Non-Traditional Research Tools—and Serendipity
By Kurt Luther Photo sleuthing fundamentally pieces together bits of evidence to build a theory. For especially tricky images, these pieces of the puzzle may come from a wide variety
Tag: washington
At Franklin, “Killed Dead:” Life and loss of a Georgia lieutenant
By Willis Treadwell with Ronald S. Coddington Following the crushing Confederate defeat at the Battle of Franklin, word of the long casualty lists trickled into communities across the South. Grief-stricken
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
New York State Militia in Camp, 1861 and 1862
The 7th New York State Militia The regiment posed for these group portraits at Camp Cameron in Washington, D.C. in 1861. The studio of Mathew B. Brady is believed to
Dream Reports: Excerpts from the Dream Journal of Alexander S. Paxton, 4th Virginia Infantry
By Jonathan W. White Reverend George Junkin was furious when he saw a secession flag flying over the main building of Washington College in Lexington, Va. A native of Pennsylvania,
Authentic Farragut: Previously unknown portraits of the Nation’s first admiral come to light
By Chuck Winans and Ronald S. Coddington Pauline Philip was about 8 years old when she met David Farragut. Tall and broad shouldered despite advancing age and the rigors of
The Regiment That Saved the Capital
By Michael J. McAfee Nicknamed the “Silk Stocking Regiment” for the socially elite New Yorkers in its ranks, the 7th New York State Militia was nevertheless a well-equipped, drilled and
Jefferson Davis, Political Soldier
By John O’Brien On Jan. 9, 1861, Mississippi seceded from the Union. Two days later, Jefferson Davis followed his home state, and resigned from the U.S. Senate with a moving
Early Photo Sleuths In the Dead Letter Office
By Kurt Luther Not long ago, I received a gift of a carte de visite of an unidentified Civil War soldier, probably a Union private, wearing a short jacket and