Is this General Lee and Traveller?

I thought this picture was familiar. I have post card of it. I bought this post card and others at the Lee Chapel and Museum. Back of card states: "This photograph of "General Lee on Traveller" enlarged by Andrew Plecker, was taken by Michael Miley in 1866 at nearby Rockbridge Baths. Collection of Washington and Lee University." I bought it several years ago when we were visiting that area.

So I do own a small copy. How wonderful!
 
I thought this picture was familiar. I have post card of it. I bought this post card and others at the Lee Chapel and Museum. Back of card states: "This photograph of "General Lee on Traveller" enlarged by Andrew Plecker, was taken by Michael Miley in 1866 at nearby Rockbridge Baths. Collection of Washington and Lee University." I bought it several years ago when we were visiting that area.

So I do own a small copy. How wonderful!
Here's Miley's original for comparing.

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I thought this picture was familiar. I have post card of it. I bought this post card and others at the Lee Chapel and Museum. Back of card states: "This photograph of "General Lee on Traveller" enlarged by Andrew Plecker, was taken by Michael Miley in 1866 at nearby Rockbridge Baths. Collection of Washington and Lee University." I bought it several years ago when we were visiting that area.

So I do own a small copy. How wonderful!
Most people are familiar with the lithograph by A. Hoen and Company of Richmond. Copyrighted in 1876, it was the most widely circulated of the Lee images.

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Those were NOT made at the same time or place! The second one more recently posted above by @Robert Gray is in fact a wartime image, I believe taken at Petersburg - note he's wearing his gauntlets and gray felt hat. Another photo "oddity" is the barely visible horse-holder standing behind and steadying Traveler for the photograph - only his legs can be seen, and of course they've been removed for Hoen's print. Looking at the original Bath photo, there's a noticeable discoloration in about the same place, making me wonder if that one had also been retouched so as to remove evidence of another "assistant."
 
Just saw this photo on Pinterest. It appears to be the General and his favorite horse.............but, I'm a little apprehensive with anything historical on Pinterest, Tumblr, etc. Thoughts anyone?

Maybe I missed something, but just because you found or saw the photo on social media doesn't mean it's not authentic. That applies especially to Pinterest and Tumblr, where images found anywhere online can be "collected" without permission or attention to copyright.
 
It sure does look like his profile. Here is an enlargement of him.
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Beautiful, I am a northerner by principal and I have read his dispatches book twice and will again, and he appears to be a most perfect American of his time, if anyone hasnt read it you must there isnt a mean word in it, its up there with Grant memoirs, fantastic reading
 
Maybe I missed something, but just because you found or saw the photo on social media doesn't mean it's not authentic. That applies especially to Pinterest and Tumblr, where images found anywhere online can be "collected" without permission or attention to copyright.
Well put - welcome to the forums from the host of the Stonewall Jackson Forum!
 
Those were NOT made at the same time or place! The second one more recently posted above by @Robert Gray is in fact a wartime image, I believe taken at Petersburg - note he's wearing his gauntlets and gray felt hat. Another photo "oddity" is the barely visible horse-holder standing behind and steadying Traveler for the photograph - only his legs can be seen, and of course they've been removed for Hoen's print. Looking at the original Bath photo, there's a noticeable discoloration in about the same place, making me wonder if that one had also been retouched so as to remove evidence of another "assistant."

Well, that's interesting, James N.! I've never seen the one with the horse holder in it - in fact, it looks like there are two people on the other side!
 
Well, that's interesting, James N.! I've never seen the one with the horse holder in it - in fact, it looks like there are two people on the other side!
It's not so uncommon a practice, since a fractious horse could easily screw up a several-second exposure.
 
It's not so uncommon a practice, since a fractious horse could easily screw up a several-second exposure.

That's so - Traveller was well known to be exactly that. His acting up under combat fire was why Jeb Stuart was always bringing Lee another horse! Lee loved Traveller so he was like Goldilocks with the porridge and beds... :laugh: In fact, Traveller was temperamental enough nobody but Lee could really ride him.
 
Maybe I missed something, but just because you found or saw the photo on social media doesn't mean it's not authentic. That applies especially to Pinterest and Tumblr, where images found anywhere online can be "collected" without permission or attention to copyright.
With the advent of photoshop, and modern day photographers using the old DAGUERREOTYPE process at living histories and re-enactments, I've seen stuff that is less than accurate. This is a photo taken back in 2006 of me and a company that I had fallen in with. It looks like it could be from the 19th century.....no?

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