Fort Donelson: Early turning point of the Civil War
By John Walsh, featuring images from the author’s collection The triumph by U.S. forces at Fort Donelson in early February 1862 dramatically turned the tide of the Civil War, then
Recent Stories
One Vacant Chair: Photographs of a Michigan family remind us of loss and sacrifice
By Paul Russinoff The lyrics from a touching song spoke to the grief suffered by hundreds of thousands of families during the Civil War: “We shall meet, but we shall
Man-of-War Men: A gallery of naval photographic portraits
By Ron Field, featuring images from the author’s collection Naval images of the Civil War period conjure an association with salty sea air and westerly winds when beholding a view
Fastening Buttons on the “Opposite” Side
By Jack Hurov The Summer 2024 issue of Military Images magazine featured Evander M. Law and his staff on the cover. Current evidence suggests the half-plate ambrotype was taken by
The Rise of “La Belle Rebelle”
By Melissa A. Winn The morning of July 4, 1861, “dawned brightly,” according to the postwar memoir of Maria Isabella “Belle” Boyd. However, this anniversary of the country’s independence was
Holyland’s Military-Landscape Painting
By Ronald S. Coddington The painted backdrop visible in portraits taken by a young photographer honing his craft in Washington, D.C., is the focus of this installment. During the war,
A Plucky Mortar Boat Crew at Plum Point Bend
By Scott Valentine Ever since the Army of the Mississippi had been diverted to Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck’s campaign against Corinth, Miss., the Union’s Western Gunboat Flotilla had been
A Portrait in a Clock Pendulum Bob and Other Distinctive Images
This portrait in a portrait of two unknown soldiers leaves one to wonder the nature of their relationship. Father and son? Brothers? Uncle and cousin? Professor and pupil? Though their
The Assassin’s Vision
The cover sheet in the Library of Congress of composer Joseph W. Turner’s “The Assassin’s Vision” cites an illustration as his inspiration: “This ballad was suggested on seeing the representation
Autumn 2024 Issue Highlights
Two years ago, I visited collector Al Niemiec in the Chicago suburbs. I had met Al in person once before for coffee, and since then we corresponded from time to