150th Anniversary of the Civil War and Photojournalism

The Civil War marked the first time in human history, that the visual documentation of conflict occurred.

By Dan Bracaglia | Published Apr 13, 2011 12:53 AM EDT

News

Civil War Photography — Allan Pinkerton of the Secret Service on horseback, Antietam, 1862. Alexander Gardner/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Gettysburg. Forms part of Brady Civil War Photograph Collection/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Call No. LC-B8184- 10454.

Flag of 37th Pennsylvania Infantry. _ Photographer Unknown/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Call No. LC-USZ62-55349_

23rd New York Infantry. Photographer Unknown/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Call No. LC-USZ61-2119.

7th New York State Militia, Camp Cameron, D.C., 1861. Photographer Unknown/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division. Call No. LC-USZ62-79617.

Unknown location. Embalming surgeon at work on soldier’s body. _ Photographer Unknown/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division._

“Photograph of the War in the West. These photographs are of Hood before Nashville. Continuing his policy of the offensive at any cost, Gen. John B. Hood brought his reduced army before the defenses of Nashville, where it was overthrown by Gen. George H. Thomas on December 15-16, in the most complete victory of the war. If the date borne on this photograph is correct, it was taken in the course of the battle.” George Barnard/Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division.

Dan Bracaglia

Dan Bracaglia, the News & Features editor at Popular Photography, has been covering imaging and camera technology for 13 years, with work appearing—both written and photographic—in publications including American Photo magazine, Digital Photography Review, Popular Science magazine, the Star-Ledger, Sound & Vision magazine, and of course, Popular Photography. Contact the author here.