The bloodiest day in American history, Sept. Instead, photographers arrived afterward, tramping through bloody fields, strewn with shattered equipment and bodies. Because photographic technology required cameras with extended exposure times and complicated processing, live-action battlefield photography was not possible. Many of the iconic photos of the war documented the aftermath of battle. One of the best-known photographers of his day, Mathew Brady, with a huge personal investment, hired a team of photographers to take photos of famous generals, battlefield scenes and places of interest. The federal government employed photographers to document army life and personnel, medical facilities and procedures, military equipment and fortifications, and, of course, military action.īut many behind the lens were independent, professional photographers who saw an opportunity to capture an important historical moment. The Civil War was notable not only for the number of combatants and the scope of death, however, but also because it was the first war comprehensively documented in visual media. Of the Civil War fatalities, more than 27,000 - sons, brothers, husbands, fathers and friends - had called Pennsylvania home. These numbers include more than 8,600 African Americans from Pennsylvania - more than any other northern state. Pennsylvania provided 360,000 troops for the Union Army and another 40,000 for the Union Navy. From famous generals and historic battles to the common soldier’s experience, photography told the complex story of the war, shaping our understanding and memory of the nation’s greatest conflict.Īpproximately 2.8 million soldiers took up arms in defense of their nation, North or South, and more than 750,000 of them were killed in battle or died of disease. In the minds of many Americans, both then and now, the Civil War is framed in photos. What’s more, thousands of photographers, equipped with the latest photographic technology, followed the soldiers to camp and battlefield to document the largest, the most-divisive and the most-bloody conflict in American history: the U.S. That picture and thousands like it would be sent home, commemorating the soldier’s service and preserving his memory, collectively telling a story of the nation’s sacrifice and patriotism. In exchange for a sizeable portion of his weekly pay, the 22-year-old Butler County resident had his picture taken. Cooper, of Buffalo Township, a private in the 137th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, had done what many thousands of soldiers would do. A package or canteen is just visible, tucked under his arm. Behind him, a hanging tapestry depicts army tents in rows. He has a bayoneted musket at his side and a gaunt look on his face. A soldier stands tall at attention in his Union uniform, buttons and buckle shining.
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