailors and …Continue reading “Looking for a Portrait Photograph of a Civil War Veteran? We Can Help.”
- Finding Aid: Summer 2022
A complete table of contents for the Summer 2022 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XL, No. 3(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MI Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside … - Military Images Wins AHF Award
Congratulations to Paul Russinoff for winning an award of excellence in the prestigious Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards. The annual competition honors books and articles published in 2021. Paul won the top award in the Journals and Magazine category for “A Savior of the Capitol,” the cover story in our Spring 2021 issue. Paul … - A New Mathew Brady Memorial
Historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., the final resting place of Mathew Brady, will be home to a new memorial honoring the Father of Photojournalism. The Mathew Brady/Levin Handy Memorial is the culmination of the vision of Larry J. West, a collector of 19th century photography. The Smithsonian Institution acquired 286 items from West’s collection … - Finding Aid: Spring 2022
A complete table of contents for the Spring 2022 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XL, No. 2(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MI Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside … - 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: Masculine Ideals in Civil War PhotographsAustin Sundstrom They … - Finding Aid: Winter 2022
A complete table of contents for the Winter 2022 issue of Military Images magazine, and information about how to purchase single issues and subscriptions. Vol. XL, No. 1(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MI Explore the MI Archives:Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside … - Civil War Bandsmen
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. Story by Military Images This story is part of our Autumn 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and … - Flags and Secession Cockades
30 representative images from the Matthew L. Oswalt M.D. Collection 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. Story by Military Images This story is part of our Autumn 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and learn … - Army Life
An essay in eight ambrotypes and tintypes captures the essence of the Union soldiers’ Civil War experience. Story by David B. Holcomb This story is part of our Autumn 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and learn how to purchase a copy or subscribe in our finding aid. - Confederate Calendar
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. Story by Military Images This story is part of our Autumn 2021 issue. Check … - Green-Wood Cemetery
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. Story by Jeffrey … - 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 purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside … - 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 … - 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 … - The Compact
In 1864, a dozen soldiers at the U.S.A. General Hospital in York, Pa., pondered their futures. The men, 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 … - “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 … - My Colorful Past
“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 Q&A, he discusses the art, science and technology behind the modern coloring of images. This story is part of our Summer 2021 issue. Check out the full … - 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 purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside … - 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” …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: The Man Who Changed Photography”
- 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 …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: Memorial Day at Arlington”
- 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 … - 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 …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: Inside an Iron Brigade Pension”
- Research Rabbit Hole: Posing 101
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, April 5, at 9 p.m. ET. Season 1, Episode 7, provides answers to a deceptively simple question: Ever wondered why and how Americans of the 1860s posed for portraits? In this episode, we review instructions by traveling photographer B. Bradley to … - A Savior of the Capitol
Benjamin Franklin Watson, a New Hampshire native who settled in Lowell, Mass., before the war, served in the 6th Massachusetts Infantry when the regiment received orders to report to Washington, D.C., during the days following the rebel attack on Fort Sumter. The author details Watson’s rise from a respected leader in Lowell to his leadership … - Drummers: A Gallery
A gallery of 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 their drums. All are Union musicians. This story is part of our Spring 2021 issue. Check out the full contents and … - Why Do Photographs Fade?
Concern about the yellowing and fading of albumen prints is almost as old albumen paper itself. Invented in 1850, it made the mass production of photographs possible—but the deterioration of the prints prompted the esteemed Photographic Society of London to open an investigation in 1855. This is a brief history of the problems and what … - Not a Forty-Eighter
Social unrest in Germany during the mid-19th century ended in a nasty military crackdown that resulted in a wave of German immigration to the U.S. One of the soldiers who fought to put down the German rebels, Earnest Barth, followed them to America. After the start of the Civil War, he donned Union blue and … - Case Number 16
Respected Lt. John Sandford Williams of the 3rd Delaware Infantry found himself in a tough situation at the Battle of Hatcher’s Run. A fellow officer suffered a wound and pleaded with Williams to help him to safety. Williams acted with compassion and helped the man—and it resulted in his court martial. The author, a descendant … - Finding Aid: Spring 2021
Vol. XXXIX, No. 2(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside Cover imageA quarter-plate ambrotype from the Paul Russinoff Collection pictures Maj. Benjamin Franklin Watson of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry and a personal attendant. Table … - Research Rabbit Hole: Glass Negative Greenhouses
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, March 9, at 9 p.m. ET. Season 1, Episode 5, examines a persistent story about Civil War photographers who, long after the end of hostilities, sold glass plate negatives of battlefields, famous generals and Abraham Lincoln as scrap glass later used …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: Glass Negative Greenhouses”
- Research Rabbit Hole: The Backwards Image Problem
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, February 22, at 9 p.m. ET. Season 1, Episode 4, explores the issue of viewing early photographs—daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes—in reverse. Photographers, inventors and other technologists of the mid-19th century were adaptable and most likely could have fixed it, but they …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: The Backwards Image Problem”
- Research Rabbit Hole: This Uniform Tells a Story
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, February 8, at 9 p.m. ET. Season 1, Episode 3, examines a carte de visite of an unidentified Union soldiers wearing a uniform that offers several clues as to the state from which he served, his pre-war military service, and the …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: This Uniform Tells a Story”
- Research Rabbit Hole: Anti-Confederate Art
A new episode of Research Rabbit Hole, our Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, January 25, at 9 p.m. ET. Season 1, Episode 2, examined a carte de visite titled “The Neglected Picture,” a painting by Port Jefferson, N.Y., artist William Moore Davis. The full season is available on YouTube. New episodes of Research Rabbit …Continue reading “Research Rabbit Hole: Anti-Confederate Art”
- New Show: Research Rabbit Hole
Research Rabbit Hole, a new Facebook Live show, premiered Monday evening, January 11, at 9 p.m. ET. Season 1, Episode 1, looked at the origin of the expression “Not on your tintype” and its relationship to the Civil War period. The goal of Research Rabbit Hole is to connect Civil War images across time and … - Editors Picks: The 10 most intriguing photographs in Military Images magazine for 2020
Looking back through the four issues published in 2020, I am struck by the variety and quality of the images. They reflect the enthusiasm and energy of you, the collecting community and caretakers of these artifacts. Each one is noteworthy for its content, the identity of the subject, or the story behind it. I find … - Hidden Beauty of an Ambrotype
Using a scanner equipped with a film negative feature, Adam Ochs Fleischer used this setting to scan an ambrotype of a sailor. The result was a scan that revealed stunning details not visible in the original image. Learn more. - “Palms of Victory”
Mary Dines escaped slavery in Maryland and fled to Washington, D.C., where she spent time at a Freedman’s camp and had the opportunity to sing for President Abraham Lincoln. Her story was told in the 1942 book They Knew Lincoln by John E. Washington. Learn more. - 10th New York Cavalry
Three surviving carte de visite albums filled with images of identified troopers of the 10th New York Cavalry are at the heart of this investigation. The author’s research reveals where and when they were taken, why these specific individuals were photographed, and the probable identity of the photographer. Learn more. - Fifers
A gallery of images collected in collaboration with Editor Dale Nielsen of the Facebook group “The Image Collector” and contributions by collectors, reviewed by Contributing Editor Chris Nelson, is focused on soldiers pictured with their fifes. The majority of images are individual Union portraits. One Confederate image features a fifer posed with his instrument and … - Finding Aid: Winter 2021
Vol. XXXIX, No. 1(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside Cover imageA quarter-plate tintype from the Rick Brown Collection of American Photography pictures an infantry fifer standing with his fife. Table of Contents (p. … - Black Friday
Give the gift of Civil War photos to your family’s history buff. Go to shopmilitaryimages.com and use the code BLACKFRIDAY to save 50% off a new subscription to our quarterly magazine. 80 pages, full color. - Chaplain Chronicles
Faces of 40 Union and Confederate clergymen and their stories of spirituality, slavery, courage, caregiving, patriotism, suffering and death during the Civil War.. For details, see our finding aid. - Agent of the Cotton War
Most know James T. Ames as a New England sword maker. He was also a global manufacturer of munitions and cotton machinery with Confederate connections. This investigation into is connections involves pikes supplied to abolitionist John Brown, dealings with Great Britain and sales of weapons and machinery to the Southern states before, during and after … - Perfect Tiger
Elisha Strong Kellogg, the colonel who led the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery into the 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor, was a study in contrasts. “His nature was versatile, and full of contradictions; sometimes exhibiting the tenderest sensibilities and sometimes none at all,” noted one soldier. Beloved by his men, Kellogg’s destiny rose and fell with his … - Caught in the Crossfire
Medical Director Surg. Norman Gay incurred the wrath of Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Sweeny while trying to protect a corps ambulance, and in doing so wandered into an infamous feed between Sweeny and another general, Grenville M. Dodge. For details, see our finding aid. - Finding Aid: Autumn 2020
Vol. XXXVIII, No. 4(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside Cover imageA quarter-plate ambrotype from the Dan Schwab Collection pictures Chaplain Nicholas A. Davis of the 4th Texas Infantry. Table of Contents (p. 1) … - Material Culture
In “U.S. Navy Watch Marks, 1861-65,” Field examines the unique patches that appear on the sleeves of sailors to insure the safe operation of vessels during the war years. For details, see our finding aid. - Old Abe and the Army of the American Eagle
Chicago printer Alfred L. Sewell devised a novel fundraiser to support the Union army: Selling carte de visite sized portraits of Old Abe, the famed Eagle mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry. Sewell targeted kids, who purchased tens of thousands of the images under the auspices of the U.S. Sanitary Commission. Children earned commissions in …Continue reading “Old Abe and the Army of the American Eagle”
- America’s “Good Death”
Capt. Charles W. Billings of the 20th Maine Infantry suffered a mortal wound at Little Round Top. Russinoff brings together primary sources and artifacts for the first time to tell Billings’ story, which underscores historian Drew Gilpin-Faust’s concept of “The Good Death.” For details, see our finding aid. - Three Days in July: Faces of Gettysburg
A collection of more than two dozen ambrotypes, cartes de visite, and tintypes of Union and Confederate soldiers at the Battle of Gettysburg, each accompanied by the story of each man’s experience during the fight. Among those included are 1st Lt. Robert C. Knaggs of the 7th Michigan Infantry, Pvt. Clark Stevens of the 2nd … - Antebellum Warriors
A quarter-plate daguerreotype of John Reynolds by renowned photographer Jeremiah Gurney may have been a portrait promised to his sister, Ellie, in an 1858 letter. For details, see our finding aid. - The Civil War Through the Magic Lantern
During the years following the Civil War, American audiences packed venues across the country to experience the late conflict through glass plates projected on a big screen—the precursor to motion pictures. For details, see our finding aid. - Finding Aid: Summer 2020
The complete issue Vol. XXXVIII, No. 3(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside Cover imageA quarter-plate ambrotype from the Dan Schwab Collection pictures Newton J. Ragon of the 13th Mississippi Infantry. Table of Contents … - Georgians in Gray
More than 15 years ago, a gallery of David W. Vaughan’s portraits of Georgia Confederates debuted in this magazine. Since then, the collection has been recognized across the country, including the landmark 2013 exhibit Photography and the American Civil War at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Vaughan has continued to add … - Behind the Backdrop
In his inaugural column, “A Daguerreian Pioneer at the Rendezvous of Distribution,” Adam Ochs Fleischer examines the distinctive painted canvas depicting a scene that includes Sibley tents and a palm tree. His investigations highlight the man behind the backdrop, John Jones, and the gallery he operated. Go to the finding aid for this issue. Purchase … - The Honored Few
Willie Johnston, an 11-year-old drummer in the 3rd Vermont Infantry, managed to hold on to his instrument during the desperate march from the Malvern Hill battlefield to Harrison’s Landing. On July 4, 1862, after Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan ordered a review to boost morale, only Johnston had a drum to play. Other musicians had … - Sherman at 200
Commemorating Uncle Billy’s 200th Birthday in Portraits with images from the Jerry Everts Collection. William Tecumseh Sherman is front center in 25 portraits that document his rise from major general in 1863 to General of the Army to his retirement. Go to the finding aid for this issue. Purchase this issue or subscribe. - Finding Aid: Spring 2020
The complete issue Vol. XXXVIII, No. 2(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MIExplore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside Cover imageA half-plate ambrotype from the David W. Vaughan Collection pictures William Houston House of the 13th Georgia Cavalry. Table of … - Brothers at Arms
Tennessee’s Edward and Gabriel Fowlkes grew up together in Hickman County. Then the war came, and the went separate ways—one into the Union army and the other into the Confederate army. Their story is representative of how the war tore families apart. Learn more about this story and others with our finding aid. - The Honored Few
Edward Hill, a captain in the 16th Michigan Infantry, earned the Medal of Honor for leading a charge against Confederate forces during the Battle of Cold Harbor on June 1, 1864. Hill survived a serious gunshot wound in his hip and ended the war as the regiment’s lieutenant colonel. Learn more about this story and … - Tennesseans in Gray
A gallery of representative images and stories of soldiers includes 38 original portraits of men from Tennessee who enlisted in the Confederate army. They came from all walks of life—and some paid the ultimate price. Learn more about this story and others with our finding aid. - Respect for the 14th
George Alexander, an African American from Tennessee, and his comrades in the 14th U.S. Colored Infantry proved their valor in battle. They were commanded by Col. Thomas Jefferson Morgan, the grandson of a slaveowner and the son of an abolitionist. At the Battle of Decatur, Ala., in October 1864, the 14th fought with the same … - Ock Tyner Leaves His Mark
Oscar Newton Tyner, known as “Ock” to his pals, worked as a photographer’s assistant in the gallery of Barr & Young of Vicksburg. One of the images Tyner printed and signed was Jesse Root Grant, father of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Turns out the photo was taken at a low point during the general’s … - Finding Aid: Winter 2020
The complete issue Vol. XXXVIII, No. 1(80 pages) Print edition: Visit our store to check availability Digital edition: Visit JSTOR.org to purchaseSubscribe to MI ($24.95)Explore the MI Archives: Browse | Advanced search | Tutorial Inside Cover imageA sixth-plate tintype from the Gary Waddey Collection pictures Ned and Gabe Fowlkes of Tennessee. Taken about October 1865, Ned … - Cultural Ambassador: Albert L. Gihon, U.S. Navy
Gihon, a career navy officer, hailed from a family of adventurers that included his father, who participated in the California Gold Rush, and his brother, a prominent Philadelphia photographer. Gihon’s adventures took him to the coast of North Africa, where he and his shipmates on the St. Louis played a role in U.S.-Moroccan diplomacy. Learn …Continue reading “Cultural Ambassador: Albert L. Gihon, U.S. Navy”
- The Great American Civil War Pipe Gallery
Tobacco was hailed as the soldier’s constant companion—when he could find it—by some and also as a wicked habit by others. In this gallery, a companion to last autumn’s cigar feature, we celebrate those who enjoyed the soldier’s and sailor’s solace in front of the camera. Learn more about this story and others with our finding …Continue reading “The Great American Civil War Pipe Gallery”
- Photo Sleuth
In “Evidence-Based Tips for Using Civil War Photo Sleuth,” Kurt discusses how two forms of automation, face recognition and filtering military records, eliminate potential portraits and narrow the possible choices to identify an individual. Learn more about this story and others with our finding aid.
Showcase. Interpret. Preserve.