Photography during the civil war

The american civil war (1861-1865) was the third war in history to be caught on camera. Photography profoundly changed the way wars were covered and viewed. Scenes of soliders dying and fighting were captured by men like George Barnard and Mathew Brady. After photographs were printed in newspapers, people who were not fighting in the war, became concerned about the war. Some began to wonder why the war had to start, why the fighting was as violent as it was, and perhaps the war shouldn't of started.



During the war, dozens of photographers, both as private individuals and as employees of the confederate and union goverments, photographed civilians and civilian activites. They captured photographs of soliders in their camps, playing cards, talking with each other, holding their weapons and as they fought on the battlefields. It was very dangerous for photographers to capture pictures of the war.







This photograph shows a group of union Civil War soldiers next to an artillery piece. The picture was taken in 1862 near Fair Oaks, Virgina. These men look very proud to be having their picture taken.

This photograph shows soliders at rest, after drill. The soldiers are seated, reading letters and papers and playing cards.

This is another photograph of a camp, with horses and wagons.

Most of the photographers used daguerreotype to take pictures. The daguerreotype was an early type of photograph. In which the image was exposed directly onto a mirror-polished surface of silver. Daguerreotype eventually became popular and by the 1850's, seventy studios were open.

This is a photograph of Abraham Lincoln, and this is a example of daguerreotype.

Mathew Brady, who documented the American Civil War, was probably one of the greatest photographer back then. Brady was a son of irish immigrants, whom can be viewed as the father of photojournalism. In 1861, Brady turned his attention to photographing the civil war. To document the war, he organized his own corps of about 300 photographers who were placed in various areas. They had to follow and photograph the soliders in the fields. Brady got permission from Lincoln to follow the troops in what was expected to be a short and glorious war. It has been estimated that Brady took more than 3,500 photographs during the war years. Not realized by most, Brady was secretly almost blind.

This is a photograph of Mathew Brady.

These two pictures were taken by Mathew Brady. Some people thought that the pictures he took, such as these two, looked too real, and had too much detail in them. In 1862, the New York Times, commented on the display of pictures taken at Antietam: "Mr. Brady has done something to bring home to us the terrible reality and earnestness of war. If he has not brought bodies and laid them in our door-yards and along the streets, he has done something very like it...."These pictures have a terrible distinctness. By the aid of the magnifying-glass, the very features of the slain may be distinguished. We would scarcely choose to be in the gallery, when one of the women bending over them should recognise a husband, son, or a brother in the still, lifeless lines of bodies, that lie ready for the gaping trenches." In other words, they thought that if people looked at photographs like these two, they would see horrifying scenes and they might find a loved one.

This photograph was taken in 1862 near Savage Station, Virginia. The picture has a nice view of a Civil War camp, including supply wagons. Photography was still in its infancy, and taking a single picture was a very complex process. This picture was taken by George Barnard, who was working for Mathew Brady.

Photographers would travel by horse and wagon to different locations. This picture shows the wagons and camera of Sam A. Cooley, Department of the South.

If it were not for these early pioneers of photography, our concept of the 19th century history would have been quite different.

Dear Frank,

For some odd reason, my artist statement is not copying over to the blog page.  If you could just read it off the actual hard-copy page, that would be great!

Sorry for the inconvenience, 

Ellie







-Dani G. and Ellie
(Frank's design team)