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Lux Aeterna: 1865
Submitted by Dave on Tue, 06/24/2008 - 1:00am.
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April 3, 1865. Petersburg, Virginia. "Dead Confederate soldier in trenches of Fort Mahone." Wet plate glass negative, right half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size.
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What Might Have Been
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Thu, 07/03/2008 - 5:57pm.
This young man may have become someone very important to society. Perhaps the children that were never born because he died young would have been important.
When I see photos like this, especially ones very historical, it makes me think of all the possible pasts that could have affected our future.
How many people are killed in wars, people who may have affected our world positively, and may have held the answer to our futures right now? I bet a lot.
Sleep
Submitted by Laura on Tue, 06/24/2008 - 8:27pm.
What a poignant and haunting series of photos. Thank you for posting them.
This photo, to me, is the saddest of them all. The other bodies appear to have been "laid out," so to speak - on their backs, arms folded, etc. They look more like what we're used to seeing of death. This fellow, however, appears to have not yet been touched. Instead, he looks as though he put himself into the fetal position and (hopefully) slipped into a peaceful sleep without too much pain.
Rest in peace, indeed.
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