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Hello folks, I have a question about the famous photo take by Alexander Gardner, the one of the Confederate sharpshooter killed in the Devils Den. I have heard in the past that the body was dragged and positioned there for the photo. What is your feelings about this. Also are there any other photo's believed to be repostioned of the dead. If so were they trying to make the war more horrifying to the folks back home. What was their reasons.
I know of other Gettysburg phots like this. One with a soldier (not sure if tis a Jonny or a Billy) but you can see the gun propped up on his side and a disembodied hand. From what I have heard the hand and gun were positioned as well. I'm sure there are many besides just those two. I geuss they wanted to make the war more gruesome, but from all I've read there were more naturally gruesome poses.. so why bother?
__________________ "In mortal combat, a man may and will become so infuriated by the din and dangers of a bloody fight that his heart will turn to stone and his every de sire [be] for blood."
John Hadley, 7th Indiana after the battle at Port Republic
At the Den, the soldier mentioned was a Confederate,possibly form the 20th Georgia Infantry,Bennings Brigade.
His body was almost certainly moved by the photographer. There is another photo of the same soldier splayed out on the ground,different location,but close.
The other photo mentioned was a Confederate,eviserated by an artillery shell probably. He was photographed at the Rose Farm,or Mr. Rose's woods. This soldier,maybe from Semmes' Georgia Brigade also has had his left hand blown off his arm. The rifles were carried by the photographers as props.
Dead Federals were rarely photographed.
No other Gettysburg photos seem to have had a body or bodies reposistioned.
See Frassinito's Gettysburg: A Journey in Time(1976)
If you pick up the latest copy of Civil War Times, you will see the two photos that VS mentioins next to each other, and it is definitely the same soldier who was dragged around and posed. Compelling photos, but staged nonetheless.
__________________ "The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize." George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796
Has a compelling look at the "Sharpshooters Home." It convinced me.
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
Blockaderunner,it is well known that the photographers brought a rifle around with them,theres no way a battlefield drop would still be there,by the time they showed up to take the photographs. But I myself have never felt any CW photos of corpses were staged. The known exception being this one at the Den.
Johan: Ive seen that article before and it is very interesting. I agree with Frassinito's opinion though,why move the sharpshooter to the other location to expose a dramatically more ordinary image? They had to move him up-hill,but Gardner at least had Timothy O'Sullivan with him. 150 lbs of dead (no pun intended) weight,difficult to move up-hill,but thats do-able.
Gardner and O'Sullivan were just earlier versions of Cecil B. DeMille,they knew a good shot...but had to pose him to get it.
Look how the soldier is just laying there,face to the camera. Its just too good of a shot. I guess its possible that his comrades laid him out like that but I only deal in probabilities not possibilities .
The image of the same man splayed out looks like a person that experienced a sudden death...just seems more natural.
Just my 2 cent.
Regards,
VS
Last edited by VS on the belt plate; 09-14-2007 at 09:47 AM.
VS - didn't you read that voluminous piece by Grove? He clearly stated the reasons you would move a body downhill, nearly hiding the body, after taking the uphill pictures, and what about the rock impression on the guy's pantleg. No rock in the downhill photo, but look at the uphill photo. I don't know how anyone can read Frasse's short discussion, yes, opinion, on the subject, and ALSO read what Grove wrote, and still feel that Frasse's opinion is even close to the truth. Did you really take the time to read that evidence Grove put out?
I found this - www.quickreckoning.com/devilsdensharpshooter.htm - which goes over the "evidence" that Frasse has developed over the years. It includes a stero view of the soldier in the field and at the den which a viewer can see in stereo in order to show both a rock on the pantleg at the den, and a depression in the pantleg in the field. Pretty much the smoking gun and the end of Frassanito's claim. I can't find the Ray piece, but I have looked over both books by Frassanito, both written prior to the Grove piece, and there has been no rebuttle of what Grove wrote.
Considering the photographic equipment of the era, I think the photographers did a decent job capturing the grim realities of war. I think the photographs coming out of the Civil War are really the first to show battlefield deaths and its the beginning of the end of the glorification of war.
As such, I still think the photo still captures the 'essence' of what the photographer is trying to depict, which was a violent battle leading to real deaths, so I can forgive him the liberty he took in positioning dead bodies for photographic effect. Is it macabre? Does it somehow exploit the poor soul? Absolutely. If I personally had been slain at Gettysburg, I personally would not be offended at my body being used in such a manner, at the very least, I would be serving one last purpose; to remind the living of the grim realities of war.
In the Book and Movie Review section, I posted a review of Gettysburg Battlefield: The Definitive Illustrated History by David J. Eicher. He analyzed the photo of the sharpshooter's position and compared it with other photos taken in the same area. He seems to have proved that several pictures taken in the Devils Den area had the same dead Confederate soldier as the subject.
__________________ F. S. Powers
Union Ancersor: Pvt Arnuah Norton, 60th Ohio. (G-G-G Grandfather) Died at Salisbury NC, November 3, 1864
Confederate Ancestors: Captain Thomas A. Morrow, 29th Texas Cavalry (G-G-G- Uncle) and 2LT George W. Morrow, 31st Texas Cavalry (G-G-G Grandfather). Both survived the war
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