Vintage: Portrait of Confederate States Army’s Generals by Mathew Brady (1860s)

Vintage: Portrait of Confederate States Army’s Generals by Mathew Brady (1860s)

MonoVisions Black & White Photo Contest 2025

Mathew Brady efforts to document the American Civil War on a grand scale by bringing his photographic studio onto the battlefields earned Brady his place in history. Despite the dangers, financial risk, and discouragement by his friends, Brady was later quoted as saying “I had to go. A spirit in my feet said ‘Go,’ and I went.” His first popular photographs of the conflict were at the First Battle of Bull Run, in which he got so close to the action that he barely avoided capture. While most of the time the battle had ceased before pictures were taken, Brady came under direct fire at the First Battle of Bull Run, Petersburg, and Fredericksburg.

General Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)

General Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)

General Mansfield Lovell (1822-1884)

General Mansfield Lovell (1822-1884)

General Pierce Manning Butler Young (1836-1896)

General Pierce Manning Butler Young (1836-1896)

General Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard (1818-1893)

General Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard (1818-1893)

General Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870)

General Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870)

General Roger Chew Weightman (1787-1876)

General Roger Chew Weightman (1787-1876)

Brigadier General Dudley McIver DuBose (1834-1883)

Brigadier General Dudley McIver DuBose (1834-1883)

General Charles Edward Hooker (1825-1914)

General Charles Edward Hooker (1825-1914)

General James Longstreet (1821-1904)

General James Longstreet (1821-1904)

General James Lusk Alcorn (1816-1894)

General James Lusk Alcorn (1816-1894)

General John Brown Gordon (1832-1904)

General John Brown Gordon (1832-1904)

General John Echols (1823-1896)

General John Echols (1823-1896)

General Jones Mitchell Withers (1814-1890)

General Jones Mitchell Withers (1814-1890)

via The U.S. National Archives


MonoVisions Black & White Photo Contest 2025