1860's CIVIL WAR PHOTOS OF CONFEDERATE PRISONERS AT GETTYSBURG & ANTIETAM DEAD
Exceptionally rare and original, 1863 Iconic Civil War Photograph by Mathew Brady of three Confederate Prisoners captured at the Battle of Gettysburg. This gripping, original Albumen Photo measures approx. 3 1/2" by 3 1/8" and is mounted on its original, buff colored, Cabinet card size mount. There printed text on the front of the mount that identifies the View as being from the series titled The War For the Union and further printed text below the Photograph identifies the title of the view as 2288.
The back of the mount features a second Image from the Series by Brady titled No. 553 / "The Sunken Road, Antietam" featuring a mass of dead Confederate Soldiers literally piled upon each other in the infamous "sunken road". Both of these Photograph was taken by one of the photographers working for Mathew Brady (at least one - the Rebel Prisoners - was taken by Timothy O'Sullivan) and was first published by E. Brady's negatives were obtained by John C. Taylor of Hartford, Connecticut who republished some of the views (including these) in the years following the War and the Image offered here carries Taylor & Huntington mark.
While we have handled hundreds of Taylor & Huntington Stereoviews from Brady's "War For the Union" Series, we have never encountered an example published in the format seen here and believe this to be an exceptionally rare pair of Images. The first of these two very rare Civil War Albumen Photographs depicts three Confederate Soldiers who were taken prisoner at the Battle of Gettysburg. The prisoners of war were photographed by Alexander Gardner while employed by Mathew Brady at the top of Seminary Ridge across a road from the previous headquarters of Confederate general Robert E.
Over the years there have been many attempts at identifying the POW's pictured in this poignant Image. While none of the identifications have been authenticated by researchers, this Image has become one of the most iconic of the Civil War. Observers have described these POWs as "tawny, all ligaments, tendons, and bones" and they have been represented as the exemplar of the proud and steadfast Confederate Enlisted Man. Their barren surroundings and the composition of the image with each gazing off, almost mindlessly, in different directions have come to symbolize the substance of the Lost Cause - defended by brave and honorable men whose future holds little promise.Text on the mount below the Image reads This Group of three'Johnnies' were captured at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. This photograph was taken the same day. It will be observed that they do not look very sad at being captured. It means good rations and no fighting, instead of what they have been used to - good fighting and no rations.
While we have handled hundreds, if not thousands of Civil War Images over the past 35+ years, this is only the second example of this amazing Photograph that we have had the pleasure to own. Viewing it, in hand, has truly been an moving experience and we are proud to offer it here, as always without reserve and with the confidence that it will attract the serious interest that it justly deserves. The second image is equally moving but in a completely different way. Here was see a jumbled mass of bodies - Confederate Soldiers trapped in the infamous "Sunken Road" at Antietam. This is not a staged scene as were many of the Images purported to show "Dead Confederate Soldiers" but rather a stark reminder of the horrors of the American Civil War. Two Union soldiers can be seen standing above the Sunken Road. Text on the mount below the Image reads One of the awful death traps of the battle of Antietam, Sept 17, 1862, was an old road dug through the fields a few feet below the surface of the ground. It was known as the'Sunken Road'. A whole brigade of rebels marched in here when a Union battery opened an enfilading fire on the road and fairly slaughtered them by scores before they could get out of the trap. This view shows the dead just as they fell, fairly piled on each other. It is awful, but such is war. These fantastic and exceptionally rare, Civil War Albumen Photographs are in very good condition.Both Photographic Images exhibit sharp focus, strong contrast and rich tonality. There is some light soiling and light foxing to the area of the sky in both Images. The Card Mount is clean and crisp and very well preserved although the Taylor & Huntington credit line has been struck out on both sides of the mount. An exceptionally rare and historically important, 1863 Civil War Albumen Photograph by Mathew Brady of Confederate Prisoners of War captured at the Battle of Gettysburg along with a second exceptionally rare Image of Dead Confederate Soldiers in the Sunken Road at Antietam and a fantastic addition to any collection!
The item "1860's CIVIL WAR PHOTOS OF CONFEDERATE PRISONERS AT GETTYSBURG & ANTIETAM DEAD" is in sale since Friday, April 08, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Photographs". The seller is "walnutts" and is located in Brewster, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.