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
Tag: Robert e. Lee
Forever Peace: A former Confederate gives a miniature of the Appomattox surrender table to Ulysses S. Grant
By Ronald S. Coddington Ulysses S. Grant arrived to a hero’s welcome in Philadelphia on Dec. 16, 1879. The retired general who had led the U.S. Army to victory in
The Little Gamecock: The rise of Brig. Gen. Evander McIver Law, C.S.A.
By Ronald S. Coddington, with images and artifacts from the Craig and Carol Wofford Collection Evander McIver Law focused his piercing blue eyes on the skyline above the Gettysburg countryside.
Sabers at Shepherdstown
By Scott Valentine Seeking to relieve pressure on the Army of Northern Virginia besieged at Richmond and Petersburg in the summer of 1864, Gen. Robert E. Lee ordered a diversion
King’s Knight to King 7: Investigating connections between Confederate agent Caleb Huse, President Jefferson Davis and the Ames Company
By Ron Maness, featuring images from the author’s collection During a chess match, moving a knight to confront the opposing king in its initial position (King 8) can result in
The Courage of a Trooper at Trevilian Station
The 10th New York Cavalry found itself in a precarious position along the Virginia Central Railroad near Trevilian Station on June 11, 1864. In the immediate aftermath of a successful
British Invasion! Confederate portraits in England
By John O’Brien Curious British subjects eager to see the faces of Confederate leaders satisfied their curiosity at a central London photographer’s gallery. The Revolving Studio, so named for its
Fallout from the Johnston Reconnaissance: A late-war letter by Robert E. Lee sheds light on an enduring Gettysburg controversy
By Dave Batalo and Ronald S. Coddington One day in late January 1865, a child was born in Virginia as the Confederacy lay on its deathbed. News traveled to the
On the Power of Observation
On a crisp clear day this autumn, I sat down with John O’Brien to discuss an iconic carte de visite of Gen. Robert E. Lee. My laptop and scanner seemed
Lexington, Not Petersburg: A cancelled revenue stamp on the back of an iconic image of Gen. Robert E. Lee and Traveller suggests a new location—and brings to light the photographers who took it
By John O’Brien Of all the photographs of Robert E. Lee, one stands out as favored above the rest: the gray-coated general seated on his faithful mount, Traveller. According