December 15, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2020
This wonderful, large format albumen photograph of General Sherman and his staff has great clarity and tones. This seems to have been taken in Washington in May 1865 when the armies of Grant and Sherman took part in the Grand Review of May 23 and May 24. For the attribution to Alexander Gardner see Zeller and the Image of War (Davis et al.) The Library of Congress owns a print, but some of their identifications are erroneous. This print bears period identifications along the bottom margin of the mount that should be regarded as authoritative. The view focuses on the officers, gathered for one last time before the armies mustered out and includes details of the studio windows, etc. that are often cropped out for artistic reasons, lending it an air of immediacy. The men are posed in two rows, seated and standing. Many wear headquarters badges of the Military Department of the Mississippi. Several left reminiscences of their military service with Sherman, including passages from the letters and campaign diaries of Major Henry Hitchcock, standing at left near Sherman, still in print. Officers are identified by name, rank, and most by staff position also. CONDITION: Excellent. Framed and ready to hang. Esthetically pleasing and historically significant. SR
Item Dimensions: 25 x 21"