CampSite Artifacts  ·

              
Here is a Nice Actual Period Photo Cdv of Confederate General Robert E. Lee ! This is one of three views of General Lee believed to have been taken “In The Field” sometime between September, 1862, and May, 1863. Once thought to have been taken by the Bendann Brothers of Baltimore, more recently the images have been attributed to photographers Minnis & Cowell of Richmond, Virginia. This Cdv has one small black spot on the image but not on the general, as well as staining on the mount. The mount has also been trimmed at top. General Lee’s image itself is focused with good clarity though the contrast is a little light. There is almost a light in his eyes and you can see the top edge of his coat is turned back under his buttons. Bottom of the mount has “ GEN’L R.E. LEE” printed on it. The reverse shows a stamped attribution of, “ Wm. F. Richstein The Monumental Book Store, 178 W. Balto St., Baltimore,” in an oval with a monument in the center. This mark is seen on quite a few Confederate Cdvs including Albert Sidney Johnston, John Singleton Mosby, and others. As I mentioned in the description of the other R.E. Lee Cdv I have for sale, I once sold a “minty” example of this exact image and backmark for $700. However, this example is far from minty, and is priced much nicer. If you want a real image of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and not an engraving, without spending a thousand bucks, this one may be for you !

                $239  plus shipping

        NEW !

Here is a Nice Cdv View, of the Civil War Period General Post Office in Washington D.C. ! Construction of the building was completed in 1842, and it served as a Post Office thru the Civil War and up until 1897. Afterwards used by various federal departments, the building which occupies an entire city block, still stands today, though it has become a hotel.

The Cdv is typical Civil War Period, on a mount with double gold line borders, and trimmed at one end, likely to fit in an album. The image is clear and well focused with a minimum of staining, and depicts the building from a distance off one corner. Most of the building itself is visible, as are the trees and streets around it. There is a wagon stopped on the street to the right, with a man standing behind it, and a couple of other people visible, a lady walking towards the building, and a man facing the fence near the corner. The reverse shows no photographer’s imprint, but does have a pencil ID of “Post Office South Front,” with the word “Patent” scratched out. A Nice Civil War Period Image of the General Post Office in Washington D.C. !

         $59 plus shipping

Here is a Fine Cdv Image of U.S. Lieutenant General Winfield Scott ! I don’t think there are many Civil War enthusiasts who aren’t familiar with General Scott. First commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1808, Scott had a long career that spanned the War of 1812, The Blackhawk War, The Mexican-American War, The Seminole War, and briefly, the beginning of the Civil War. He developed the “Anaconda Plan” to shut the South off from the outside world.

Scott is seated, in his dress uniform with epaulets, holding a very fancy officer’s sword. The image is clear and focused though contrast is a bit light. Below the image on the mount is his title,”Lieut. Gen’l Scott” and Mathew Brady’s 1861, Copyright notice. The reverse shows a blue photographer’s credit of, “Published by E. Anthony, 501 Broadway, New York. From Photographic Negative From Brady’s National Portrait Gallery.” A Fine Cdv of the General who Commanded the Entire U.S. Army at the start of the Civil War !

         $85 plus shipping

Here is a Hard to Find Cdv Image of US Major Charles Zagonyi ! Born in Hungary, Zagonyi served in the Hungarian Army prior to immigrating to the United States in 1851. At the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861, Zagonyi offered his services to Major General John Fremont in St. Louis. With the rank of major he commanded Fremont’s personal bodyguard of Hussars. At the first Battle of Springfield, Missouri, on October 25^th, 1861, Major Zagonyi lead a charge by his Hussars and some other troops, all totaling about 300 men, against over a thousand Confederates near the town. Suffering close to one third casualties, Zagonyi and his men routed the Confederates but could not hold the town. “Zagonyi’s Charge” impressed General Fremont and was widely covered in period newspapers. When Fremont resigned just a short time later, Zagonyi also left the army. Re-joining Fremont to fight in the Valley Campaign of Virginia in 1862, including Cross Keys & Harrisonburg, Zagonyi disappeared from army life after that.

Major Zagonyi’s Cdv is in very good condition, his image crisp and clear. The studio view is full standing with the major staring at the camera, hat in hand, and sword on his side. There is some very minor staining but nothing that detracts from the image. The corners of the mount have been rounded, likely to fit in an album. Bottom of the mount shows a name in pencil, possibly someone Major Zagonyi intended to give the image to, but I cannot completely make it out. What’s there looks like, “Col. Aheley”. The reverse shows photographer’s imprint of, “Published by E. & H.T. Anthony No. 501 Broadway, New York, From Photographic Negative in Brady’s National Portrait Gallery.” A Fine Example of an Uncommon Union Officer’s Cdv with a Missouri Connection!

            $149 plus shipping

Here is a Fine Cdv Image of U.S. General Ambrose Burnside ! A West Point graduate, Burnside served a few years on the western frontier, before resigning to start his Burnside Rifle Company, manufacturing the new breech loading carbine he designed. Living in Rhode Island at the beginning of the Civil War, Burnside raised a regiment of infantry, the 1^st Rhode Island Volunteers, and received appointment as the colonel. Rising in rank rapidly, after his victories at Roanoke Island and New Bern, North Carolina, Burnside was promoted to Major General. At the Battle of Antietam, he struggled for hours to get his 12,500 men over a small stone bridge which is known today as “Burnside’s Bridge.” At the disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, in December of 1862, Burnside commanded the entire Army of The Potomac, suffering over 12,000 casualties. Relieved of command of the Army shortly thereafter, Burnside continued to serve, fighting at The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, & Petersburg, resigning from the army in 1865. After the war, Burnside had a considerable political career, and served briefly as the Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. His unusual side whiskers gave rise to the term, Side Burns.

Burnside’s Cdv is finely focused with good contrast, the General posed from the waist up in his Brigadier General’s coat. There are the usual small stains with several at the bottom left on his coat, but all are minor and do not detract from the image. The mount has been slightly trimmed at all four corners likely to fit in an album, and bears a gold line border. The reverse shows photographer’s imprint of; “Cartes De Visite D. Appleton & Co. 443 & 445 Broadway N.Y. A.A. Turner Photographer,” with a crest in the center. About as Fine and Well Focused a Cdv of General Ambrose Burnside as you will see !

      $85 plus shipping

            General Thomas’ Carte De Visite is in good condition with some minor stains but none affecting the subject. His image is a bust shot centered in an oval with him staring determined into the camera. The top of his double breasted coat and buttons are visible, as are the stars on his shoulder rank straps. Though the image is a bit light, it is well focused with fair contrast. The mount has the double gold line borders around the edge and has never been trimmed. The reverse shows a blue 2-cent proprietary stamp covering an unknown photographer’s imprint, and a penciled ID of “Gen. George Thomas.” A Nice Period Cdv image of an important western theater Union General.

                           $75  plus shipping

Here is a Neat Post-war Cdv of the Monument to the 77^th New York Infantry, at the entrance to Congress Springs, in Saratoga Springs, New York ! The monument was dedicated in 1875, and it is likely that is when this image was made. The 77^th mustered in November, 1861, serving through the war until June, 1865. They were engaged in most of the battles of the Army of the Potomac, including; Yorktown, Seven Days, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appomattox, just to name some of the major ones. The Cdv mount has a gold bordered oval with image in the center, and a gold line with flourishes around the outside edges. It is unevenly cut along the top right edge but not affecting the image itself. The image depicts the stone monument with a 6^th Corps Badge on the top front, and the words, “ 77 N.Y.S. Vols.” near the bottom. On top is a bronze soldier standing “at ease”, hands on top of his rifle muzzle. The reverse shows a photographer’s imprint of, “Johnson, Williams, & Co. Photographers Nos. 952, 954, & 956 Broadway, Cor. Madison Square, 23d St. Opposite Fifth Av. Hotel, New York.” A Fine Cdv of one of the many northern monuments erected not too long after the war !

                              SOLD

Here is a Very Fine Condition Cdv Image of US General Nathaniel Lyon ! Lyon was in St. Louis, Missouri, at the start of the war, and acted quickly to bring Pro-Southern forces under control. A graduate of West Point, and Mexican War Veteran, he broke up the Southern Camp outside St. Louis, called “Camp Jackson”, though not without some controversy. Promoted to Brigadier-General, he took command of the Federal “Army of the West.” After the outbreak of war, Lyon began to move his almost 5500 Union troops in pursuit of the Pro-Southern Governor of Missouri, Claiborne Jackson, and the Missouri State Guard. At Wilson’s Creek, Missouri, on August 10^th, 1861, General Lyon received wounds in the head, leg, and chest, killing him while he attempted to rally his army. He became the first Union General to be killed in the war.

Though I have owned half a dozen or more examples of General Lyon’s Cdv, including this exact one, it is probably the best one. It is actually much better in hand, than my pictures convey. There is almost no staining on the image, and the contrast and focus is excellent. Lyon is standing in a studio with his hat in hand and saber at his side. The mount is unevenly cut, but also still in excellent condition. The reverse shows Photographer’s mark of, “Cartes De Visite D. Appleton & Co. 443 & 445 Bway New York A.A. Turner Photographer,” with a fancy seal in the center, and “Genl Lyon” in pencil at top. A Very Fine Cdv Image of a Trans-Mississippi Union General !

                             SOLD

            Nathaniel Banks was a lifelong politician, US Senator, and former Governor of Massachusetts, having no military experience. During the War, Banks fought in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862, including the Battle of Cedar Mtn., participated in the Occupation of New Orleans, the Siege of Port Hudson, and the failed Red River Campaign. Post War Banks again served in Congress and dabbled in railroads before his death in 1894. This Cdv may depict Banks as he appeared in 1862, while fighting Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, as that is the year it was copyrighted. A Fine War Date, Mathew Brady Cdv Image of US General Nathaniel Banks !

                                       SOLD