U.S. Civil War: 150th Anniversary

Living histories and reenactments provide wonderful educational opportunities for modern folks to all but travel back in time and relive yesteryear. These Civil War depictions help the viewer go beyond the history books and vicariously experience the events in several ways. In addition to seeing the battles, troops, and life’s details of 1860’s America, some of the pictures are in monochrome (sepia or black and white) adding another dimension to experiencing that period. In several of the images, Greg Sykes shifts from his style and deliberately emulates Civil War photographer Mathew Brady’s¹ compositions and final print appearances. For example, the following image of the 44^th New York Infantry camp near Alexandria, Virginia, is a Brady currently housed in the National Archives.

This next photograph of a Union camp was digitally captured by Greg on July 23, 2011, in Manassas, Virginia, during the First Battle of Manassas-Bull Run’s 150^th Anniversary—originally fought on July 21, 1861.

Mathew Brady and his photography team were unable to capture live battles due to the technical limitations and slow film speeds². Their work was limited to portraits, battle aftermaths, camp life, and other “still” subjects. However, Greg honors the spirit of these pioneers through vintage monochrome battle scene portrayals.

Catalog Number: 791-3039
Confederate column advancing down a hill, Civil War Battle at Cedar Creek. Living history and reenactment produced by the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, Middletown, VA (www.ccbf.us).
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Catalog Number: 791-1893
Union cavalry firing revolvers, Civil War skirmish re-enactment, Sully Plantation Civil War Days, Chantilly, VA.
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Catalog Number: 791-1576
Confederate re-enactor Buddy Clark loading “rounds” into paper cartridges, Sully Civil War Days, Virginia.
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Catalog Number: 791-1589
Preparing revolvers for battle, Sully Civil War Days, Virginia.
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Catalog Number: 791-1905
Union firing line, Civil War skirmish re-enactment, Sully Plantation Civil War Days, Chantilly, VA.
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Catalog Number: 791-0017
Confederate reenactor Jeff Meissner, Civil War, Blenheim House, Fairfax, VA.
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Catalog Number: 790-9999
Union soldier polishing leather bag, Civil War, Historic Blenheim House, Fairfax, VA.
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Catalog Number: 791-0015
Widows of the 17th Virginia Infantry–Civil War, Historic Blenheim House, Fairfax, VA.
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Catalog Number: 790-9868
Civil War-period reenactor, Historic Blenheim House, Fairfax, VA.
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For more Civil War living history photographs, please visit the Miscellaneous and Events galleries:

	Gallery Title	Description
	Miscellaneous	Diverse subject matters await your exploration within this gallery
	Events	Sample photographs of reenactments, concerts, people working, and more

¹This book provides more original Civil War-era photographs:

Lossing, Benson J. 1912. Mathew Brady’s Illustrated History of the Civil War with 737 Brady Photographs.
The Fairfax Press, New York, NY. pp. 512.

²For more about Mathew Brady’s pre-war through post-war history, contributions, and photography team:

Thomas, Mike. 2012 (winter). Mathew Brady, the war correspondent. National Parks 86(1):34-40.
https://www.npca.org/articles/1233-mathew-brady-the-war-correspondent

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