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Steve Helber / AP
Private Thomas W. Timberlake of Co. G, 2nd Virginia Infantry found this child's portrait on the battlefield of Port Republic, Virginia, between the bodies of a Confederate soldier and a Federal soldier.
Update, 11.00 a.m. ET — This post has been updated with all eight photographs in a larger size below.
The Museum of the Confederacy is appealing for the public's help in identifying the subjects of eight photographs picked up on the battlefields of the Civil War.
The Associated Press reports that the images are being publicized in the hope that a descendant might recognize a facial resemblance or make a connection to the sites where they were found:
Museum officials can only speculate on the children and adults, including soldiers, shown in the photographs. But whether they were sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, or siblings the prospect of identifying each grows dimmer with the passage of time.
Typically they were found by another soldier and handed down through generations. Ultimately an attic would be cleared or a trunk would be emptied and the photo would be given to the museum. Some have been in the museum's possession for 60 years or more.
If you can help identify the people in the photographs, get in touch with the museum or connect via Facebook or Twitter.
Read more about imagery of the conflict at the Center for Civil War Photography.
Related content:
- Hundreds of Civil War photos unearthed
- 150 years on, 3-D Civil War photos unveiled
- How Civil War photography changed war
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
A Daguerreotype of a woman and two children found in the effects of a soldier identified as Joseph Warren.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
This Ambrotype image of an unidentified woman was found in the effects of a soldier identified as Joseph Warren.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
An Ambrotype photo of an unidentified soldier, who left this image of himself with Mrs. L.M.C. Lee of Corinth, Mississippi, on the eve of the battle of Shiloh. The soldier never reclaimed his image and was presumed to have been killed in battle.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
An Ambrotype photo of an unidentified soldier, who left this image of himself, a woman and two children with Mrs. L.M.C. Lee of Corinth, Mississippi, on the eve of the battle of Shiloh. The soldier never reclaimed his image and was presumed to have been killed in battle.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
A tin-type photograph of an unidentified man. The tintype and a bible with the name of John Brice in it were found in a tent somewhere in North Carolina during the Civil War.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
An Ambrotype photo of an unidentified young militia lieutenant, that was found on a battlefield near Richmond, Virginia, and donated to the Museum of the Confederacy in 1936.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
An Ambrotype image of an unidentified child found by Pvt. Heartwell Kincaid Adams of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry, in a haversack he took from the body of a dead Federal soldier at High Bridge a few days before Appomattox.
The Museum of the Confederacy via AP
An Ambrotype image of an unidentified child that was found by Confederate Private Thomas W. Timberlake of Co. G, 2nd Virginia Infantry. Timberlake found this child's portrait on the battlefield of Port Republic, Virginia, between the bodies of a Confederate soldier and a Federal Soldier.
Steve Helber / AP
This Gem daguerreotype locket was found by a soldier in Hampton's cavalry brigade on a battlefield in 1863.
Leave a Comment:
It would be nice to have individual photographs included in the article...I can't tell didly from the group photo. I couldn't find details on the museum website either.
Hi Jane, the museum just made the pictures available in high res so I've updated the post with all of them at a larger size.
These facts and figures say quite the contrary to what Willard has been touting as his economic triumphs.
Since Willard refuses to tell us what his grand plan is to restore economic prosperity to all
citizens of this country, not just the 1% bank-rolling his campaign, every American with a functioning brain cell should take a long hard look at what Willard accomplished during his tenure as Governor of MA;
If this is considered success – I would hate to see what the RWNJ’s consider failure…
Willard is a dog-hating, store bought cookie snob, serial flip-flopper, draft dodger!
When did it become acceptable in this country to support someone with no core, moral
compass or integrity?
30+ years of the disastrous trickle policies led us to the brink; do we really want to take the plunge to finish the job, if given the choice?
Figures don't lie, but liars sure figure...
Interesting, but why is this posted in a discussion of unidentified civil war photos?
Who in the hell is Willard?
The guy with the pet rat?
Wrong story.
Weareinbettershape. First you tag is a prelude lie to the crap that is to follow. Either you are a paid political poster are a true blue political weirdo. Go away regardless.
Seams you figure so weareinbettershape, huh? (Read his last line again)
Uncle Earl....??????????????
I can think of nothing that better illustrates the heartbreak of war than these photographs, especially those of wives and children who would never see their husbands and fathers again. That war took more American lives than all of the other wars that we have ever fought combined.
I agree. I think the phrase, "War is hell" comes from General Sherman in his letter to Atlanta during his 'march to the sea.'
An entire generation was crippled by that war -- and these photos remind us that in any war, the ordinary people on both sides are the ones who take the big hit. The ones who are killed in service, of course, and the ones who are left behind.
War may be the closest thing to evil that we have in our lives. War, and the interests that perpetrate war when peace would be a better option. Profiteers stand to gain in any war. They did back then, and they are now. They often do it under the guise of 'patriotism' -- but their loyalty is to the buck, not the 'cause.'
@morrigan: An entire generation? How about multiple generations! I have lived in SC for nearly 30 years and can tell you that the wounds are still open here, in many ways. War IS hell, especially a civil war.
Sad but true.
Audrey, I agree that the scars of that war still affect us to this day.
When I was talking about an entire generation, I was thinking about the ideas in the book, Generations by William Strauss and Neil Howe. In their view, America had four different generational 'types' and we cycle through them. As a result of the Civil War, a crisis which in their view "came too soon, too hard, and with too much ghastly devastation," one of those cycles never came to pass. A whole generation was lost.
And you are right -- here's their description of those who were children at that time, the Progressive Generation (born 1843 - 1859):
"...the news of Bull Run signaled the beginning of a family trauma that was destined to pass over their childhood like a dark and cruel cloud.,,, Witnessing the last act [Lincoln's funeral train], the youngest in this most fatherless of American generations would sit hoisted on their mother's shoulders and hear elders talk of the suffering they had endured to provide children with a better future..."
America went from the idealist Transcendental generation that produced the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, to the reactive Gilded generation that produced "Boss" Tweed, Stonewall Jackson, Levi Strauss, Wild Bill Hickok and John D. Rockefeller, to the adaptive Progressive generation that produced Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Edison, Booker T. Washington, Lewis Brandeis and John Dewey. They totally missed the 'civic' type generation in between the Gilded and the Progressives!
At least we know they aren't vampires.
Are you sure? Seen 'Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter' yet? (actual movie to be released soon, not kidding) Never know. lol
it is interesting that those photos exist and will be in a museum the civil war happened and it was not about slavery, it was the government telling the south what to do and like today we do not need big brother in our lives so all you racists ahole get over it. my family did not own slaves and yes my ancestors, Irish and German were slaves before they came to the US if the young black men would be more interested in an education instead of owning guns and see how many they could kill (sad about the killing in Auburn, AL) but there you go that is there mentallity today
Wow, you can really tell that you're a product of a substandard southern education...
So, how's your sister-momma?
@old fashioned grandma-stereotyping young black men only perpetuates the hatred of southerners. Not all young black men are interested in owning guns and a large number of them are interested in education. Southerners who continually say things like this are the main reason so many people think we live like the Dukes of Hazzard and all of us are slow talking morons.
@dave from philly-you are no different than any other racist. You believe that all southerners are idiots and that we are all a product of inbreeding. Get over yourself. My parents were not brother and sister nor do I have a substandard southern education. Most people spout about how southerners are bigoted and racist but go back and read some of the comments made to the southerners who are speaking up. I don't care where a person is from nor do I care what color their skin is...idiocy is idiocy whether it is spoken with an accent or not. You should really come for a visit and get to know the south before you make a blanket statement about our substandard education and inbreeding.
bgrsmom
I am a northerner and I am well aware that there are plenty of southerners like you.
The backward bigoted ones are just the ones who get all the press.
Bless you.
Thank you Tina. It just burns me up when people make a blanket statement about a whole group of people. We are all individuals and cannot be held responsible for what someone with any similiarities to us, whether it be gender, skin color, place of residence or whatever, does nor can be held responsible for the sins of the past. Dave would probably not like it if someone made a statement that he was like Charles Manson of Jeffrey Dahmer or Bubba from down the road. After all, he is a male and so are they. I am from Mississippi and some very famous and very influential people are from here including Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey, Tennesse Williams, Eudora Welty, Jim Hensen, Jerry Rice, BB King....that is the short list. The biggest problem that I see on this and any other blog is that people will hide behind the anonymity of the all mighty internet when on any given day, they would never say those things to someone's face. I bear no shame for what happened to anyone in the past. I was not there and no matter how many times southerners are reminded of the slave days and the civil rights atrocities, I DID NOT DO THAT and would not have stood aside and allowed it to happen. Would probably have been run out of my hometown for my beliefs but standing by and allowing any type of discrimination to happen makes a person just as guilty as those who are discriminating.
And Dave, the statement that you made was very discriminatory. We are actually just like the rest of the country. Every city, state, county, has some really "offbeat" characters but that does not mean that all of the citizens of that place are like that.
And Grandma, shame on you for the stereotypical comments that you made. None of these comments changes anything but only adds to the problem.
You're right Bgrsmom. Those things shouldn't be said about the South or any particular group of people.......Unless their from Arkansas of course. Just kidding A.R.Kansas people. Keep the return fire semi-toned down. Target Illinois, my lovely home.
Ok, in the 4th picture down, the guy holding the child is definitely a forefather of Giorgio Tsoukalos, from the show "Ancient Aliens"
Giorgio-A.-Tsoukalos.jpg
Someone alive today is supposed to recognize the face of someone who's been dead for around 150 years? Uh huh...and an individual's testimony about an old picture is going to be enough for the museum to label the pictures? What are they going to do when two or more people start claiming that one of the pictures is their 'great great great great grandmother' or something like that?
It is possible that there could be more than one copy of some of the pictures, where one stayed with the family and as such could provide clues or even definitive identification. And what if people do make false claims for some stupid reason? It's just a museum trying to identify the people in some pictures that were donated to them. There isn't some huge inheritance waiting to be claimed.
These are the pictures of the space aliens and zombies I was talking about.
One of the guys looks like me. But I know for a fact that during the Civil War 2 of my great grandfathers fled to Canada, one was in jail, & the other hanged. One the women might have testified against the latter.
A sobering reminder of the costs of war. It's sad to look at the faces of some of those people and realize they where killed in a battle for freedom, a freedom which some people take for granted while at the same time take advantage and complain about it. Brothers, sons, fathers, that never came home while their memory fades away and we don't even have a name to go with their image. I hope they are able to find some family members that still remember.
My god, were there any good looking women back then?
There were but the photography back then did not do them justice.
Dave from Philly, I am so glad you live there and not near me. BTW my mother is dead and had more class than you or any of your clan or friends will ever have. I do not know if you have any education by your ahole remarks either but the truth hurts does it not
old fashioned grandma--what the hell is your problem? Try not to be so rotten.
She's upset because Dave didn't buy her "states rights - not slavery" bull krap.
LOL Audrey!
@audrey, she is probably upset at the sarcastic reference to her sister-momma...typical southern stereotyping and totally uncalled for in this discussion. She was wrong to stereotype young black men the way she did but dave from philly made no reference to that...just more references to southern stereotypes.
In case anyone is interested, we are not all from the movie Deliverance and we do wear shoes and we are able to form complete sentences using real words. The women hear do not all dress like Daisy Duke nor do the men all wear overalls. I even believe that there is a law that prohibits marrying family...but being the dumb hicks that we are, we may not be able to read that law and the Barney Fife that sheriffs our town doesn't enforce it anyway.
Wispers "I see dead people"
Although it would be nice to identify these people both for the reletives of these people and for historical purposes, I don't think this story rates as highly as thousands of other stories the news industry never bothers to report.
I think it is a refreshing change from the usual political and murder and mayhem stories.
I see DEAD people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you know.. this has gone from a " please look thru your family history" to a discussion of race, politics and sheer stupidity.
its amazing
It maybe interesting to see what results would come if these pictures were reviewed by one or more well known celebrity psychics. You never know.
Somehow, many have forgotten the words, and even more, the sentiments and the intention behind the closing of Abraham Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address. Read them carefully, and you will see that we haven't done them justice, despite their charitable nobility. I would like to have seen the Reconstruction under Lincoln; no doubt it would have gone much differently, and better. Try to find it in your hearts to put the hate and resentment away, and work for constructive change - it's the only way out of the mess we're in, to learn from the past and stop repeating old mistakes. Nobody can change the past, only the present, and that paves the way for the future. Do it now, because that's all we have.
"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations." - Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was truly our "Last best hope"...
Lincoln was attending a musical when word reached him that Lee had surrendered. He requested that the singing troupe perform the song "Dixie" in honor of the South and all that they had suffered, fought for and believed.
Had he lived, the bitter wounds still open today might have healed with hardly a scar left to show for it. He never wanted Martial Law for the South or to have it ground under the boots of carpetbaggers. He wanted it brought back under the umbrella of the Union, to have us a fully United States.
The politicians of the North saw the opportunity to rape the South of everything, and proceeded to do so. That's why many historians feel it was Northern politicians who engineered Lincoln's death.
Very true, screminmimi.
If Lincoln had lived the south might have been a very different place.
Great post 'cygnus61".......!!!!
Photos from this era were rare and cherished; eventually copies were made, distributed and passed down.
The oldest surviving photograph from my family that we know of is of my great, great, great grandfather. It was taken sometime in the late 1870's or 1880's. This picture has been passed down, discussed at family gatherings and, using current technology, posted on our family geneology page. Any of my great nieces and nephews could identify their 5th great grandfather's picture in an instant. So why couldn't something like that happen in this instance? It's a slim chance perhaps, but still possible.
The sarcastic tone of many of the comments being made here frankly boggles my mind.
Not to mention the racist tone.
"this child's portrait on the battlefield of Port Republic, Virginia, between the bodies of a Confederate soldier and a Federal Soldier."
A perfect chance for a psych. test. Have subjects view the picture, then only mention one soldier or the other that was found next to it. Ask the subject for thoughts or feelings reguarding the life and manner of the soldier and his family. In the context of a culture of Lincoln: vampire hunter, (dare you to say u'd feel the same if your particular people were the vampires etc) I'd be interested to see the resulting impressions.
Aside from that, man...they were HUMANS. Either one a father who never saw his little girl again...the humanity...
Looks like a bunch of inbred hicks from Tampa.
Family photos, Mary Ann?
Some of you don't seem to understand the article, it seems. Why? Families have been known to pass pictures down for centuries. If anyone has looked into the geneology of their family, the hope that someone would have pictures still of those ancestors would be incredible. They could actually put a name to the individual. It's not whether they were northern or southern soldiers that died in the battle. If they wait another hundred years, as was one suggestion, then those relatives that could possibly identify a "history" of the individuals will be all gone. The newer generations don't put much into family history now a days. My grandmother and great grandmother were indians from the Indian Territory. My grandma passed info to the family the day before she died. Without that, we as her descendants, wouldn't have a clue where to start.
I agree.
Having pictures of your ancestors is so interesting because you can see family likenesses which sometimes skip generations.
My grandma lived to be 105 and saw three centuries.
How can that not be fascinating?
One thing is for sure. None of them are Romneys. Romneys avoid war like its the plague. Mittens dodged the Vietnam draft, and his five sons showed their yellow stripes during the Iraqi & Afghanistan conflicts. Didn't a distant relative of theirs also bolt for Mexico?
Military service to country is an honorable tradition with families. My family history with military conflicts has dates from Revolutionary War to Middle East Conflict, with some relative serving their country during each conflict (not dodging, bolting and running like a romney)
WTF are you talking about?