These are the striking black-and-white images which capture America on the cusp of monumental change during the Civil War. But instead of portraying dramatic events such as the bloody Battle of Antietam or Abraham Lincoln’s historic address at Gettysburg, the images reveal day-to-day life for those caught during wartime in Washington DC.
These are the striking black-and-white images which capture America on the cusp of monumental change during the Civil War.
But instead of portraying dramatic events such as the bloody Battle of Antietam or Abraham Lincoln’s historic address at Gettysburg, the images reveal day-to-day life for those caught during wartime in Washington DC.
Defending the nation’s capital, which was ripe for invasion by Confederate forces that had set their sights on the city, became a top priority for the U.S. government.
Capital defense: A Washington, D.C. Park of Wiard guns at the Arsenal photographed in 1865
Medical service: Workmen and paramedics standing in front of a DC Ambulance Shop in April of 1865
Historic address: Washington DC quarters of Union General Alfred Pleasonton and ‘Government Horse Shoeing Shop’ that were located in April of 1865 at 21st Street
The war transformed Washington from a modest semi-rural city below the Mason-Dixon line into an urban hub as people, government institutions and infrastructure all converged there, setting the stage for the rapid expansion of the city throughout the latter half of the 19th century.
Civil war broke out in 1861 when the South had seceded from the United States over the hot-button issue of slavery and its expansion into the western territories.
As the conflict dragged out, Washington DC became a military headquarters and logistics center – and local photographers rushed to capture the developments.
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