Sketches of Confederate prisoners

AUG

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Like the few photographs out of there of Confederate prisoners of war, these wartime sketches by illustrators like Edwin A. Forbes and Alfred R. Waud give us a look at the typical Confederate soldier in the field.

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Marching prisoners over the mountains to Frederick, M.D. By Alfred R. Waud, ca. July 1863.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004660328/

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The battle of Gettysburg--Prisoners belonging to Gen. Longstreet's Corps captured by Union troops, marching to the rear under guard. By Edwin Forbes, July 3, 1863.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2004661815/

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Rebel prisoners and battle flags captured at Chancellorsville, being taken to the rear by cavalry and infantry guards. By Edwin E. Forbes, May 3, 1863.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004661818/

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Prisoners captured at Woodstock, Va. By Edwin E. Forbes, ca. 1862.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004661887/

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Rebel officers taken at Petersburg, Va. - sketched on board a steamboat coming down the James River. By Edwin E. Forbes, June 30, 1864.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004661876/

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Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox C.H. By John R. Chapin, April 12, 1865.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004661667/
 
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Confederates after the surrender of Fort Donelson, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

Descriptions of the Fort Donelson prisoners' arrival at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois:

"The uniforms of the prisoners are just no uniforms at all, lacking all the characteristics of infantry, cavalry, or artillery costume, it being wholly un-uniform in color, cut, fashion, and manufacture. Some have coats of a butternut color cut in regular saque style, and others fashioned like those of our soldiers as jackets or frocks. Their pants are as diversified in color. Many have no overcoats at all, and supply their places with horse blankets, hearth rugs, coffee sacks, etc., etc. Their knapsacks consist of bags [carpet sacks] of all colors and sizes, comparing well with their coats and hats. The same remarks apply to their canteens and other accoutrements, no half dozen of which seem to be made at the same manufactory."
- Memphis Appeal, February 12, 1862. From an insert that originally appeared in the Chicago Tribune.

“Such a motley assemblage of humanity is seldom witnessed as that when those dressed and undressed prisoners were upon the principal parade ground this morning. Their uniform is the most un-uniform that can be imagined—dark gray, light gray, mixed, mottled and ragged. Old blankets, pieces of carpeting, hearth rugs, etc. are worn in place of overcoats. The Regiments that have arrived, 20th Mississippi app. 400, 50th Tennessee, app. 1,000, 14th Mississippi, app. 500, and the 7th Texas, 333, for a total of 2,231, and [2,600 more in transit].”
- Weekly Gazette and Free Press (Janesville, WI), February 28, 1862.

“As it was a chilly day, many of the prisoners were out on the sunny side of their quarters, conversing amongst themselves or with visitors. Their dress was a butternut colored jean, which gave a characteristic brown hue to every group. Except in this, and that some of the Companies were clothed in Negro cloth, a coarse dirty gray stuff, they wore no uniforms. They had all kinds of hats and caps and every imaginable sort of blankets, from a fiery red to a patched quilt, tattered and torn into shreds. So far as dress and cleanliness is concerned, they were about as hard looking set of men, as can well be imagined.”
- Weekly Gazette and Free Press (Janesville, WI), February 28, 1862.

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Cadet Gray and Butternut Brown: Notes on Confederate Uniforms by Tom Arliskas, p. 30.
 
These are really interesting examples of Confederate soldiers as they looked - I love the hats, especially.

I read somewhere that John Kennedy single handedly destroyed the fashion of wearing hats (and the haberdashery industry that went along with it) in this country when he went to his inauguration bare headed.
 
These are nice, journalistic illustrations. I am always somewhat fascinated by the field work of combat artists.
 
Found a few more on this site. Though note that these aren't the original sketches but the wood engraving prints.

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Headquarters, Army of the James - Rebel prisoners and deserters at the Guard-House. By William Waud. Harper's Weekly Magazine, October 29, 1864.
http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/43148

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Paroled Confederate prisoners at the Battery, New York City. By Alfred R. Waud. Harper's Weekly Magazine, July 8, 1865. http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/44067?size=_original

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Rebel prisoners, under orders of Gen. Sherman, digging up the torpedoes in front of Fort McAllister, Ga. after its capture. Dec. 13, 1865. By W.T. Crane. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, January 21, 1865.
http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/main/index.php?q=node/43562

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General Crawford conducting Rebel prisoners to the rear, October 27, 1864. By C.H. Chapin. Harper's Weekly Magazine, November 19, 1864.
http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/43204?size=_original

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Confederate prisoners being conducted from Jonesboro to Atlanta. Harper's Weekly Magazine, October 1, 1864.
http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/43098

The soldiers in the above illustration were most likely men from Govan's Arkansas Brigade and the Kentucky Orphan Brigade that were overrun and captured on the second day of the battle of Jonesboro, Sept. 1, 1864. They were soon after exchanged for Federal prisoners at Andersonville.
 
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@major bill you might be interested in this one as well....


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Formal Surrender of Rebels at Roanoke Island. By Francis H. Schell, February 8, 1862.

Recto: "Knapsacks, cartridge boxes // All marked thus X -- Secesh Uniform when found light color. Turn over."
Verso: "I sketched this scene shortly after the formal surrender of the rebels at the extensive barracks about a mile back of 'Fort Huger' which is situated at Weir's Point, the extreme north point of the island. Parties of prisoners were continually being brought in and disposed of. Some few of them wore the air of martyrs in a just cause, but the majority appeared to consider their change of condition as a happy relase from sufferings & privations 'past, present, & future'. I had intended to write a detailed account of the surrender, but my time has been so completely occupied in keeping track of & sketching events, that it has been quite impossible. I refer you to the correspondence of the daily press, & for particulars of the second days business, to the Phila. Inquirer whose correspondent was my companion during most of the day, & whose opportunities for observing, were, I know better than were enjoyed by the others. [signed] FHS."

https://beckercollection.bc.edu/items/show/2687


Roanoke Island Confederate order of battle:

Dist. of Roanoke — Brig. Gen. Henry A. Wise (not present in battle; ill)

Col. Henry M. Shaw, second in command

2nd North Carolina Battalion​
8th North Carolina​
17th North Carolina (3 companies)​
31st North Carolina​
46th Virginia​
59th Virginia​
(The Virginia regiments were part of the Wise Legion)

One Confederate prisoner in the sketch looks like he's wearing a forage cap with "31" on it, so must be from the 31st North Carolina.

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One of my very favorite Civil War photos is one taken from a second story window of Confederates on the march, I think it was in Frederick, Maryland (but may be wrong on that). It shows them as they REALLY were. No posing, no looking their best for the camera, just being themselves on the march. These drawings, particularly the first set, are the next-best thing. You can almost smell the dirty rags they are wearing. Thanks for posting them!
 
I commented on this thread back in 2014, then forgot about it. This morning, it's like seeing these for the first time, all over again. I think they are outstanding.
 
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That sketch by Alfred Waud in the opening post of the Southern Prisoners in Md. I too have that copy of the sketch.I'm guessing it was some sort of sign--up bonus or something 30 something years ago. Could it have been Civil War Times Illustrated? I really dont recall the details??
 
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