Civil War Art-- Part 5: Alfred Waud and Edwin Forbes

Alfred Waud was the most prolific special and created some of the most memorable sketches of Gettsburg and Antietam. On July 21, 1861, he traveled to the Bull Run battlefield on the wagon of his good friend, photograoher Matthew Brady. At one point he took up arms against the Confederates that day and used a pistol to deter a Union soldier trying to commandeer his horse on his return.

He had good friendships with officers which allowed him great access to battlefields, but also was prone to showing the regular soldier.

Edwin Forbes of Leslie's Illustrated was very focused on human-interest and figure study of the regular soldiers and made sketches of soldiers relaxing, cooking, cleaning, reading, shaving and doing other daily activities.

Just Regular Folk. --Old Secesh

Civil War Battlefield Art-- Part 1

From the May 2012 National Georgraphic Magazine by Harry Katz.

Photography during the Civil War by such as Matthew Brady and Timothy O'Sullivan was way too slow to record movement in any other way than a blur. Nor, did they have an easy time maneuvering their bulky equipment over rough terrain. They had more success recording after action scenes.

To give readers an idea of battlefield action, newspapers sent amateur and professional illustrators out to the battles and these "special artists" or "specials" became America's first pictorial war correspondents.

And, it was a rough, even deadly experience. One special, James R. O'Neill, was killed by Quantrill's Raiders. Two others, C.E.F. Hillen and Theordore Davis were wounded.

Frank Vizetelly was nearly killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virgina, on December 1862, when "a South Carolinian had a portion of his head carried away, within four yards of myself, by a shell."

More to Come. --Old Secesh

How Technology Shaped the Civil War-- Part 2: Prosthetic Limbs

Communication facilitated the abolitionist movement. Americans got better access to war reports even though they were often wildly inaccurate. Weekly periodical/magazines like Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper and Harper's Weekly sent out artists and illustrators like Alfred Waud and Winslow Homer to bring the war to the people.

Scientific American also covered the war. Almost every issue had at least one article on the newest technological developments.

The thousands of men who were maimed and lost limbs inspired entrepreneurs to design new and improved prosthetic limbs. The Patent Office granted 133 patents for them from 1866 to 1873. Perhaps 60,000 men lost limbs.

--Old Secesh