Union And Confederate Officers, Arthur Lumley's Toast Among The Captured At Fredericksburg

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
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" The Union & Rebel officers taking the last drink after signing the papers (?) of parole and exchange of prisoners, Goodbye " Arthur Lumley, Fredericksburg, for Frank Leslie's Illustrated News

Full image, LoC
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Crazy good image of one of those moments frequently encountered during the war. We all know what Fredericksburg was, the slaughter, the awful graves, wounded past counting. Supposedly these civilized observances in the midst of horrifying chaos became unknown as war ground on- not so sure. IMO, made us more susceptible to a search for who we'd left behind, the human bond buried in shambles.

fred truce 1.JPG

" Scene on the beach, Fredericksburg, VA, Friday " , snipped from the drawing's top. " Flag of Truce ", easy enough to view Arthur's sketch in your mind's eye as a photograph.

Arthur Lumley was a Dublin born, Irish immigrant. After studying at National Academy of Design Lumley for both Harper's and Frank Leslie; it was Frank Leslie who sent him to war. @Pat Young , the Irish Civil War site has a page on Lumley- couldn't get it to open. Crazy good immigrant story.

Can find nothing about this moment Lumley captured so stunningly. No can convince me it's mere tradition- for all the documented stories of compassionate contact during truces, pretty convinced there were hundreds more. If anyone knows, or can find who these men were, love to know more. Prisoners were captured by the dozens, Lumley captured who we knew we were.
 
View attachment 260396
" The Union & Rebel officers taking the last drink after signing the papers (?) of parole and exchange of prisoners, Goodbye " Arthur Lumley, Fredericksburg, for Frank Leslie's Illustrated News

Full image, LoC
View attachment 260409

Crazy good image of one of those moments frequently encountered during the war. We all know what Fredericksburg was, the slaughter, the awful graves, wounded past counting. Supposedly these civilized observances in the midst of horrifying chaos became unknown as war ground on- not so sure. IMO, made us more susceptible to a search for who we'd left behind, the human bond buried in shambles.

View attachment 260395
" Scene on the beach, Fredericksburg, VA, Friday " , snipped from the drawing's top. " Flag of Truce ", easy enough to view Arthur's sketch in your mind's eye as a photograph.

Arthur Lumley was a Dublin born, Irish immigrant. After studying at National Academy of Design Lumley for both Harper's and Frank Leslie; it was Frank Leslie who sent him to war. @Pat Young , the Irish Civil War site has a page on Lumley- couldn't get it to open. Crazy good immigrant story.

Can find nothing about this moment Lumley captured so stunningly. No can convince me it's mere tradition- for all the documented stories of compassionate contact during truces, pretty convinced there were hundreds more. If anyone knows, or can find who these men were, love to know more. Prisoners were captured by the dozens, Lumley captured who we knew we were.
Here is the Lumley article:

https://irishamericancivilwar.com/2011/01/05/an-irish-special-artist-with-the-army-of-the-potomac/
 
This simple Fredericksburg battle timeline I made might point to answers as to Lumley's "Toast" sketch: (Note: The prisoners being exchanged undoubtedly were wounded prisoners. There is no evidence that unwounded, captured prisoners were exchanged in the days immediately after the battle.)

Friday Dec 13, 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg
Saturday Dec 14, Union army occupying the town
Sunday Dec 15 Both armies are exchanging wounded prisoners (see Twitchell diary below) I assume the exchange generally took place within the town itself and lasted all week.
Monday Dec 16, Union army vacates Fredericksburg, crossing river.
Friday Dec 20 Lumley sketches officers finalizing the papers of exchange and saying goodbye with a toast
Saturday Dec 21 Lumley does follow-up sketch (see LOC item below) of stretcher bearers still tending to wounded exchanged prisoners


Civil War Letters of Joseph Hopkins Twichell":

"I have omitted hitherto to state that during the comparative suspension
of hostilities on Sunday, {Dec 15}by an arrangement conducted under flag of truce,
our wounded who had fallen into the enemies hands were brought to their
outposts and there delivered to us. Some of our stretcher-bearers were even
permitted to enter their lines, and all day a sort of free friendly intercourse
was kept up between our pickets and theirs. The enemy made the first move
toward the transfer of the wounded, more, I suppose, to be rid of the burden
than from motives of humanity, although I would not deny them the latter
altogether."


https://archive.org/stream/CivilWar...tersOfJosephHopkinsTwichellAChaplain_djvu.txt"


Lumley's Saturday sketch from Library of Congress (LOC):




About this Item:
Title: Bringing the wounded into Fredericksburg in the afternoon--of Saturday
Summary: Four soldiers carrying a wounded soldier on a stretcher, while a second wounded soldier walks in foreground. Fredericksburg, and more soldiers in background.
Contributor Names:Lumley, Arthur, approximately 1837-1912, artistCreated / Published[1862 ca. December]Subject Headings- Fredericksburg, Battle of, Fredericksburg, Va., 1862

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