Photographers of the Civil War
Program
Over 400 images will be presented in the following sequence:
Photography & the Photographers
Technology & Principal PlayersChaos
Winter 1860/1 to Winter 1861/2Organization
Winter 1861/2 to Fall 1862Turning Points
Fall 1862 to Fall 1864End Game
Fall 1864 to Spring 1865Aftermath
These images are mostly the work of selected photographers, showing how they coped with need to expand their skills from portraiture to visual story-telling.
LinksThe following links offer access to collections of the work of individual photographers, as well as a vast Civil War information resource. Each site has its own quirks and a few comments are offered to help access the information.
Collections
Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the Civil War
Alexander Gardner's 2 volume collection of photographs, made by himself and others, for which he claimed the copyright.
Wisconsin Historical Society's Collection of George Barnard's Civil War Photographs
Some of Barnard's photographs made in 1864, 1865 and 1866.
Notre Game University Collection of George Barnard's Civil War Photography
More of Barnard's 1864, 1865 and 1866 pictures of Sherman's field of command with strong emphasis on Atlanta, GA and Charleston, SC.
Chicago Public Library Collection of George Barnard's "Sherman's Army" Photographs
Probably the comprehensive collection, and best quality individual images, of this phase of Barnard's work.
Andrew Russell's Wartime Photographs of the Washington, DC area
Beautifully composed photos of structures and features but including several images of the destruction of Richmond.More Andrew Russell's Wartime Photographs of the Washington, DC area
Limited duplication of the previous collectionAndrew Russell's Central Pacific Rail Road Stereographic Photographs
Click the red dots. If you go to the 'Imperial' images page, only a few links work but they are 'worth the trip'.The Complete Catalog of Timothy O'Sullivan's USGS Photographs
You begin to see why Ansel Adams was 'turned on'.
Selections From O'Sullivan's USGS Photographs
Easy access to some of his more striking images.
This comprises a list of collections of images and documents which are accessible online or available for order. The Civil War collections include the Civil War Photographs collection, the Brady-Handy collection, the various cartoon collections and the Civil War Drawings collection. I have found the most productive Search approach for Civil War Photographs collection is to enter the location, or a combination of photographer and location, for example Fredericksburg & O'Sullivan.
This site is much easier to use than the LOC site. Browsing the various collections and clicking the 'List Items' link is probably the best approach for most purposes.
Many engravings as well as photographs here. Simple to use, but remember to include Civil War in the Search box - eg Petersburg Civil War.
A very comprehensive collection of images and information. Easy to browse, and while the quality of the images is not too good, the documentation and newspaper clippings compensate.
Collections arranged according to the nominal creators. As with the LOC collections, some confusion exists between photographer and print maker.
A comprehensive collection of short biographical summaries.
A collection of over 1200 photos of individuals, groups, Cartes de Visites. The Library of Congress seems to be the major source but the access to people pictures without having to struggle with search terms is a blessing.Weapons
Artillery
An exhaustive list of the heavy weapons in service during the war. If the text is colored, it links to detailed information of the piece in question
Small Arms
Given the diversity of type and supply source of small arms used by both sides, this site requires some patience and weapons knowledge to navigate, but the process is reasonably intuitive.
Confederate Ships
Department of the Navy site - (there is no similar listing for Union ships!). Similar in structure to the Artillery page. Just click the colored text links to information for the ships listed.Other
Harper's Weekly Archive
Comprehensive digital scans of contemporary accounts, complete with engravings. There are a lot of other really informative links here too. Together with the documentary section of the Richmond Civil war archive you have a very good view of what was being said on both sides.
Eastman House Roger Fenton Image Archive
A fascinating selection of Roger Fenton's photography showing how advanced British photography was in in the early 1850s. Together with the LOC archive (below), most of Roger Fenton's 1854 Crimea photographs can be seen accessed.
While providing an interesting window on Britain's military at the time, remember that the British government was paying most of Fenton's Crimea tab for PR purposes. There is absolutely no hint of the awful consequences of war made so clear by Alexander Gardner.
Library of Congress Crimean War Image Archive
A reasonably comprehensive collection of Roger Fenton's Crimea photos.
National Park Service Battle Summaries
Concise accounts of all the significant battles.
LSU Civil War Center
A Pot Pourri of links to many information sources. And then, when all other avenues are exhausted, there is always Google. Just remember to include Civil War in the search term.
Bibliography
Brands, H.W. 2012. The Man Who Saved the Union. Rheinhold
Catton, Bruce. 1951. The Army of the Potomac. Doubleday
Carwardine, Richard. 2003. Lincoln. Alfred A Knopf
Donald, David. 1947. Lincoln Reconsidered. Vintage Books
Faust, Drew Gilpin. 2008. This Republic of Suffering. Alfred A Knopf
Fremantle, Arthur James Lyon, Three Months in the Southern States. TimeLife Books
Freehling, William. 2001. The South vs The South. OUP
Goodwin, Doris Kearns. 2005. Team of Rivals. Simon & Schuster
Grant, Ulysses S. 1999. Personal Memoirs. Penguin
Henderson, George. 1893. Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War. Longmans Green
Horan, James D., 1966. Timothy O'Sullivan. Bonanza Books
Katz, Mark. 1991. Witness to an Era. Rutledge Hill Press
Lewis, Lloyd. 1932. Sherman, Fighting Prophet. Harcourt Brace
Liddell Hart, Basil.1993. Sherman. Da Capo
McPherson, James. 1988. Battle Cry of Freedom. Ballantine
Nevins, Allan. 1971. The War For the Union. Charles Scribner
Oates, Stephen. 1994. With Malice Towards None. Harper Perennial
Phillips, Kevin. 1999. The Cousins' War. Basic Books
Randall, James & Donald, David. 1969. The Civil War & Reconstruction. D.C. Heath
Russell's Civil War Photographs, 1982. Dover Publications
Russell, William. 1954. My Civil War Diary. Hamish Hamilton
Sherman, William T. 2000. Memoirs. Penguin
Smith, Gene. 1991. Lee and Grant. Promontory Press
Wagner, Margaret et al (Ed). 2002. LOC Civil War Desk Reference. Simon & Schuster.
Whitman, Walt. 1887. Specimen Days. Walter Scott
White, Ronald C. 2006. A. Lincoln. Random House
Wilson, Robert. 2013. Mathew Brady - Portraits of a Nation. Bloomsbury
Woodward, C Van (Ed). 1981. Mary Chestnut's Civil War. Yale University Press
