The Civil War - (WARNING - graphic content)

[Wayne M]

I received an email with the link provided. Having geen to Gettysburg a few times, it was interesting to see these pictures and relate them to the bloodiest war of our time. A WARNING - some of the historical images are graphical images of bodies.
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Original email - original author of email unknown -

"Although some of these may be hard to view, if you're into American history - Civil War era, you should really enjoy these historic photos.

These are really interesting photos from the Civil War. It is truly fortunate that so many of these have survived. Probably a million wet plate photos were made during the civil war on glass plate. Popular during the war, they lost their appeal afterwards and so many were sold for the glass. Many were used in green houses. Over the years the sun caused the images to disappear.

These are pretty amazing considering they were taken up to 150
years ago: a compendium of photos from the Civil War era.

Run the cursor over the photograph and the picture caption will pop up. Click photo to enlarge.

Civil War Photos"

Note: I found maneuvering through the photos was easier to clink on a photo, and then use the "back" button (delete on MAC) to go back a page and click on the next photo.

[DriVer]

I've been to Gettysburg 3 times and I find it absolutely facinating every time I go. I stood in the "Angle" on the 4th of July and the hair on my arms stood up! Each visit offers me the opportunity to learn more. I find it facinating that a busy road goes through the center of some of the most hallowed ground in this country; "Steinwehr Avenue" (Emmistsburg Road). It was across this road that Pickett's Charge advanced with Colonel Armistead at its lead with his hat held high on the end of his sword.

Where do such men come from?

History! Just don't know it ... live it.

[JohnRR]

Antietam & Gettysburg are two places I like to keep returning to and think of them often, really beautiful places but filled with such a history of carnage it's just so hard to grasp what it had to be like.

[Madisons]

Wayne,

Thanks so much for the photos.

John and Val

[jackrobinryan]

Would recommend a stop at Fredericksburg Va battle site.

I've lived and worked in the area for many years but didn't tour it till a week ago. Well worth talking to rangers and volunteers there.

The changes in history that can come from miscommunication, shipping delays and luck!!

And while in the area, you can also catch Salem Church, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House and the Jackson Shrine.

So much history within a small area.

jr

[Vegasdan]

I did a living history at Gettysburg in September with my unit, 2nd Virginia Infantry, Co.D, Stonewall Brigade. We did it at Spangler's Spring. Here is a photo of the sniper's roost in the Devils' Den compared to the original photo in your group of photos.

[DriVer]

Originally Posted by Vegasdan

I did a living history at Gettysburg in September with my unit, 2nd Virginia Infantry, Co.D, Stonewall Brigade. We did it at Spangler's Spring. Here is a photo of the sniper's roost in the Devils' Den compared to the original photo in your group of photos.

Been there. This was one of those moments in my life when I was walking down a path at Devil's Den and I tuned the corner and not knowing what I was going to see, the sniper's roost came into focus. I overlaid what I was looking at to a picture that I had seen in my history book. It was like a flash bulb went off in my mind. I reverently stepped forward and almost like I expected the rocks to be hot or something I just touched and placed my hand on the wall. It was like everything that I was looking around me was now validated.

[jackrobinryan]

Being a born skeptic, I'd normally roll my eyes at this story if it hadn't happened to me, Robin and about 30 other onlookers at the confederate soldier statue where Picketts line was centered...

We came out of the tour bus, in the fall a few years ago and joined a small group there staring at a strange phenomenom...a mini whirl wind was walking around the field, picking up leaves from the ground, about 30' in diameter. The folks said they had been watching it for over 5 minutes already.

As we watched, it came right at our group surrounding the statue, backed off again and then came right towards us. We were all standing in a mini tornado of blowing, circling leaves, centered on the Confederate soldiers statue!!

And then it just died out, covering us with falling leaves. And speechless. A really cool experience. Hairs standing on end.

Really. Gettsburg is an awesome place.

[Ray,IN]

Most sobering is that over 50,000 men died in just one day! Compare that to 58,759 known KIA during VietNam.

[Vegasdan]

Our group walked the Pickett's charge when we were there. A reenactor who portrays General Lee sent us off to the famous "copse of trees" a mile across that deadly field. We strode, line abrest, with our colors flying, past the split rail fence towards the low rock wall where the Union line waited that July in 1863. We stepped across the wall and marched to the fence that now surrounds the trees and touched their leaves, something the men did not do in '63.

[RoyM]

Incredible collection.

[justimagination]

Wayne, thank you so much for allowing us to view these treasures. I could not lay it down until I had looked at every picture and read each thread. I have never been there, but it is already in our future for Spring 2011. To "Driver" and others who shared your personal experiences there, thank you. May all of you have a wonderful Holiday season and travel safe.
David G.

[historyljc]

Remember when reading the casualty figures that they include killed, wounded and missing. In the Gettysburg campaign there was a total of over 51,000 (approximately) casualties for the three day period. Of this roughly 7,500 were killed (total for both sides) during the three days - averaging 2,500 per day.

The Battle of Antietam (Sept. 17, 1862) is generally credited as the bloodiest (deadliest) calendar day on American soil, with probably 4,300 killed. Also bear in mind that the counts were quite inaccurate and vary greatly from source to source. For Antietam different sources will quote the number killed anywhere from 3,650 to 6,500.

The high causualty count that was all too common in US Civil War engagements are in todays world considered unsustainable and unacceptable. We must remember that the US Civil War is the only war in which we have engaged in which the causalty count includes both sides in the engagement.

The shear numbers of causualties in that war just boggles the mind.

[jasult]

We made our first trip to Gettysburg last May and here is our pic of the Sniper's Roost. Can't wait to get back there again.