Civil War Photographs
Outdoor
U.S.S. Essex - Brownwater Navy Ironclad

Offered is a great CDV of the U.S.S. Essex.  The Essex, an iron clad,  fought on the Mississippi River and was known to be in the "Brown Water Navy". 

The fifth ship named Essex was a 1000-ton ironclad river gunboat of the United States Army and later United States Navy during the American Civil War. It was named for Essex County, Massachusetts. USS Essex was originally constructed in 1856 at New Albany, Indiana as a steam-powered ferry named New Era.

In September 1861 New Era was purchased by the United States Army for use in its Western Gunboat Flotilla and was modified into a 355-ton timberclad gunboat. In November 1861 USS New Era took part in an expedition up the Cumberland River. Shortly thereafter she was renamed USS Essex and received an upgrade to iron armor and various other alterations. On 11 January 1862, USS Essex engaged Confederate States Navy gunboats near Lucas Bend, Missouri. On 6 February 1862, she took part in the attack on Fort Henry, Tennessee and was badly damaged by Confederate gunfire.

Commanding officer William D. Porter upgraded his ship without official authorization into an ironclad gunboat. Under his orders she was lengthened, widened, and completely reengineered, and her appearance was changed drastically. New, more powerful, engines were put in place and she was rearmored. After her upgrade Essex took part in operations near Vicksburg, Mississippi. On 15 July 1862, USS Essex was engaged with CSS Arkansas as that ship successfully ran past the Union fleets in front of the city. On 23 July, Essex unsuccessfully attacked the Arkansas at her moorings but was repelled by the Arkansas and the shore guns under whose protection the Arkansas lay. Federal forces withdrew from Vicksburg shortly thereafter. After withdrawing, Essex joined Admiral David Farragut's squadron and was the only Federal ironclad on the lower Mississippi River. On 5 August 1862, Essex helped repel a Confederate Army attack on Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

On 6 August, the Essex once again engaged CSS Arkansas as that vessel attempted to relieve the beleaguered Confederates attacking Baton Rouge. As Essex approached, the steering mechanism of the Arkansas jammed and her crew was forced to scuttle her due to the presence of the Essex.

In October 1862 the Essex was transferred from the Army to the United States Navy. She was involved in the bombardment of Port Hudson, Louisiana and assisted during the occupation of Baton Rouge. In May–July 1863 under the command of Robert Townsend she participated in the siege and capture of Port Hudson. USS Essex took part in the Red River Campaign of March–May 1864.

In December 1864, the USS Essex was in Memphis, Tennessee. According to David Redrick, the Rear Admiral's cook, some of the boat's crew "slipped ashore at night" and "got on a spree". Boatswain William Bernard Dolen, age 33, was part of a detail sent ashore to "arrest the boys". During the arrest, he was stabbed in the right chest by a fellow seaman, and was honorably discharged for disability due to the chronicity of the wound, from which he later died in 1878.

Essex was decommissioned in July 1865. She was sold in November 1865 and reverted to the civilian name New Era. She was scrapped in 1870. USS Essex had the reputation as one of the most active gunboats on the Mississippi River, despite her relatively weak armor. It often was damaged in actions.


Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $465.00 USD

Early Photograph of Stones River National Cemetary

A neat photograph of the Stones River National Cemetary in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  The United States Regulars monument is left of center and you can see named and unnamed markers.  The photograph is 4 1/2 inches by 3 3/8 inches.  The card is approximately 5 1/8 inches by 4 3/16 inches.  Written on the back in brown ink is "Stones River National Cemetary - Murfreesboro, Tenn - No. of graves - Known 3817.  Unknown 2330 - 6146 Total.".  A nice early photograph of the cemetary.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $185.00 USD

Christ Church, Alexandria, Virginia CDV

An unusual view of Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia.  The backmark is actually a paper tag affixed to the back of the CDV.  Written on the tag is"J & W.J. Entwisle, Booksellers, 110 King St., Alexandria, VA.".  "Christ Ch. Alex. Va." is written in pencil onthe front of the CDV.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $250.00 USD

Vendue Range, Charleston, S.C. Civil War CDV

A nice photograph of Vendue Range Street in Civil War Charleston, South Carolina.  A man and a child stand in the street.  The backmark was "Quinby & Co., Artists, Charleston, S.C." but someone scratched the Quinby out but you can still see it.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $450.00 USD

Orphan Asylum, Charleston, South Carolina Civil War CDV

A nice Civil War period CDV of the Orphan Asylum in Charleston, South Carolina.  The backmark was "Quinby & Co., Artists, Charleston, S.C." but someone scratched the Quinby out but you can still see it.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $395.00 USD

Grigsby House - Gen. Johnson's HQ Centreville, VA CDV

A great Matthew Brady image of the Grigsby House located in Centreville, Virginia.  This was General Joseph Johnson's headquarters previous to the evacuation of Manassas Junction.  There are quite a few people in this photo.  Two black boys stand by the man in the center and a black woman stands to the right side of the house.  It is very likely these people are slaves.  The photo was taken on 1862.  This image was sold by J.W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia as noted on the back of the card.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $275.00 USD

Norfolk, Virginia Naval Cannon Albumen

A wonderful albumen of a naval gun in a fort surrounding Norfolk, Virginia. This photo was taken by a Southern photographer. The backmark says "Photographed by Kimberly Bros., Norfolk, Va.". It is very hard to find large photographs taken by Southern photographers. The card is approximately 10 inches by 8 inches. The actual photgraph is approximately 7 3/8 inches by 5 3/16 inches.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $350.00 USD

Hartford, Connecticut State Capitol Photo

An early photograph of the Hartford, Connecticut state capitol. The photo measures approximately 4 1/2 inches by 3 3/16 inches. Great early state capitol photograph.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $45.00 USD

General Hunter's Headquarters Hilton Head Photo

A wonderful photograph of General Hunter's headquarters on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. This photograph is attributed to Sam Cooley, photographer. The photo is approximately 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $250.00 USD

Civil War Period Photograph of Blandford Church

A very nice photograph of Blandford Church. I believe this is in from around Petersburg, VA. A man is sitting in the front of the church. The size of the photograph is approximately 4 3/8 inches by 4 1/8 inches. This is an unusual size period Civil War photograph. Written on the front is "Beaufort Church" and is a misidentification. I found this information on the web. · "Old Blandford Church," of which a view is here presented, is a great object of interest to all visitors; the cemetery surrounding it having monuments erected one hundred and fifty years ago. The walls of the main body of the building are of English brick, imported from the mother country. The services of the Episcopal Church were first performed in 1735, and continued to be read until 1825, nearly a century. Since that time, owing to the movement of the inhabitants of Blandford to the present site of Petersburg, the church has not been used, although the cemetery, now much enlarged, still continues to be the general depository of the dead. The ivy-covered walls now stand as a historic monument of what was formerly the aristocratic portion of the city. In the cemetery the stranger is not only shown the almost obliterated slab beneath which rests the remains of General Phillips, who died May, 1781, during the war of independence, but also the monument, erected to the memory of the brave volunteers from the "Cockade City," who left houses and friends in the war of 1812. The greater space, however, has been allotted during the last four years to the graves of "Our Soldiers," these words being cut on a simple wooden cross, to mark the resting place of the Confederate dead. A somewhat eccentric sexton, whose father before him performed the same duties, is generally on the spot to enlighten visitors in regard to the history of the church, and is apparently much pleased to do so from the manner in which he enters upon his oft-repeated narrative. During the siege the edifice and its surroundings suffered but little damage from shot or shell, although the position was in front of the point of attack at the time of the explosion of the mine on the 30th July, 1864."

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $225.00 USD

CDV of the Bridge at Bull Run Battlefield

A really neat CDV of the bridge over Bull Run. Across this little stream that was destined to mark the center of the first, and in many respects the most desperate, battle of the Civil War, we see what was left of the bridge after the day had ended in a Federal route. During the route, the little bridge groaned with the weight of the men struggling to get across it. Finally, in frantic haste, it was destroyed by the Federals to delay the dreaded pursuit. Here Federal engineers are rebuilding the bridge to supply the Union army thirty miles south of Washington. Great CDV!

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $285.00 USD

Outdoor CDV of Man on Horse with Dog

A neat photo of a Civil War period man on a horse with his dog. A nice outdoor CDV. there is no backmark.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $100.00 USD

Libbey Prison with Tents and People CDV

A great CDV of Libbey Prison with military tents outside and civilians with a horse. This photo was taken in 1863 and is one of the few Confederate outdoor photogrphic shots. The CDV has a Chas. H. Schwamb, Annapolis, Md. backmark. On the back is written in ink "Libby Prison - Richmond - For Johney - Keep it clean". A really great CDV with a Maryland backmark.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $450.00 USD

100 Ton Cannon on Railroad Car CDV

A great CDV of 100 ton cannon on a railroad car. Standing in front of the cannon is a man on the railway tracks. There is no backmark.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $75.00 USD

Brady Yorktown CDV

This cdv is titled "Bastion Opposite Battery No.2 of General McClellan's Works - Brady's Album Gallery, No. 392". You can see the Yorktown entrenchments, a Union soldier, sandbags, and a cannon and limber in the background.

Shipping Weight: 1 lb
Price: $265.00 USD


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