In the midst of the American Civil War, a turbulent period that left an indelible mark on the nation, the practice of soldiers and fighters having their portraits taken in studios emerged as a poignant intersection of history and art.
These studio portraits, captured during a pioneering era of photography, serve as enduring testaments to the lives, experiences, and roles of those who took part in this historic conflict.
The mid-19th century marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of photography.
The daguerreotype, introduced in 1839, was the earliest photographic process, but it required subjects to sit still for several minutes, resulting in a single, unique image on a polished metal plate.
As photographic techniques advanced, the ambrotype and tintype processes allowed for quicker and more affordable portraiture.
Soldiers cherished these portraits as tokens of affection for their families and loved ones. Encased in ornate holders, these images provided comfort and a connection to their homes during the hardships of war.
In many instances, they adorned themselves with items representative of their trades, carried weapons, or displayed cherished mementos, revealing unique facets of their experiences and backgrounds.
Preserved in archives, museums, and private collections, these portraits connect us to the faces and stories of those who lived through one of the most transformative periods in American history.
Two unidentified soldiers in Union uniforms holding cigars in each others’ mouths
The war resulted in at least 1,030,000 casualties (3 percent of the population), including about 620,000 soldier deaths—two-thirds by disease—and 50,000 civilians.
Binghamton University historian J. David Hacker believes the number of soldier deaths was approximately 750,000, 20 percent higher than traditionally estimated, and possibly as high as 850,000.
A novel way of calculating casualties by looking at the deviation of the death rate of men of fighting age from the norm through analysis of census data found that at least 627,000 and at most 888,000 people, but most likely 761,000 people, died in the war.
As historian McPherson notes, the war’s “cost in American lives was as great as in all of the nation’s other wars combined through Vietnam.”
Three unidentified soldiers in forage caps with musket
Brothers Private Hiram J. and Private William H. Gripman of Company I, 3rd Minnesota Infantry Regiment, one with his arm around the other
Corporal Alvin B. Williams of Company F, 11th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers, with musket and a bayonet in scabbard; dog tag in case
Edwin Chamberlain of Company G, 11th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment in sergeant’s uniform with guitar
Five unidentified soldiers in Union uniform of the 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia outfitted with Enfield muskets in front of encampment
John E. Cummins of the 50th, 99th, and 185th Ohio Infantry regiments in Union uniform next to a horse
Private Albert H. Davis of Company K, 6th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment in uniform, shoulder scales, and Hardee hat with Model 1841 Mississippi rifle, sword bayonet, knapsack with bedroll, canteen, and haversack
Private David M. Thatcher of Company B, Berkeley Troop, 1st Virginia Cavalry Regiment, in uniform and Virginia sword belt plate with Adams revolver and cavalry sword
Private Edward A. Cary of Company I, 44th Virginia Infantry Regiment, in uniform and his sister, Emma J. Garland née Cary
Private Henry Augustus Moore of Co. F, 15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, with artillery short sword and sign reading Jeff Davis and the South!
Private Silas A. Shirley of Co. H, 16th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, with books and sign reading Victory or Death!
Private Simeon J. Crews of Co. F, 7th Texas Cavalry Regiment, with cut down saber and revolver
Samuel W. Doble of Company D, 12th Maine Infantry Regiment, with drum
Seven unidentified officers and soldiers in Union uniforms and one officer identified as Major Charles S. Cotter of 1st Ohio Light Artillery Regiment, with telescope, at Point Lookout, Tennessee
Three unidentified soldiers in front of painted backdrop showing 34-star American flag
Two unidentified soldiers in Union cavalry uniforms with sword share a drink in front of painted backdrop showing camp
Two unidentified soldiers in Union uniforms drinking whiskey and playing cards
Unidentified African American sailor in Union uniform sitting with arm resting on table
Unidentified African American soldier in Union cavalry uniform with cavalry saber in front of painted backdrop showing landscape
Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters
Unidentified African American Union soldier with a rifle and revolver in front of painted backdrop showing weapons and American flag at Benton Barracks, Saint Louis, Missouri
Unidentified boy holding cased photograph of soldier in Confederate uniform atop a Bible
Unidentified girl in mourning dress holding framed photograph of her father as a cavalryman with sword and Hardee hat
Unidentified infantry sergeant in Union uniform with five young infantry soldiers with American flag at side
Unidentified soldier in Confederate cavalry uniform with saber
Unidentified soldier in Confederate frock coat and slouch hat with Bowie knife and Colt Army Model 1860 revolver
Unidentified soldier in Confederate infantry uniform with model 1842 musket and two Colt revolvers
Unidentified soldier in Confederate infantry uniform with musket and Bowie knife
Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform of Co. E, “Lynchburg Rifles,” 11th Virginia Infantry Volunteers holding 1841 “Mississippi” rifle, Sheffield-type Bowie knife, canteen, box knapsack, blanket roll, and cartridge box
Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform with 1855 Springfield pistol carbine and pistols
Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform with Berdan’s Sharps rifle and Colt 1862 Police Model pistol
Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform with Colt Revolving rifle and D-Guard Bowie knife
Unidentified soldier in Confederate Virginia volunteer uniform with bayoneted musket
Unidentified soldier in first lieutenant’s uniform, red sash, leather gauntlets, and spurs with cavalry sword
Unidentified soldier in Union cavalry uniform with banjo, sword, and pipe
Unidentified soldier in Union cavalry uniform with stocked Colt pistol, Remington, and cavalry saber
Unidentified soldier in Union officer’s uniform at Point Lookout, Tennessee, sitting with cavalry saber in hand and slouch hat resting beside him on a rock
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform and fez with Model 1855 rifle musket and pepperbox revolver
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform holding a U.S. Model 1855 pistol-carbine with attached shoulder stock and a saber
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform with Colt Revolving Rifle Model 1855
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform with fife
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform with rifle, revolver, and sword
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform with two revolvers and picking his teeth with a Bowie knife
Unidentified soldier in Union uniform with wife and daughters holding saxhorn
Unidentified soldier in Union zouave uniform with bayoneted musket
Unidentified soldier of 1st Mississippi Cavalry Battalion in uniform and Confederate wishbone frame buckle, with 1st model Maynard carbine
Unidentified young drummer boy in Union uniform
Unidentified young sailor in uniform with American flag in front of backdrop showing naval scene
Unidentified young soldier in 5th New Hampshire Infantry uniform and Whipple hat with bayoneted musket
Unidentified young soldier in Confederate shell jacket, Hardee hat with Mounted Rifles insignia and plume with canteen and cup
Unidentified young soldier in Confederate uniform and Hardee hat with holstered revolver and artillery saber
Unidentified young soldier in Confederate uniform
Unidentified young soldier in Union uniform and forage cap with revolver
Unidentified young soldier in Union uniform and Hardee hat sitting with musket, cartridge box, and cap box
Unidentified young soldier in Union uniform with musket and bayonet in scabbard
Unidentified young vivandière in Union uniform with barrel canteen and cup
(Photo credit: Library of Congress).
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