Mathew B. Brady's Civil War Photos



The most renown photographer during the American Civil War was Mathew B. Brady, who along with his skilled staff, (Alexander Gardner, James F. Gibson, Timothy O’Sullivan, James Gardner, and Egbert Guy Fox) documented the people and events during the war 1861-1865. Since so many of your ancestors somehow were involved and certainly affected during those war years, it is wonderful to have access to some of Brady’s greatest images.  

In the National Archives with their online site it is now possible to view these photos from 156 years ago. There may not be any images in the collection of the battles or regiments your ancestors served in but you can get a sense of the life and conditions.

Some of the topics of photos include: battle scenes, Army life, Navy, civilians, women, engineering in the field, generals, medical care, Confederates, prisons, railroads, portraits, Lincoln Assassination, and the photographers themselves.  

Each image you click on enlarges and you can save to your computer with a right click. View all the images, they are quite moving.

Photos: Regiment Fife and Drum Corps; a family fleeing a war area; 1865-pontoon bridge built across the James River in VA; and Brady, in the foreground, was wearing a straw hat at the battle of Petersburg, Va on June 21, 1864.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

Civil War Glass Negatives

Stereographic Cards of the Civil War

Donated Civil War Images

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