If you ever saw Ken Burns’ “The Civil War” documentary, you might recall it mentioned during the final episode how many photos, daguerreotypes and tintypes were destroyed after the war. Some were used as glass for greenhouses. Among those that survive, though, are some pretty startling ones. (At least for nerdy historians like me.) This is, of course, a subjective list. Hopefully, for the majority of readers here, it will be an insight into one of the most significant events in the history of the United States of America. [Click for full size image.]
This picture looks like it could be just an ordinary touristy snapshot. But it actually shows General Grant (left) and five officers on Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga, Tennessee, after Grant whipped the Confederates in November 1863. Sticking out of Grant’s mouth is one of his ever-present cigars (which would eventually give him the throat cancer that killed him).
A quartet of black children wearing Army hats (at least they look like children) sit in the ruins of Circular Church on Meeting Street in Charleston, birthplace of secession.
If the dating of this photo is correct, then it was taken during the Battle of Nashville, Dec. 15-16, 1864. It shows the outer edge of the Union lines.
Men and noncoms of Company E, 4th U.S. Colored Infantry, at Fort Lincoln, Washington D.C. The bottom rail is on top, as these soldiers were among the 180,000 black men who served in the Union army during the war—and helped deliver ultimate victory.
It looks like a scene from World War I, but this photograph shows dead Confederates in the trenches at Petersburg, Va., 1865.
Fugitive slaves crossing the Rappahannock River toward the North, August 1862.
This photograph shows what happens when an ammunition train goes BOOM! George Bernard saw the results when he photographed the remains of CSA General Hood’s 28-car ammunition train, which Hood’s retreating army burned after loosing Atlanta to Sherman, September 1864.
This was the late Shelby Foote’s favorite photograph because it “shows three Confederate soldiers who were captured at Gettysburg, You can see exactly how the Confederate soldier was dressed. And one of them has his arms up—like this—as if he knows he’s having his picture taken but he’s determined to remain the individual that he is. There’s just something about that photograph that strikes me as an image of the war.” (This remark appears during the episode on Gettysburg in Ken Burns’ The Civil War.)
At first, it seems like something of a happy scene, with many people standing around and what looks like garland decorating the tent. But that’s a surgeon’s saw the man at center is holding, and the original caption says the photo is showing an amputation.
Alexander Gardener photographed Lincoln and General McClellan on the Antietam battlefield, October 1862. Notice how much taller Lincoln is compared to McClellan and his staff, and also notice McClellan’s strutting pose. McClellan styled himself the savior of the nation, but a couple of weeks after this picture was taken—and more than a month after the battle—Lincoln fired McClellan for good.
Peachtree Street, Atlanta, after Sherman captured that city in 1864. Looks a far cry from the glorious Technicolor splendor of “Gone with the Wind,” doesn’t it.
Most pictures of generals are stuffy and stiffly formal because of the nature of photographic technology at that time but George N. Bernard managed to capture this image of General William T. Sherman on his horse at Fort No. 7 before Atlanta, August 1864.
Timothy O’Sullivan took this and several similar pictures from the church, whose pews the generals are sitting on. At left, General Grant looks over the shoulder of General George Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac. In other pictures in the series, Grant is sitting on the pew facing the photographer. Put these pictures together and you have the closest thing to a movie that came out of the Civil War. Significant also because during this pause in the campaign, General Lee was getting ready to pull Grant into a trap at the North Anna River. But Grant sensed the trap and disengaged, sidestepping once more to the South.
It looks like a European town destroyed by artillery or bombers during either of the world wars. But this picture shows the devastating results from the fire that swept Richmond when the Confederate government retreated.
Lincoln’s remarks were very short, as the photographer had barely gotten ready when Lincoln was finished. Hence, the blurry nature of this historic event.
This remarkable photo of Union soldiers waiting to advance is usually misidentified as being taken during the siege of Petersburg, 1864-1865. The Library of Congress has it labeled as such. But according to James McPherson, it was actually taken a year earlier, before the Chancellorsville campaign.
James Gibson took this photo of a field hospital at Savage’s Station, Va., during the Seven Days campaign east of Richmond.
Alexander Gardener photographed these dead rebels of Starke’s Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia where they fell along the Haggerstown Turnpike. Gardner took this picture two days after the battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg to the CSA). Gardener’s boss, Matthew Brady, took his photographs and made them into a display for the public—one that shocked people who had never before seen war dead (which was practically everyone).
This picture was taken a few days after his unfortunate assault at Cold Harbor. The strain on his face is palpable. By the time this photo was taken, Grant and Lee had lost a combined 80,000 men (50K Union, 30K Confederate) at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor.
This is one of the most historically valuable photos ever taken of the war because it is the only known photograph that shows Confederate soldiers on the march in enemy territory. (Maryland was indeed enemy territory to them, because slave-holding Maryland elected to remain in the Union.) What’s haunting about this photo is that, statistically speaking, before the end of the month one-third of all the men in that picture would be dead, wounded or missing. The photo is the property of the Historical Society of Frederick County (Maryland), and no larger size is available.
Contributor: STL Mo
time to read it though, bizarre posting time on the east coast here
Very interesting. Especially #1.
I hate war
This is the time Jfrater posts these? oh well, anywaysthese are interesting as always, I didn’t realize just how many picture were being taken some 140 some odd years ago, very cool list, the civial war was one of my favorite subjects in history
Old photographs are always intriguing. Great list!
I like these historical photograph lists. Good list!
I do generally post the lists around this time – so the UK and East Coast of the US get them first
Trench Warfare one is discusting.
Anybody here watch Band Of Brothers , Channel 2 on in the UK? Amazing program.
Pyderz: I saw band of brothers – it is one of the best war series ever!
War is always ugly it doesnt matter if it was a hundred years ago or right now. Great list jfrater thanks
Band of Brothers is an awesome show. Cool list
Nice list, I was surprised that I liked them. I don’t know all that much about the American Civil War, but I like old pictures.
Never realised how tall lincoln was.
(inserts tongue in cheek)
This list is too American! Don’t they have wars in other countries??!!
(withdraws tongue from cheek)
Great list. Plus, who the hell is that impostor? I just checked and I have registered my nickname. Meh, weird.
astraya, you crack me up! STL Mo, this is a stunning list. Great, great stuff. However, the next time you need a blurb written about Gen. Sherman, please let me write it. I’d probably have said something different about Sherman and the horse he rode in on…
Wars are bad…
great list! epic photos…
This is pure bollocks. Those bloody yanks get all the lists. Gives me a pain in me gulliver…
There were so many more I could have included. But hey, if y’all like this, I’ll make another one (Jamie willing, of course.)
warrrreagl – ha! I can just imagine your retort. Sherman gets his fair amount of cussin’ still to this day.
Wow….impressive. The photos of that time simply amaze me because it was at the dawn of photography. Most of what I learned as a young man in US History about the Civil War had paintings or illustrations to describe people and events. When you see actaul photos it adds a greater sense of realism.
Burns’ Civil War was also an amazing piece…glad you cited it. Wars are bad, and these photos and the Burns’ documentary showcase that in ways that paintings or illustrations in text books can’t. The actual photographs (and the stories related by Burns) show the raw uncleansed hardship of war.
I love old pictures. These are great. When I was a teenager, my whole family did Civil War re-enacting. Of course I got annoyed because it was always so hot, I was a spoiled brat teen. But when I look back, it was a really neat experience, that I wish I wouldn’t have taken for granted.
wars are good, they keep the population down and give young men something to do
GForce, if you are serious about your complaints, I am sure that Jfrater would welcome a list by you regarding a subject concerning your country, providing it was interesting and accurate. Don’t complain unless you are willing to do something about it. You too can brag or complain about your country’s interesting/wierd facts. I assume you are British. If not, I apologize. Here are some ideas for you: How about most interesting hedge rows? or best Beefeaters? Ok, seriously, what about the greatest or most popular British rock bands? Or most famous landmarks?
Wars are one of the oldest things around and extends past the human species. It can be argued that ongoing battles of territory and mating rights by apes, monkeys, meercats, lions, etc. are wars in a sense. Ideally they wouldn’t exist, but the primal desire to exist and/or thrive will mean that wars will always occur.
LordCalvert: Yeah think they need to bring back manditory Service!
Photo #17, “The bottom rail is on top, as these soldiers were among the 180,000 black men who served in the Union army during the war—and helped deliver ultimate victory.”
What do you mean by “The bottom rail is on top”? Something in the photograph itself, or are you speaking metaphorically?
BTW excellent photos. Some of the faces are quite haunting. And seeing the subjects in mostly relaxed poses, as opposed to the “posed” photos typical of the day, makes them appear more contemporary and more easy to identify with. For me, at least.
The war of Northern Aggression was horrible. And I’m sure Sherman has a special place that burns him all the time.
Rob S. – sorry, the reference might have been a little obscure. It comes from the ending of James McPherson’s “Battle Cry of Freedom.” If I remember right, a black youth in the Union army was passing a group of Confederate prisoners — and he recognized his former master among the Rebs. He hollered out, “Hey, masta! Bottom rail on top this time!” (A reference to a split rail fence, where the slave was the bottom rail and master was the top, only now the situationw as reveresed. He was free and the old master was a prisoner.)
Can somone explain what it means in picture 17 “Black Soldiers” “The bottom rail is on top,….”??!
Never mind sorry!
STLScott,
Thanks for the clarification! I thought it had to do with something along those lines, but I’d never heard McPhereson’s quote before.
Very good.
Heh – I used an old, old name by mistake. STL Mo and STLScott are the same joker, by I prefer Mo now.
Or mo’ Mo now.
Great list, love the history stuff. Although there may be one picture you forgot. I remember from high school an up close picture of a Confederate soldier, looks about 16 years old, lying dead on the side of a hill. The picture is very good quality. Gives me chills every time I see it.
Awesome list. It was interesting to see some of the more casual poses and the photo from the church by Timothy O’Sullivan looks like nothing I’ve ever seen from that time period.
Soapy- If you are thinking of the photo of a sharpshooter at Gettysburg, I think that was staged.
MzFly – yes indeed. I think Alexander Gardener was the photographer, and he dragged the body to prop it against boulders in the Devil’s Den, if that’s the picture Soapy is thinking of.
And you know what, I think I will make a second list (Jamie willing) that will have some more great/rare/haunting pics.
Damn, I never knew that. It actually makes sense cause that would be too good of a picture. Thanks for the clarification
If anyone’s interested in more Civil War images, Life Magazine has just uploaded tons to Google. Here’s the URL:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=1860s+US+Civil+War+source:life&start=0&sa=N
It’s amazing the photographs they were able to catch at that time, when photography was certainly not as perfected as it is today. Imagine being a photojournalist of some sort then and lugging all that equipment around. These are amazing.
Great list, I love every single picture you selected. I take it your from St. Louis. Me too! I live in Hazelwood!
Does anyone remember the made-for-TV movie about the “Second Civil War?” Had the late-Phil Hartman as the President of the USA, one of the Bridges brothers as a senator/governor that is dating an immigrant girl . . . no? I always thought it was interesting to look at possible scenarios that might plunge the US back into Civil War, and this one focused on immigration as a leading concern. I thought it was good; anyone I’ve talked to about it since has disagreed.
what a terrible time in our nations history. Seeing the dead in these photos and realizing that these are fathers, brothers and sons, really brings it home.
William Tecumseh Sherman was a hero. By reminding the civilian population, especially the rich Southern women, what war is really like, he broke destroyed their will to fight along with much of the material means to do so. War doesn’t only exist on a battlefield, and if a people insists on starting a war, they have to expect it might come back to bite them.
I wish there were more confederate pictures…
I thought I am the only one who keep on checking listverse if there is new list published.
An absolutely compelling list. The photos grab you viscerally and squeeze until you almost can’t breathe.
This list, along with the color photos from WWI , should make people more and more aware of the horrors of war.
A truly magnificent list, STL Mo. One I shall keep, and, like the WWI photos, reproduce.
Thank you.
Emar, there is a new list every day.
#14 astraya- i do not know what country you live in but in nearly any list that has anything to do with the US you make some ***** comment that i guess is supposed to be apart of your ongoing useless argument about why you hate anything american including people you havent even met. i do not say mean things about your country just to be an ***** and i would ask that you show the same respect.
cool list by the way. the civil war isa very important and interesting event in american history.
*comment went into moderation for use of the n-word. for anyone offended..consider the context* Cyn
THE BALLAD OF JOHNATHON BRANSON
Brother John came march’n home
dressed in Rebel gray.
Pa was awful proud of him,
Ma cried night and day.
We lived below of the slave’n line,
still Ma loved Union blue.
Pa always said “Let’s kill’em dead,
and we’ll have Yankee stew.”
Johnny grabbed his gunny sack,
and vanished ‘neath the pine.
Off to kill some Union boys,
the nigger love’n swine.
He met his troop in Bowling Green,
they armed him with a knife.
He gave tha yell “Let’s give’m Hell!
strike up tha drum n fife!”
They marched their way to Tennessee,
‘cross Godforsaken land.
Didn’t see no fight’n there,
just Sherman’s mighty hand.
Johnny asked the Captain;
“Sir these dead, is them all our?”
Captain sighed, and then replied,
“My belly’s done gone sour.”
Somewhere south of Madison,
around the light of dawn,
they came upon a Union troop,
ten thousand on the lawn.
John whispered to his buddy,
“God there’s more a’them than trees.”
When his buddy’s head went flow’n red,
left dangl’n ‘tween his knees.
The guns all went to bark’n out,
out on the proving ground.
War ain’t only ugly no,
it howls a fearful sound.
Johnny with the knife in hand
crawled scared down in a hole.
In there laid a Yankee spade,
as black as ‘Ginia coal.
He thought about his prideful Pa,
and raised the weapon high.
But just before descent,
he saw that tear in Mama’s eye.
He asked the wounded soldier,
“Boy you got a Ma back home?”
-”My Maker he done taked’r,
Sir she’s lie’n in tha loam.”
Johnny threw the knife aside,
and shouldered up the boy.
With bullets bite’n at his feet
he charged through that deploy.
When someone seen him tote’n
some damn Yankee who was black.
A southern bred shot Johnny dead,
then the nigger on his back.
They brought my brother’s body home
one mornin’ chilled with shame.
Ma was awful proud of him,
Pa never was the same.
They buried John without a stone,
some pray he burns in Hell!
But in the midst angels is
where Johnny boy does dwell.
Copyright 2008
guy- hey dip***** do you understand “tongue in cheek”.
This was just fascinating. Thanks STL MO for compiling this great list with the interesting descriptions.
I read recently that another photo was discovered just last year of Lincoln at Gettysburg.
I just found it on line. It shows the image STL MO posted here along with the new image just discovered.
Here is the (safe) link.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-15-gettysburg-images_N.htm
thank you for your understanding. I wrote The Ballad with the best of intentions. I’m a white native of Georgia and have witnessed the negativity that comes with racism all my life. It’s a sad thing indeed! I hope your readers understand this in the same fashion your moderators do.
Regards,
gg
19. GForce: The funny part was, you were made fun of even before you ever opened your mouth. GG, retard.
49. guy: You’re a retard, too. “Tongue in cheek” means he was mocking people who say comments like that.
Anywho, very appropriate day for this list. I heard on NPR this morning that it’s the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. In fact, many people were distracted by the photographer setting up his equipment and missed the whole speech!
I enjoyed this list. It wasn’t just a series of photographs; the commentary was an added bonus.
@44: robneiderman:
You’re an idiot. If he were alive 100 years later General Sherman would be considered a war criminal who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of innocent people. If Gen. Petraeus did half of what Sherman is responsible for, he’d already be in prison.
gg-
the comments are automatically filtered based on words set by J. that is one of many potentially offensive words that would move a comment into moderation.
as for the poem itself…you actually wrote this? i’d assumed given the word usage…not just that word but some other more sorta archaic ones too..that it was from that time period.
at any rate, interesting poem. objectionable word yet still in context. hopefully in this overly PC world most people will ‘get it’.
i know i’ve read other poetry w/ the ‘c word’ ..a word i have a personal aversion to…that its inclusion did have a significance to the poem itself. eh..sometimes artforms have to be risky like that. even offensive.
we’ll see if it generates any comments offended by its use. hhhmm…
astraya # 14 that comment ( tongue in cheek ) was brilliant some of us comment often most days – others only read or post comments when they want to stir the pot.
When I saw your comment this morning I thought to myself astraya is pushing her luck hence the USA — as most of us knows, from previous list the sh-t only hits the fan, when the States gets mentioned.
Thanks MO.
Cyn-
I wrote it as close as possible to the way people spoke in those days, without making it a jargoned mess. I tried it without the “n” word, and to me it just didn’t have the same impact. Race was not the only issue going on at that time, but it was definately the main one. Friends and families were split. Friends and families fought for both sides. Friends killed friends, family members killed their family members. It’s hard to believe! I have a good imagination but I can hardly imagine what the outcome would be if something like that happened today.
thanks again
gg
Wow… I had no idea that any photos existed from this period.