Civil War Photo (M): ... George Thom Lt Col. Corps of Engineers

The print is framed with a single ivory matte under acrylic glass, and shipped insured, ready to hang and enjoy.Original, c. 1860.

Topics: US History 1861-1865.

HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR PHOTOS

A majority of the Civil War photos come from the original glass plate negatives in the holdings at the Library of Congress. The plates depict the activities both during and immediately following the War (1861-1865). The process of taking photographs during the War was complex and time-consuming. Photographers mixed their own chemicals and prepared their own wet plate glass negatives. The negatives had to be prepared, exposed, and developed within minutes, before the emulsion dried. This was a difficult process to master in a studio setting and even more difficult to work outdoors. Photographers transported their supplies in a wagon, improvised a darkroom, and learned to use their chemicals in both the blistering heat and bitter cold. In the 1880s dry plate negatives were introduced. These glass negatives were commercially available and did not need to be developed immediately after the exposure.