lot of 25 important albumen photographs by R.W. Addis of Washington, D.C. All but one includes two images mounted-back-to-back on the same cardstock. Each includes on one side a rectangular 5.5 x 7.5" print showing the activities of the 50th Engineers (13 total), and on the other an oval portrait of Civil War officers, enlisted men (5 total) or civilians (7 total, 3 with men and 4 women). While the images of the 50th are extensively captioned with inked manuscript titles, none of the reverse images are identified. This collection was the property of Sergeant Francis C. Miller. We assume these to be officers, wives, and friends of the 50th, taken while the engineers were stationed in Washington, D.C. during 1863-1864. The 50th NY Engineers, known as "Stuart's" was organized at Elmira in 1861 and served throughout the war, all in the Eastern Theater. Their members were active in virtually all of the major conflicts that took place during the first three years of the War, including Antietam, Fredericksburg (where they built two pontoon bridges over the Rappahannock and suffered mightily from Confederate fire, losing 2 officers and 19 killed), Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House where, after a force march of 8 miles they built a bridge over the Rappahannock 420 feet in length in five hours, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appamattox Court House. The images here fall into two major groups. The first, consisting of 9 images, documents a "pontoon drill" -- the building of a 1300 foot long bridge across the Anacostia River near Washington, D.C. Several of the images are dated 1863-64, and presumably were taken when several companies of the 50th were detailed to Washington. The images show much of the process of laying a pontoon bridge. All are captioned in detail and show the use of various types of canvas ("Russian"), metal ("Francis Metallic") and wooden ("French") versions of pontoon boats along with the other materials used in the "conversion" of these into a bridge. In one of these images Private Francis C. Miller is identified sitting in one of the pontoons -- he is the sole soldier identified in any of the images. Besides documenting the building of the bridge, a single image shows the tent headquarters of the 50th at Washington in '63-64. Another group, comprising three images, shows pontoon bridges built over the Rappahannock at, and just below Fredericksburg in May and June of 1863. On May 1st, the 50th suffered severe casualties from rebel sharpshooters as they constructed a bridge to the town of Fredericksburg. The other, built a month later on later on June 5 at Deep Run, or Franklin Crossing, allowed Sedgwick's Sixth Corps to cross the river. A final image shows a pontoon boat and wagon presented by the 50th to the New York Sanitary Fair. While there are a number of published images of the 50th Engineers, these are the first we have seen of this operation, and the first of the actual construction of bridges. Considering the fact that the states contributed only a small number of Engineer's divisions to the entire Union Army, these photographs should be considered exceptionally rare, and document a little appreciated, but critical aspect of the North's efforts to move troops and materiel. An outstanding collection. (See Lot 510 for the letter archive that accompanies this group.) Condition:Most prints VG, one with surface scratches. Mounts with minor soiling.
lot of 25 important albumen photographs by R.W. Addis of Washington, D.C. All but one includes two images mounted-back-to-back on the same cardstock. Each includes on one side a rectangular 5.5 x 7.5" print showing the activities of the 50th Engineers (13 total), and on the other an oval portrait of Civil War officers, enlisted men (5 total) or civilians (7 total, 3 with men and 4 women). While the images of the 50th are extensively captioned with inked manuscript titles, none of the reverse images are identified. This collection was the property of Sergeant Francis C. Miller. We assume these to be officers, wives, and friends of the 50th, taken while the engineers were stationed in Washington, D.C. during 1863-1864. The 50th NY Engineers, known as "Stuart's" was organized at Elmira in 1861 and served throughout the war, all in the Eastern Theater. Their members were active in virtually all of the major conflicts that took place during the first three years of the War, including Antietam, Fredericksburg (where they built two pontoon bridges over the Rappahannock and suffered mightily from Confederate fire, losing 2 officers and 19 killed), Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House where, after a force march of 8 miles they built a bridge over the Rappahannock 420 feet in length in five hours, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appamattox Court House. The images here fall into two major groups. The first, consisting of 9 images, documents a "pontoon drill" -- the building of a 1300 foot long bridge across the Anacostia River near Washington, D.C. Several of the images are dated 1863-64, and presumably were taken when several companies of the 50th were detailed to Washington. The images show much of the process of laying a pontoon bridge. All are captioned in detail and show the use of various types of canvas ("Russian"), metal ("Francis Metallic") and wooden ("French") versions of pontoon boats along with the other materials used in the "conversion" of these into a bridge. In one of these images Private Francis C. Miller is identified sitting in one of the pontoons -- he is the sole soldier identified in any of the images. Besides documenting the building of the bridge, a single image shows the tent headquarters of the 50th at Washington in '63-64. Another group, comprising three images, shows pontoon bridges built over the Rappahannock at, and just below Fredericksburg in May and June of 1863. On May 1st, the 50th suffered severe casualties from rebel sharpshooters as they constructed a bridge to the town of Fredericksburg. The other, built a month later on later on June 5 at Deep Run, or Franklin Crossing, allowed Sedgwick's Sixth Corps to cross the river. A final image shows a pontoon boat and wagon presented by the 50th to the New York Sanitary Fair. While there are a number of published images of the 50th Engineers, these are the first we have seen of this operation, and the first of the actual construction of bridges. Considering the fact that the states contributed only a small number of Engineer's divisions to the entire Union Army, these photographs should be considered exceptionally rare, and document a little appreciated, but critical aspect of the North's efforts to move troops and materiel. An outstanding collection. (See Lot 510 for the letter archive that accompanies this group.) Condition:Most prints VG, one with surface scratches. Mounts with minor soiling.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
