Large collection of soldiers' portraits

Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Location
New Mexico
The Illinois GenWeb site has a large collection of portraits, titled 'Photo Album of Illinois Civil War Soldiers.' 27 pages with around 16 photos per page. Most are identified with name and/or unit.

Good for re-enactors as some are clear enough that details on uniforms can be seen.

Clicking on a photo takes you to a larger version, and sometimes to a biography, a scan of the soldier's signed enlistment card or other details or artifacts.

http://civilwar.ilgenweb.net/photos/index.html
 
The Illinois GenWeb site has a large collection of portraits, titled 'Photo Album of Illinois Civil War Soldiers.' 27 pages with around 16 photos per page. Most are identified with name and/or unit.

Good for re-enactors as some are clear enough that details on uniforms can be seen.

Clicking on a photo takes you to a larger version, and sometimes to a biography, a scan of the soldier's signed enlistment card or other details or artifacts.

http://civilwar.ilgenweb.net/photos/index.html

Great site, the additional information with the photos is pricessless.. Thank you for sharing it with us...
 
Hi, Will and Donna,
So glad to hear you are enjoying! The collection fits my definition of priceless, too. The rest of the IL genweb civil war site also has some interesting info.

Oh, and Will, just noticed your "official records site" under your signature. That makes me realize you're probably the person (in some other post) that let me know about the OSU site. Thank you! In poking around it a bit, stumbled upon a letter written by a cw soldier that I think may refer to my gg uncle who served in his unit. Wasn't even searching for him, just read the letter because it was interesting, and there was the name.
 
Thanks for posting this Ms. Lotus. I found several possible kinfolk in the pictures, possible cousins in the 115th Illinois Infantry. None to the direct line however in the 60th Ill. Infantry. I also found surnames to fit my grandmothers line, but as yet have not finished grandads. I have visited that site several times but I never knew this section was there!
 
Thanks for posting this Ms. Lotus. I found several possible kinfolk in the pictures, possible cousins in the 115th Illinois Infantry. None to the direct line however in the 60th Ill. Infantry. I also found surnames to fit my grandmothers line, but as yet have not finished grandads. I have visited that site several times but I never knew this section was there!

You are very welcome, sir, and delighted to learn you found so many potential goodies! I had been at that site many times too, never knew this was there, then discovered it accidentally last week when searching google for something else.

Regards,
Tamara
 
Thanks You,gold lotus 99. I am enjoying the pictures and the accompanying biographies.
example;Captain John P Reese-Co. E 81st Ill., whose dad was the first white man born in Tennessee. good stuff.
 
I hope you will do this forum the great favor of letting us know what you find out about your ancestors and your search...The details you post might help others in their quest.. If I can assist you in any way please let me know...

Thanks for your encouragement, Will. Would appreciate input on what to share, and how/where on this forum.

For example, I have service dates and regiment/company for all the ancestors I list in my signature. Further, have started on the 7th IL to gather more info, as that is the unit of one gg gf and a gg uncle. Have created an over-all timeline for the 7th through the war, using Dyer's and Adjutant General's report. From that general timeline, I've created timelines for the 7th at Forts Henry and Donelson, and a second for the Battle at Shiloh. Intend to do the same for each of the battles for the 7th, and then do timelines for all my other ancestors' units as well.

Posted those 2 battle timelines on this forum, not much response, so I don't know if others found them helpful.

Have posted a few articles on the 7th (those mentioned above) on a genealogy wiki, links to each article below.
http://www.werelate.org/wiki/7th_Illinois_Infantry_(Civil_War)http://www.werelate.org/wiki/7th_Illinois_Infantry_%28Civil_War%29

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Official_Regimental_History_of_the_7th_Illinois_Infantry_%28American_Civil_War%29http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Offici...he_7th_Illinois_Infantry_(American_Civil_War)

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Timeline_for_the_7th_Illinois_Infantry_in_the_Campaigns_Against_Forts_Henry_and_Donelson_%28American_Civil_War%29

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Timeline_for_the_7th_Illinois_Infantry_at_the_Battle_of_Shiloh_Part_I_%28American_Civil_War%29
This last link is for the Battle of Shiloh, it's Part I of III. Links to parts II and III are located at the end of this article.

Appreciate any suggestions... And I'm very grateful for your offer of help.

Regards,
Tamara
 
I was intrigued by the CDV of an unknown Confederate POW. They don't say it, but he has LT bars on his collar, and what look like wooden jacket buttons.
 
On an officer with such a nice uniform, yes. But they were common in the field. He may have used his original brass buttons as something to barter with.

Got it, thanks. I was thinking they'd been lost and replaced with whatever was at hand. Bartering makes much more sense. Sometimes forget to put myself into their mindset, and blind-side myself by thinking as a modern person of loss, instead of barter as a POW or soldier before capture.
 
Got it, thanks. I was thinking they'd been lost and replaced with whatever was at hand. Bartering makes much more sense. Sometimes forget to put myself into their mindset, and blind-side myself by thinking as a modern person of loss, instead of barter as a POW or soldier before capture.
I believe I've even read accounts of CS and US POWs both bartering buttons and whatever, because it was sometimes not possible to receive care packages and money. That all depended on how mean the CO of the prison was. This LT, however, could afford to have his picture taken, and that usually ran you about 25 cents to 50 cents. 25 or less, and the revenue stamp was 2 cents, and from 26 to 50 would make it a 3 center. That's easy enough for most people of means, so my explanation of why he has wooden buttons may be wrong.
 
I believe I've even read accounts of CS and US POWs both bartering buttons and whatever, because it was sometimes not possible to receive care packages and money. That all depended on how mean the CO of the prison was. This LT, however, could afford to have his picture taken, and that usually ran you about 25 cents to 50 cents. 25 or less, and the revenue stamp was 2 cents, and from 26 to 50 would make it a 3 center. That's easy enough for most people of means, so my explanation of why he has wooden buttons may be wrong.

Interesting... Or, he could have bartered his buttons at a time goodies from home weren't getting through, then later, after money arrived, had the photo taken...
 
Interesting... Or, he could have bartered his buttons at a time goodies from home weren't getting through, then later, after money arrived, had the photo taken...
I've narrowed him down to either Island No. 10 or Fort Donelson. Most of those guys were exchanged within a few months, so I hope he survived the war. The real mean COs, esp. Camp Douglas, came later.
 
Here's something odd. On page 23, Michael O'brian was said to be 34 when he joined. He looks like a teenage boy to me, so I wonder if the submitter misidentified him?
 
Very cool progress on the boy with the wooden buttons... Also hope he made it.

And the baby-face guy? You're right, could easily be an error by the GenWeb submitter. Or, he could be one of those guys with one of those faces...

Appreciate you sharing what you're discovering!
 
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