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Dies Irae: 1865
... negative, left half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 11:52am -

April 3, 1865. Petersburg, Virginia. "Dead Confederate soldier in trenches of Fort Mahone." Wet plate glass negative, left half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size. Dies IraeHey! That's the title of the song which opens Kubrik's 'The Shining' and also covered by The Melvins recently. OMGIs that a hole in his skull? Does anyone know why they took pictures of these dead soldiers? Casualties of WarWhy take these pictures? Maybe it was hoped that the new technology of photography would show the stark tragedies of conflict and make men less likely to clamor for the fight. "It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it." - Robert E. Lee Dies Irae and Thomas Roche"Dies irae" is Latin for "the days of wrath." It is an important hymn in the Requiem Mass, which is usually said in order to pray for departed souls. Roche was an employee of Mathew Brady, who was a Northern photographer who extensively documented the Civil War and acted as a kind of press agency, buying other photographers' works and selling them to newspapers and other publications. He was the first to document war as it really was - he was unable to deploy the romanticism of the war artists that had illustrated war despatches before, because the camera doesn't lie. Sensibilities of the time were deeply shocked, much as your were. 150 years of remove from this man's brutal death, the reality of war has not lost its power to shock. I think Brady would be proud. Re: OMGIn an era without TV or radio, this was the only way that the homefront could connect with what was going on in the War. Victorian customs were different than ours are today. Many people took pictures of their dead loved ones (especially children) before they were buried. Dies IraeIs an ancient Latin Chant used before Vatican II in Requiem Masses (for the dead). It translates into "Day of Wrath" and describes what awaits in the Last Judgment. After Vatican II the emphasis became God's love and forgiveness and the old reminders like this one have fallen into disuse, except for pop culture whose proponents have little idea of what it once stood for. Re: Dies IraeDies Irae means Day of Wrath. I believe there is a latin hymn with this name that reaches back 500 years or so. It's appropriate here and in Kubrik's film. [As noted below, it denotes one of the nine parts of the Requiem Mass. - Dave] Pictures of dead soldiersExcept for the Crimean War, nobody had ever seen photographs of the real effects of war. People glorified the noble cause, one side or the other, but had no inkling of the true grisly horror of war. The photographers of the day felt it was their duty to bring this grim reality to the folks back home. Yes, it's shocking and horrifying, but every generation needs to be reminded of the true horror of war. [These pictures were taken for profit; what you see here are the beginnings of the modern entertainment industry. Sold as stereoscope cards, they were a huge fad in the mid-19th century. Perhaps the first example of a mass-market home entertainment gadget before the phonograph and player piano came along. - Dave] Post Mortem"Why were these pictures taken?" Lest we forget, lest we forget. The Dimensions of WarGranted, there was some real frippery associated with stereoscope cards -- "cute" pictures like the "Military Salute," -- but properly processed, the 3-dimensionality of these images can be pretty jaw-dropping, even with ordinary objects like the Moon. So long after the fact, we can only imagine the impact something like these war images might have had. These cards may not have been immediate in the sense of time, but, until Vietnam, war coverage was always delayed. Profit motive aside, these photos were journalism and, as you've noted elsewhere, not subject to the sensibilities of the sketch artist. In that manner, these images were immediate. As the comments make clear, after 150 years they're "still" immediate. Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America Up and DownThe contrast between the dead soldier and the live soldier (or soldiers? the one on the right is unclear) makes this image that more poignant. LootingWhatever was in the rather sturdy looking satchel, (personal effects or ammunition?) appear to have been looted. It also looks like his belt has been partially removed and his pockets checked. Looting corpses, even in 1865, was a violation of military law. [From commenter Charlie in a different post: "There were no 'dog tags' then and so the soldier would write his name and hometown on a scrap of paper and carry it in his pocket so his body could be identified if needed. You will see the turned out pockets on almost all the dead." - Dave] Cartridge boxThe "sturdy looking satchel" is a cartridge box. It held 40 rounds in two tin inserts. Muddy deathThe original photo caption by photographer T.C. Roche states that the dead rebel soldier had been hit in the head by a solid shell and part of his head is missing. His rations are scattered around him and the trench has 2 feet of water in it. When viewed in the original stereo 3 dimensional form the photos must be quiet disturbing. (The Gallery, Civil War, Thomas Roche)
Requiem Aeternam: 1865
... negative, left half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size. There's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 11:51am -

April 1865. Petersburg, Virginia. "Dead Confederate soldier outside the walls of Fort Mahone." Wet plate glass negative, left half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size. There's a soundtrack and slide show for these photos here. RIPThank you for including this photo. It's such a big part of our history. This picture was not an easy one for me to look at, but I'm glad you posted it. RIPThank you dear soldier for fighting for what you believe in, may you rest in peace... Amen Civil War RequiemCobbled together by yours truly. (Music by Luigi Cherubini and a choir of angels.) Possibly the oldest video on YouTube. Latin 101Thanks for the touching history and Latin lessons. A prayer for each soldier in the titles. Well done, as usual. ~mrs.djs WOW!That video is deeply moving! Thank you!! I continue to be amazed at how much we can learn from photos of generations past. I LOVE this site!!! Beautiful, Haunting VideoThat's a beautiful video, Dave. What piece of music is that? [Cherubini Requiem in C Minor. - Dave] He looks so youngand like a very handsome young man to have lost his life so early. Beautiful perfect music for the video. It should be part of an exhibit. re: RIPTo Rob on Tuesday. It's really hard to me to say words like You did when I see this kind of photo. In moments like this I usually imagine that the very dead man who can be seen on the photo didn't actually care about the big idea and glorious reasons why he was send to fight. I always rather see the crying mother and the empty house which was left after him. A man who was forcibly take out from his life to fight for his 'great' country in which he had the bad luck to be born. Maybe that's because I'm from Europe, where the memories of the war on your house's yard are still living. [Valid points. But bear in mind that without armed conflict, many of us would still be living under the various flavors of feudalism, slavery and dictatorship that even now characterize many places in the world. To paraphrase Tom Jefferson, Blood waters the tree of Liberty. War is, for better or worse, how the world sorts itself out. - Dave] re: RIPTedus: I can totally understand where you are coming from, but you are making an assumption based on your current view point, not necessarily what actually happened. This young man could have been full of dreams to fight for what he beleived in and for the country that he was born in and supported. Who really knows but the immediate family/friends. I'm glad the Union won the war, but that doesn't diminish this man's service and sacrifice for his 'homeland'. Dave: Thanks for saying what I feel in succinct terms. I think this country needed to go through the Civil War and that the country is better for it. Political discourse only goes so far and eventually both sides have nothing left to say to each other. re: RIPJames on Tue: Perhaps you're right, and perhaps this young man believed in the idea he was fighting for. In fact, this would be the most 'optimistic' end of his sacrifice. What often fascinates me in this site is that after seeing the same picture people show reactions 100% different than mine. But still, it's your country and your history, so if you think that this must have happened - you're probably right. To sum my whole opinion about the series of Secession War pictures: it's touching and showing the war as it always is. The fact that this images of this kind were made in every next war does not lead to believe in our learning from the history. But wat touches me most - is that this is the beginning of the entertainment industry - their scope of interest didn't change much! LWI don't understand why Europeans act so smug about war as if it's beneath them. European colonialism in Africa and South east Asia didn't end all that long ago. France was in Vietnam long before America was. The IRA was still bombing things and the British were still repressing the Irish within my lifetime (I'm 26). It's not as if all of Europe hasn't had blood on its hands in the past 2 generations. The first gulf war was certainly warranted and various European countries aided in that. Maybe they don't teach history in European schools? Or maybe, like in Germany, they skip over or ignore some of the nasty bits... Stealing from the dead?Looks like this fallen soldier's pockets have been turned inside-out. Apparently someone decided he no longer needed what was in them. [As noted by Charlie in another post: "There were no 'dog tags' then and so the soldier would write his name and hometown on a scrap of paper and carry it in his pocket so his body could be identified if needed. You will see the turned out pockets on almost all the dead." - Dave] Empty pocketsI wouldn't view his empty pockets as signs of someone nobly trying to identify him. If I recall my Civil War history correctly, Fort Mahone was carried in a rush by the Union Army, and the resulting gap in the Petersburg line caused Lee to rapidly abandon the defense of Richmond and flee west. Almost before his body turned cold it would have lain well behind the front lines, amongst the looters, stragglers, second-line troops and curious townsfolk. Whoever went through his pockets was looking for money, rings, ammunition or what-have-you, but almost certainly not for an address of his next-of-kin. Civil WarriorsSadly, given that back then it was common practice for the wealthier American young men to pay poorer men to serve in the military in their place, it would be difficult to guarantee that anyone pictured gave his life for his beliefs. Even back then there were draft riots... And remember that medical help was primitive, and many soldiers died of infection rather than directly of their wounds. Check out Ambrose Bierce's work (his fiction & non-fiction war stories) for moving versions of what happened on the field. DetailsThe video is magnificent, it brought to my attention the remains of the paper cartridges at the firing positions. I'm not sure why that is so arresting and brought such immediacy to the image. It's certainly not ephemera. Dave's comments are spot on as I see it. I understand the preference to talk not fight, especially when one's continent has been devastated several times over. However, some see an unwillingness to ever strike back as weakness and opportunity. Fort MahoneMy great-grandfather and great-uncle knew these men as they were all part of the 53rd North Carolina Regiment, the sole unit in Fort Mahone. Handpicked men of the 53rd (of which my great-grandfather was one) made the final assault at Petersburg in an attempt to break Grant's line. This was against Fort Stedman, immediately in front of Fort Mahone. They initially succeeded, but reinforcements drove them back. These photographs were made the day after the 53rd evacuated the lines the night before to begin the retreat to Appomattox.(Only 83 were left at the surrender, of whom two were black.) Thank you for the wonderful video, and I shall pass it far and wide. Below may be of interest concerning this subject. http://brocktownsend.forum5.com/viewtopic.php?t=43&mforum=brocktownsend Letter from General Gordon to my great grandfather, at the end, mentions Hares Hill which was another name for Fort Stedman. http://brocktownsend.forum5.com/viewtopic.php?t=49&mforum=brocktownsend Confederate Memorial Day - 08/10/ 911 (My Grandfather & Mother) As one can tell from my mother's comments, my family most definitely fought for hearth and home! http://brocktownsend.forum5.com/viewtopic.php?t=46&mforum=brocktownsend "This Is What He Meant - All Men Up, Erected By His Colored Friends." 53rd Regiment, NC TroopsMr. Townsend's comments sent me to look at my copy of the regimental history. My great-grandfather was one of the men of the 53rd captured on April 1st or 2nd. (The history suggests April 1st, records say the 2nd.) It is eerie to think that this is a person my great-grandfather may have known 143 years ago. 53rd NCTracy: Very interesting! What company was your ancestor in and what was his name, if I'm not too inquisitive? brocktownsend@gmail.com [A note to Brock: If you register as a Shorpy member and then log in, you can contact Tracy directly by clicking on her username. - Dave] Died trying...Looked like he got it while trying to reload. Sad It hurts me to see some of the comments. It makes no difference which side this boy was fighting for or how he got there. I think most of these boys/men entered the service because they believed in the cause. History tells us that most of the deaths in the civil war were from disease and infection. This photo shows what these people had to deal with. It makes no difference if he was reloading or not. (The ramrod is lying next to his weapon). He is covered in mud and had to be miserable ... probably hungry and missing home. The way he is lying would indicate that he lay there for a while knowing he was dying... alone and far from home. Thank you Dave. We as a country need to be reminded how good we have it because of boys like this. ForgetHow amazing that anyone from Europe can point fingers at the US for war policies. When my father and nine uncles (two of which didin't return) fought in WWII, they sure didn't complain. The current Europe wouldn't exist if it weren't for the U.S. but it's so easy to forget...until you need us again. Notice that his pockets hadNotice that his pockets had been emptied. Either the contents were taken to return to his next of kin or he had been pilfered. Either way, it's a poor thing to know he had family and someone who loved him waiting for his return home re: Civil War RequiemVery powerful presentation. (The Gallery, Civil War, Thomas Roche)
Kyrie Eleison: 1865
... full size. So sad Growing up my dad was a big civil war buff and we visited all the battlegrounds. It was so peaceful and green but ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 11:51am -

April 1865. Petersburg, Virginia. "Dead Federal soldier." Wet plate glass negative, right half of stereo pair, by Thomas Roche. Library of Congress. View full size. So sadGrowing up my dad was a big civil war buff and we visited all the battlegrounds. It was so peaceful and green but still sad. These pictures help bring home the realities of war. So many people lost. Does anyone know what that is next to him, with perhaps his initials on it? [It's a leather satchel with the "U.S." insignia of the Army. - Dave] The satchel is...The satchel is cartridge box. They were often issued with a brass plate with the "US" or occasionally a state insignia. Confederate soldier This was actually a rebel soldier killed at Ft. Mahone. Hit in the head by shrapnel. There are several other views of the same body where the photographer places props such as headgear and an artillery sponge around him. He was wearing U.S. Army belts which were probably taken from a Federal prisoner. April 3, 1865 (The Gallery, Civil War, Thomas Roche)
Lux Aeterna: 1865
... negative, right half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 11:52am -

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. SleepWhat 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. What Might Have BeenThis 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. (The Gallery, Civil War, Thomas Roche)
Agnus Dei: 1865
... Wet plate glass negative, right half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. View full size. The real face of war What a desolate string of images. Kind of spoils the fun of enrolling in ... out pockets on almost all the dead. (The Gallery, Civil War, Thomas Roche) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 11:52am -

April 1865. Petersburg, Virginia. "Dead Confederate soldier." Wet plate glass negative, right half of stereo pair, by Thomas C. Roche. View full size. The real face of warWhat a desolate string of images. Kind of spoils the fun of enrolling in the military... Also, someone seems to have picked the pocket of this poor fellow. Agnus DeiQui tolis peccata mundi Miserere nobis Amen Turned-Out PocketsThere were no "dog tags" then and so the soldier would write his name and hometown on a scrap of paper and carry it in his pocket so his body could be identified if needed. You will see the turned out pockets on almost all the dead. (The Gallery, Civil War, Thomas Roche)
Sam Cooley: 1865
... glass negative. View full size. Photographing the Civil War We shall get some more glimpses presently of these adventurous souls ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/25/2015 - 11:32am -

Circa 1865. "Wagons and camera of Sam A. Cooley, U.S. photographer, Department of the South." Wet plate glass negative. View full size. Photographing the Civil WarWe shall get some more glimpses presently of these adventurous souls in action. But, as already hinted, extraordinary as were the results of Brady's impetuous vigor, he was but one of many in the great work of picturing the war. Three-fourths of the scenes with the Army of the Potomac were made by Gardner. Thomas G. Roche was an indefatigable worker in the armies' train. Captain A. J. Russell detached as official camera-man for the War Department, obtained many invaluable pictures illustrating the military railroading and construction work of the Army of the Potomac, which were hurried straightway to Secretary Stanton at Washington. Sam A. Cooley was attached to the Tenth Army Corps, and recorded the happenings around Savannah, Fort McAllister, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Beaufort, and Charleston during the bombardment; George M. Barnard, under the supervision of General O. M. Poe (then Captain in the Engineer Corps), did yeoman's service around Atlanta. -- Henry Wysham Lanier, Photographing the Civil War Wow!How many megapixels has your camera got, mister? There's the rubI wonder how many glass plates were broken or had the emulsion rubbed off, regardless of packing, as they bounced around in the wagon. Packed in cotton or excelsior? (Was there excelsior yet?) [I think they'd be packed in negative cases. Large plush-lined boxes with edge-slots to hold the plates. - Dave] BureaucracyThere was a Department of the South? Civil War DepartmentsThe Union Army effectively split the country into Military Departments covering various geographic areas: Department of the West, Department of the Pacific, Department of the Cumberland, Department of New England and so on. The various Departments were responsible the installations and armies operating within these geographic regions. The Department of the South was one of these regions. At least initially the department consisted of Union held regions of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The signs on Sam Cooley's wagons would seem to indicate that he was effectively the "official" military photographer for the Department and presumably gave him much greater access than other photographers would get. (The Gallery, Civil War, Sam Cooley)
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