Do you have photos of your Civil War ancestors?

My grandmother's great uncle Lafayette Curry Baker (October 13, 1826 – July 3, 1868). Colonel of the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry (1863-1865). He was also a United States investigator and spy, and was instrumental in the capture of John Wilkes Booth in 1865.

View attachment 394828
Here's the same photo but larger. I restored it a couple years ago. From the National Archives.
529140a.jpg
 
My avatar is one with arrow pointing at my GG grandfather. I also have one of his parents. His mother was very attractive. Also three of his first cousin that was in the 26th MI infantry. Also one of a Lt. in the 35th MO infantry on my mother's side. Also one of the Col. in command of the 11th MA infantry, at first Manassas. Severely wounded on the slopes of Henry Hill, not far from where I live.
 
1st Lt. William Magee (GG Uncle)
Company I, 9th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment ( ANV)
Seriously wounded at Marye's Heights, Battle of Fredericksburg.
William_Magee_III.jpg






Private John W. Magee (cousin)
3rd Regiment, Louisiana Cavalry (Wingfield's) Co. K
Predecessor unit: 9th Battalion, Louisiana Partisan Rangers

Survived the War.
This man was at the siege of Port Hudson, and also involved with many CSA cavalry raids from the New Orleans area (North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain) up through central Mississippi into 1865.

He was also part of the force that tried to stop Grierson's Raid on their final approach to Baton Rouge.


273px-John_Warren_Magee.jpg






Major Turpin D. Magee cousin
46th Volunteer Mississippi Infantry.

Vicksburg, Atlanta, Franklin.

That's about all that needs to be said about this relative.


turpin-magee.jpg
seriously
 
Last edited:
Here is a photo of five brothers, which includes, front row, center, my great great grandfather Jesse S. Bowers who enlisted May of 1864, was captured at Guntown aka Brice's Crossroads in August by Bedford Forrest, and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner in Andersonville. His brother Edward is at upper right, and since Edward was killed in the War in 1864, this photo was taken sometime before that.
Since Grandfather Jesse came out of captivity in bad health (he lost all but one tooth to scurvy, and was taken from the stockade to the death house to die twice, but hung on), I am sure he didn't look so jaunty in post-war photos.
I did notice that he's the one of the five with that period "hat hair wings" sticking out on each side.


bowers.jpg
 
Last edited:
I have seven Confederate ancestors, but photos of only three. And those are all post-war.

There is an intriguing photo of two unidentified sergeants of the Bolivar Troop with their carbines. One is the 1st Sergeant. The other is a 2nd through 5th Sergeant.
My ancestor was 5th Sergeant for a period, so I am frustratingly interested in that photo.
My "avatar" is my GGG uncle, Samuel Hays, who was 1st Sgt in Co E, 5th VA Inf. This photo was taken, we presume, ca Apr 1, 1862 when troops were camped at Rude's Hill in the Valley before the famous campaign began.
 
Here is a photo of five brothers, which includes, front row, center, my great great grandfather Jesse S. Bowers who enlisted May of 1864, was captured at Guntown aka Brice's Crossroads in August by Bedford Forrest, and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner in Andersonville. His brother Edward is at upper right, and since Edward was killed in the War in 1864, this photo was taken sometime before that.
Since Grandfather Jesse came out of captivity in bad health (he lost all but one tooth to scurvy, and was taken from the stockade to the death house to die twice, but hung on), I am sure he didn't look so jaunty in post-war photos.
I did notice that he's the one of the five with that period "hat hair wings" sticking out on each side.


View attachment 395259
Jeff- Do you know what Regiment your GG Grandfather was in? My great great grandfather Henry Basor was in the Ohio 72nd Vol. Infantry formed for units in NW Ohio. He and his brother - in- law John Purcell were both at the same battle of Brices/Guntown and both were captured by Forrest on June 10th, 1864. Both take to Andersonville where Purcell died and is buried. Henry also survived Andersonville but likewise was in broken health for much of his adult life.
 
Yes, I have photos. More accurately, I have scans of photos given to me by a cousin. There is a disagreement (even among my siblings) as to whether the photos are of the same man. I use one as my avatar, and I believe this was made on the day of his enlistment. His face is sun burned from farming. He seems very earnest and proud to me. He had just had his 21st birthday shortly before he enlisted. His shell jacket looks gray in the photo, but he was a Private in the 2nd Missouri Cavalry (Merrill's Horse.) The second picture shows a slightly older man with his jacket collar turned down, and with no arms or accoutrements. He is also wearing cavalry trousers and the photo has been tinted to show his uniform color. He has something of a "thousand yard stare" in his expression. I believe this photo shows a man who had just returned from the war and is posing for another portrait to provide "bookends" to his service.

Note the unruly hair, steely gray eyes, small mouth, large hands, and spread ears. Note the extra layer of fabric sewn into the trouser inseam of each uniform.

The same man? Brothers? Cousins? It is impossible to say for sure, but I know what I think about these photos.

James T. Hanna.jpg
James T. Hanna 2 .jpg
 
Jeff- Do you know what Regiment your GG Grandfather was in? My great great grandfather Henry Basor was in the Ohio 72nd Vol. Infantry formed for units in NW Ohio. He and his brother - in- law John Purcell were both at the same battle of Brices/Guntown and both were captured by Forrest on June 10th, 1864. Both take to Andersonville where Purcell died and is buried. Henry also survived Andersonville but likewise was in broken health for much of his adult life.

Jesse Bowers was in both the 72nd and the 95th Ohio. My copies of his pension application are stored away, but I believe he enlisted in the 72nd, and when he was released from Andersonville in April, 1865, he was "transferred" to the 95th Ohio for bookkeeping purposes - I guess so he could be transported home, given medical attention, and paid off.
Jesse's pension file is very interesting. The forms about injuries suffered in the service required either proof of treatment in a military hospital, or sworn statements by an officer showing he was injured in the service - but Andersonville was for enlisted men, no officers. So he got a dozen or more detailed statements from other enlisted men who were with him in Andersonville.
My copy of his file does contain those statements.
Maybe from your ancestor?
 
Jesse Bowers was in both the 72nd and the 95th Ohio. My copies of his pension application are stored away, but I believe he enlisted in the 72nd, and when he was released from Andersonville in April, 1865, he was "transferred" to the 95th Ohio for bookkeeping purposes - I guess so he could be transported home, given medical attention, and paid off.
Jesse's pension file is very interesting. The forms about injuries suffered in the service required either proof of treatment in a military hospital, or sworn statements by an officer showing he was injured in the service - but Andersonville was for enlisted men, no officers. So he got a dozen or more detailed statements from other enlisted men who were with him in Andersonville.
My copy of his file does contain those statements.
Maybe from your ancestor?
So Jesse was in company E of the 72nd. Musterd out on June 27th 1865. I had read before some were transferred to the 95th. Henry Basor was in Company D. and musterd out on June 22nd at Camp Chase. They would have known each other for sure. Henry and John Purcell were from Pemberville. Grandfather Basor family lore was passed down had double pension, my understanding being that men that were at Andersonville got extra pensions.
 
So Jesse was in company E of the 72nd. Musterd out on June 27th 1865. I had read before some were transferred to the 95th. Henry Basor was in Company D. and musterd out on June 22nd at Camp Chase. They would have known each other for sure. Henry and John Purcell were from Pemberville. Grandfather Basor family lore was passed down had double pension, my understanding being that men that were at Andersonville got extra pensions.

Here is what I see on a roster of the 72nd Ohio, Company E

Bowers, Jesse L​
Pvt​
19​
Feb 9, 1864​
3 yrs​
Mustered out Jun 27, 1865, as of Co B 95th OVI.​

So, he enlisted in the 72nd Ohio February 9, 1864, and when mustered out, he was being carried on the rolls of the 95th Ohio. I think both units were from north west of Columbus, Ohio.
He was a blacksmith and a farmer in civilian life, and he played the drum in GAR parades, most notably in the 1885 GAR gathering in Columbus, at which Sherman spoke, and told the crowd that war is all hell.
 
Here is what I see on a roster of the 72nd Ohio, Company E

Bowers, Jesse L​
Pvt​
19​
Feb 9, 1864​
3 yrs​
Mustered out Jun 27, 1865, as of Co B 95th OVI.​

So, he enlisted in the 72nd Ohio February 9, 1864, and when mustered out, he was being carried on the rolls of the 95th Ohio. I think both units were from north west of Columbus, Ohio.
He was a blacksmith and a farmer in civilian life, and he played the drum in GAR parades, most notably in the 1885 GAR gathering in Columbus, at which Sherman spoke, and told the crowd that war is all hell.
The 72nd was formed in Fremont Ohio,and included mostly men from Wood, Lucas, Sandusky and Ottawa counties-- but after it was formed it went to Columbus and then to Paduca Ky. I know that the men were signed for three years and took a month leave in early 1864. Almost all of them re-enlisted. Both the 95th and 72nd were at Brices and both had many men end up in Andersonville.
The book - Sherman's Praetorian Guard: Civil War Letters of John McIntyre Lemmon, 72nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry is an outstanding.
 
Back
Top