Tag: Johns Hopkins University Press

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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.

The exhibit is a collaboration between the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, which operates the Clara Barton Museum, and Military Images magazine. Military Images—the only publication solely dedicated to showcasing, interpreting, and preserving Civil War portrait photography—curated this collection of life-sized images and stories. The foundation for much of this work can be found in the book Faces of Civil War Nurses, authored by Military Images editor and publisher Ronald S. Coddington and published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

The exhibit brings together powerful photographic portraits and vivid biographies that highlight the courage, compassion, and moral strength of these caregivers. The original images, once cherished as keepsakes or carried in the pockets of soldiers, now offer us rare opportunities to connect with the enduring legacy of Civil War nurses.

Visitors to the opening explored the stories of women like Helen Gilson, who defied prejudice to care for U.S. Colored Troops at City Point, Va.; “Captain” Sally Tompkins, who ran one of the South’s most efficient hospitals; and Harriet Tubman, whose fearless work as a nurse, scout, and spy contributed immeasurably to the Union cause.

Through Faces of Civil War Nurses, both the exhibit and the book invite us to look beyond the well-known figures and discover the breadth of contributions made by women from all walks of life. These portraits and narratives remind us of the sacrifices and service that helped define a nation at war—and the caregiving spirit that endures to this day.

A special thanks to David Price, Executive Director at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine; Dana Shoaf, Director of Interpretation; Melissa Winn, Director of Marketing and Communications; and Carolyn Ivanoff, author for Gettysburg Publishing, who portrayed Clara Barton at the opening.

Want to bring this exhibit to your location? Contact Ron Coddington, Editor & Publisher of Military Images magazine.

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MI Changes Ownership After a Decade

Coddington, left, and Neville shake hands after signing the purchase agreement on August 10, 2013, at Neville's home outside Pittsburgh, Pa.
Coddington, left, and Neville after signing the purchase agreement at Neville’s home outside Pittsburgh, Pa.

Historian David Neville has stepped aside after a decade at the helm of Military Images. Neville, who has owned and edited the publication since 2003, sold the magazine to Ronald S. Coddington of Arlington, Va., on August 10, 2013.

Coddington is a contributing author to the New York Times Disunion series. He also writes “Faces of War,” a regular column in the Civil War News, and has authored three books published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. His latest volume, African American Faces of the Civil War: An Album, was released last year.

Coddington takes over as publisher and editor of MI immediately. “Military Images has a long tradition of excellence in bringing to light rare military portrait photographs, and I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to guide MI to the next chapter in its life,” reports Coddington. He adds, “The magazine continues to play a key role in preserving the visual record and stories of citizen soldiers in America, and is a key source for information about uniforms and other aspects of the military. In the current digital age, with so much new material surfacing, it is more important than ever to have a publication that showcases and interprets these important images.”

Harry Roach founded the magazine in 1979. He set a mission to document the photographic history of U.S. soldiers and sailors from the birth of photography in 1839 through World War I, although the vast majority of published images date from the Civil War period. Roach sold the magazine in 1999 to Philip Katcher, from whom Neville purchased it four years later.

Regular contributors to MI include some of the most respected and knowledgeable collectors in the country, including Michael J. McAfee, John Sickles, Chris Nelson, David Wynn Vaughan, Ron Field, and Ken Turner.

“I’m excited to continue working with all of our contributors, and to invite new faces with a passion for military photography to participate,” notes Coddington, who can be contacted at militaryimages@gmail.com or militaryimagesmagazine.com.