The Civil War, Part 1: The Places (Photos)

The Atlantic ^ | February 8, 2012 | Staff

[C19fan]

Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, commemorated by the Atlantic in a special issue, now available online. Although photography was still in its infancy, Civil War photographers produced thousands of images, bringing the harsh realities of war to those on the home front in a new and visceral way. As brother fought brother and the future of the United States was uncertain, the public appetite for information was fed by these images from the trenches, rivers, farms and cities that became fields of battle. Today's collection is part 1 of 3, covering the places of the Civil War: the battleships, prisons, hospitals, cities and farms where history was made. Tomorrow's installment will feature some of the people involved in the conflict, and on Friday I'll be sharing some of the amazing three-dimensional stereographs of the war. Keep in mind, as you view these photographs, that they were taken 150 years ago -- a glimpse of the United States, which was only 85 years old at the time.

[Inyo-Mono]

I had three great-grandfathers in this conflict. One fought for the South (dirt poor famer, did not own slaves), the other two for the North.

[CurlyBill]

No power lines. No paved streets. No cars. No cell towers. Doesn’t look modern at all.

Huh? The dude sitting at the foot of the lampost is checking his blackberry. ;)

[frithguild]

Here's a good one for you:

[grb]

Ping for later

[headsonpikes]

Sobering photos.

Thanks for posting.

[TheOldLady]

Click the baby's bottle!
Many thanks, JoeProBono

Uh oh! This little guy is already breathing fire.
He's going to be a mean one!

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[Sparky1776]

~ bookmarked ~

[parthian shot]

Great pictures, thanks for posting. Would you add me to your ping list?

[Osage Orange]

Pretty much agree.........

[Little Bill]

ping

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Look at the eroded masonry work on the building in the foreground. That doesn’t look so wonderful. I guess government contractors have screwed the government forever. I don’t think they had unions back then or that could explain it.

[manc]

could you put me on your ping list please if you have one.

[manc]

nah couldn’t have been union work back then as they would still be working on it.

[manc]

it was but trying to say this to others is like pissing in the wind.

[manc]

my thoughts on both of your points

[Mind-numbed Robot]

38 The camp of the Tennessee Colored Battery, pictured during the Siege of Vicksburg at Johnsonville, Tennessee, in 1864. View a closeup detail of this image here. (AP Photo/Library of Congress) #

Can anyone explain this to me? If they were laying siege to Vicksburg at Johnsonville, Tenn., they had a serious logistical problem.

[wyokostur]

Civil War ping

[kalee]

ping

[manc]

BTTT

[x]

trying to say this to others is like pissing in the wind.

You said it, not me.

Some of these threads get p*ss*d all over by you guys.