A Member of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry
The uniform, equipment and bearskin cap worn by this militiaman closely resemble those worn by members of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry. Established in 1855 in a reorganization of the state
Tag: 1861
The Celebrated Man of the Hour
Bad news flooded Northern newspapers in 1861. Secession. Fort Sumter. Riots in Baltimore and St. Louis. Lost battles at Bull Run and Ball’s Bluff. Death snuffing out young lives. News
Author of a Southern Anthem
The Confederate States of America did not have an official anthem. However, several songs popularized during its four years in existence stirred the soul of the fledgling nation. The playlist
A Savior of the Capitol
By Paul Russinoff Violent showers of rocks, coal, paving stones and occasional pistol shots intensified as the 62 gray uniformed men inside the battered Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail Road
Early Uniforms of Duryée’s Zouaves, 1861
By Ron Field These stereoviews produced by photographer George Stacy at the camp of the 5th New York Infantry near Fortress Monroe in May 1861 picture the Zouaves on parade
A Navy Lieutenant Faces Divided Loyalties in His Final Discharge of Duty
By Fred D. Taylor A man of untiring zeal and firmness of character, Lieutenant Otway Henry Berryman was no stranger to the expectations of an officer. In fact, his 32-year
June’s Hero, the Gallant Tompkins
During the first months of the Civil War, the Union urgently needed heroes. Fortunately for the patriotic Northern press, it did not have to look too far to find them.
Elmer Ellsworth, Haute Couturier? A previously unknown portrait of the Union martyr offers insight into his design method
By Ron Field, Michael J. McAfee, and Ronald S. Coddington Had the Civil War not taken place, Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth might have been best remembered as the visionary brainchild behind
From Bull Run to Hell Canyon
Hell Canyon in Arizona Territory was Apache country, and the scene of several violent and deadly acts in the late 1860s. One such event, a skirmish fought on July 3,
Red Blankets & Blue Blouses: Faces of Rhode Island’s First Responders, April-June 1861
The wild array of uniforms on display in the Union army during the spring of 1861 exuded a vivid patchwork of color and design. The mishmash of state styles included