August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

[Diochra]

Just for funzies, we're doing August a little bit differently. I have a hunch there are other photo-hoarders like me here, and I'd love to see some originals. Here are the rules:

1. Original images, actually from the period this site is focused on, only.
2. Images must be in your personal possession.
3. You must include what type of image it is, how it came into your personal possession, and why you like it. And you don't need to write a novel. ;)
4. Most importantly, offer up any information on it you have: places, names, dates, subject matter, photographer and so forth. This will probably tie in with #3.

First ten are in it for the running, and I'll have someone else count to ten for me this time. You'd think I was missing some fingers...

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

John Yates Beall, Tintype (quarter plate?), while in the 2nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry. During convalescence. Later, Acting Master, Confederate States Navy. Hanged for acts of Piracy and Sedition against the United States on the Chesapeake, the Great Lakes, along the Potomac and St Lawrence and in Canada.

Forgive me, I have Googled.

BEALL, John Yates, Confederate guerrilla and sailor: b. Walnut Grove,
Jefferson county, Va., Jan. 1, 1835; hangeded on Governor's Island, N. Y.,
Dec. 24, 1864. He was descended from an honorable Virginia family and was
educated for the law. The death of his father, however, compelled him to
abandon his profession in 1855. He farmed in Jefferson county until the
outbreak of the war, when he volunteered with his command, the "Botts Grays"
and was mustered into Company G, Second Virginia infantry. After
being incapacitated by a wound, he went West and then moved into Canada.
While in the latter country, he contrived a plan to liberate the Confederate
prisoners at Johnson's Island. With this plan in mind, he returned South and
solicited the approval of the Confederate authorities. He was commissioned
as acting master in the Confederate navy, but was not assigned to command.
On his own initiative he began a series of exciting privateering enterprises
along the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, but he was captured in November,
1863, and confined in irons at Fort McHenry, Baltimore. This led to reprisals
by the Confederate government and ultimately on May 5, 1864, Beall was exchanged.
Unable to secure the approval of the government, he went to Canada without
orders to carry out his favorite plan of liberating the prisoners on Johnson's
Island. On Sept. 18, 1864, with a small band of picked men, he captured the
Philo Parsons and the Island Queen and would probably have reached Johnson's
Island, but for a mutiny in his crew and the miscarriage of other plans.
He was forced to abandon his project and was captured in citizen's clothing
at Niagra, N. Y., on Dec. 16, 1864. He was hurried to New York, was tried as
a guerrilla and was executed. The Confederacy assumed responsibility for his
actions, but could not prevent the execution of the sentence. His fortitude
and courageous bearing during his trial and death were commended even by his enemies.

Transcribed and submitted by Valerie F. Crook, , 1999.

"The Proceedings, finding and sentence are approved and the accused John Y. Beall will be hanged by the neck till he is dead, on Governors Island, on Friday the 24th day of February, 1865." - John A. Dix, Major General commanding the Department of the East.

From personal collection. Inherited from grandfather.

[Silas]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Wow. There's even a wiki on Beall : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Yates_Beall

The submission lacks this critical criteria : 3. You must include what type of image it is, how it came into your personal possession, and why you like it. And you don't need to write a novel. How did you get that likeness?

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

The submission lacks this critical criteria : 3. You must include what type of image it is, how it came into your personal possession, and why you like it. And you don't need to write a novel. How did you get that likeness?

Dang you are fast... I was adding it as you Googled. Whatever that means. Why I like it would be a statement against everything that I ever complained about in the Monthly Cover Image votes.

Old John Yates is the ugliest man to ever bear the Beall name, regardless of that he was one adventurous fellow.

On 10 November 1863 Captain Beall and his raiders set sail across the Chesapeake Bay with the hope of capturing a Federal naval vessel that was said to be anchored off Chesconnessex Creek. On arriving they quickly captured a schooner. Beall stayed with the schooner and sent a party to hide with his ship the "Raven and Swan" on shore til the following night. The landing party thought they found a snug hiding place on a small island called Tobacco Island, which turned out to be terribly exposed. A fisherman had seen them and asked them what they were doing. They explained they were on a hunting trip. The fisherman wished good hunting and went on. Within a few hours two barges with guns cocked and aimed arrived to capture the raiders. The next day, the prize schooner Beall had taken was surrounded and retaken by the Union. The men were briefly held at Drummondtown [today's Accomac] and then sent to fort McHenry on the western shore.

Source:
Mills, Eric. Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War. Centreville Md: Tidewater Publications, 1996.
(See also "A Brief Introduction" on the main Civil War page.)
© Copyright 2005-2009 by Gail M. Walczyk

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/prisoners.htm

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8304616

http://www.wvculture.org/hiSTory/civilwar/beall01.html

[KathyBradford]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Great idea, Ashley! This first submission with its well-documented history bring up an aspect that makes me want to learn more. How common was hanging back in the day?

The tintype has attitude in the hat, determination in the expression, beauty in its table covering, and detail in the garments and jewelry. John Yates Beall - what a character!

[Spinster]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different



William Harper and Narcissa Ann Russell. Hothouse, Fannin County, Georgia
Child is possibly the last of 15, California Jane (1860), but given the time period in which a ferrotype could have been made, this could be any of the last eight children of the marriage. Given the side part, this could also be Francis Marion, the only boy born post 1850.

Curiously unlined faces for farming adults in midlife? Yes--its a genetic trait of this family line. Ferrotype or other metal plate, with gold highlights on earrings and broach, inherited through the family line. I am a decendant of child #10.

Transcription below is not corrected for spelling or syntax. There is no punctuation or paragraph spacing in the original letter. Anything there, I have added for clarity

August 9, 1880
State Of Ga Fannin Co

Dear Son & daughter an fambly,
i Seat my Self to day to anser your kind leter which wee reseived the 13 day of July. your leter was dated the 27 of June hit found us in bad health. Wee had to prop mother up in the bed to read hit. She is ded.

She dide on the 25 of the month at half past eleven oclock in the morninG. She took her bed on friday week before She dide. She did not appear to suffer much all of the time She lay Sick. She was in her rite mind all the time. She dide as easy as any body ever i seen. She had the tyfared feaver. She told Sary an not to greav after her an to tell all the rest not to Greav after her, She Said all She haited Was leaven the rest Sick.

Mary & Marthy first took the feaver then Mother and bird. Mary has Got so She can help Wait on the rest. Marthy and bird is not Well yet.

Wee bered mother the next day after she dide. The doctors said hit wood bee the best to do hit. Wee had her Cofing lind in Sed with white bleaching and coverd hit with velvet and an put the Cofin in a box. the cofin had *** hanels to hit. Wee bawght 10 yrds of alpackey an mad her a dress and put hit on her an then put a white WindinG Sheat aroun her and a pare of cloth Shose an Stockings and a pare of White Gloves and White rufold Cap on her and then tide the Silk handkerChief arownd her head that She got from noey and aflowered one a round her neck hit Was Silk.

i warnt you to rit to mee if you pad that dollar an if you have i Will Send hit to you. her is some of the berel an i Will Send you Some of the rest in the next letter. the rest of the con nection is Well as far as i now.

i Will close. rite soone. this from Wm. harper and Famley to bengemon Witt & Elisebeth Witt and Fambley


Narcissa Ann was 65 at the time of her death. The ruffled cap mentioned shows in any post war image made of her. William was 69 at her death. The first child of the marriage was born when she was 18, the last of the 15 children was born when she was 44 . "Sary an" was the eldest, b 1833, "Mary & Marthy", 1845 and 1854 respectively, "noey" (Noah) b 1847, Elisebeth b 1834. The identity of "bird" is unknown, but hired help was common in this family--the cabin set for that help was still in use during my childhood. These were staunch Unionists, and the war record reflects movements into North Carolina to escape Home Guard, while Elisebeth and her husband went to Ohio.

The transcribed letter of Narcissa's death comes through daught Elisebeth's family line, and was sent to her in Kentucky. Additional accounts exist of Narcissa's experiences during the Indian Removal and "the Year the Stars Fell".

William married again, and raised a second family, dying in 1906, at age 95. Upon hearing of his second wedding, one relation wrote "well, he could at least have waited until the hearse tracks washed out of the yard".

[PetePaolillo]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Garrison, Your ancestors story is fascinating. John was a determined and brave man. He was dead set on rescuing his comrades. He gave his life doing just that in my opinion. Yet considered a lowly Pirate in his death, he seemed to handle his sentence and execution with the utmost honor and courage.
Well done! I love the painted embellishment on his ring and watch chain.

Mrs. L, That was fantastic as well. Great content in that letter. I loved the detail about her burial dress and funeral preparations. I wonder how much they paid for the 10 yards of "Alpackey"

To you both. Thanks so much for sharing your family treasures. I am happy to see this alternative this month. I hope this trend can continue. These are the people we strive to emulate but come up so very short every time. There is so much to be learned from original photos and texts. These are what we should be studying and basing our impressions off of. looking forward to the next submission!!!:)

[Hank Trent]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Wow. This is great. So often, pictures and stores get separated over time, as the pictures leave families and are sold by unconnected dealers. This gives an idea of the real lives behind the people we so often look at only for details of clothing or hairstyles. Like Pete, I hope this can continue.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Spinster]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Like Pete, I hope this can continue.

Lawsy. If I was just AT my house, or had a hope in **** of ever getting back there, there is a set with story that takes my breath every time I lay hands on her. I looked for her for over two years, knowing that she was out there. And when I was least expecting her, she found me.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Carte de visite of Captain Benjamin Giroux, Company C (Michigan) 1st U.S. Sharpshooters, circa late 1861/early 1862. Giroux was a resident of Middlesex, Connecticut when he enlisted as a private in Co. C while the 1st U.S.S.S. was training at Camp of Instruction in Washington. Remarkably, he was mustered in as captain on the same day that the outgoing man, Benjamin Duesler, resigned. Giroux was one of the few officers in the regiment who actively participated in the militia prior to the war which made him a prime candidate for captain over the other junior officers in his company. It should be noted that he was also one of the best marksmen in the regiment and was engaged in judging shooting competitions, training men in long-distance shooting, and teaching range estimation while at Camp of Instruction. His military knowledge and popularity with the enlisted men made him a quick enemy of Colonel Hiram Berdan, who was already falling out of favor due to breaking several enlistment promises (both U.S.S.S. regiments mutinied for a short time and hung/burned Berdan in effigy). As a result of this jealously, Berdan tormented Giroux and several other officers throughout the Peninsula Campaign. In return, Giroux leveled scathing charges of cowardice against Colonel Berdan which were approved for investigation but ultimately dropped due to Giroux's resignation in late August, 1862.

This image was purchased by me on eBay several months ago and was the fourteenth image added to my U.S. Sharpshooter photograph collection. The photographer is Brady, Washington, and shares nearly identical features (carpet, drapes, column) with three other early war Company C portraits, including one of Giroux's predecessor Captain Benjamin Duesler. The back mark is especially unique and executed in a fanciful period style; what appears to be an arrow or bullet pierces the "U.S.S.S." inscription.

So on and so forth.....I'd love to post the entirety of Giroux's "Charges and Specifications Preferred Against Colonel Hiram Berdan, 1st Regiment United States Sharpshooters" but someone would accuse me of writing too much.

[Mississippian]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Note: these are the "retouched" versions we had produced last X-mas of the original tintypes.

These two family photos were found only a few months ago when me, my dad, my grandmother, and my girlfriend decided to go through a couple of boxes of family photos that hadn't been seen since my Great-Grandmother MacDonald died 20 years ago. The Lady was found in my Grandfathers baby book, and the Gentleman was found a short time later. I believe the two to be either my G-G-G-G Grandparents, Raiford Chamblee and his wife Mary, or William Baker and his wife Mary.

Both families lived just northeast of the capital , Raleigh, the Chamblees in northeastern Wake County, and the Bakers just over the line in southern Franklin County. Both families owned plantations and slaves and while not of the "first rate" planters, they were well off by the standards of the day. The Chamblees had two sons in the war, My GGG Grandfather Brutus "Bertie" Dallas Chamblee and his brother Augustus. Bertie served in Co. "C" 24th N.C. and was wounded and discharged after Sharpsburg. Augustus joined the 31st N.C. and died of illness in Dec of 1861. The Bakers had one son who fought in the war, my GGG Uncle Burrell Baker. He also served in the 24th N.C. as a Lt. in Company "H". He was captured at Five Forks Va on 4-1-65. His sister Cornelia married Bertie Chamblee after the war.

Will MacDonald

[Prodical Reb]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

.... The back mark is especially unique and executed in a fanciful period style; what appears to be an arrow or bullet pierces the "U.S.S.S." inscription....

Brian, I don't think it is a arrow or bullet piercing U.S.S.S. it looks to me to be a guideon w/ "1st Regt of U.S.S.S." written on it.

[paulcalloway]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Love the entries thusfar. Great execution Ashley.

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

I've attached a cdv of Col. Elias Peissner, 119th New York Infantry. I purchased this about 20 years ago at a Civil War show. It has no backmark and for many years I wasn't certain of his identity. Since learning it and reading a bit of his history I've come to like this image more than before. I've only seen a couple other images of him. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has seen this particular image of him, published or elsewhere.

Here's a very quick biography of COL. Peissner. Peissner was born in Bavaria in 1825 and immigrated to the US in 1849. He was a professor of Modern Languages at Union College at Schenectady, New York when the Civil War commenced. He rose to Colonel of the 119th NY and was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville, dying on May 2, 1863.

From The Battle of Chancellorsville by Augustus Choate Hamlin, 1896.

The One Hundred and Nineteenth New York was formed largely of Germans or men of German descent, and its colonel was Elias Peisner. Peisner had been a revolutionist in Germany, but was a naturalized citizen and a professor at Union College, at Schenectady, New York, and a man held in the highest esteem. At the mention of his name at the great mass meeting held at Cooper Institute in 1863, in New York city, the entire audience rose to their feet in honor of the man. He was a bold and resolute officer, and had deployed his men safely, and was resisting the onslaught of the rebels after Devens had been compelled to retreat. At the first attack, Peisner fell beside his men, pierced with two balls.

additional web sorces

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9E00E7D81630EE3ABC4B51DFB066838B699FDE

http://web.vu.union.edu/~sigmaphi/Elias.htm

http://dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/119thInf/119thInfPersonPeissner.htm

http://dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/119thInf/119thInfCWN.htm

For those with access to JSTOR...

http://www.jstor.org/pss/30169710

[GreencoatCross]

Re: August 2010 Image Submission: Something a Little Different

Brian, I don't think it is a arrow or bullet piercing U.S.S.S. it looks to me to be a guideon w/ "1st Regt of U.S.S.S." written on it.

Hey, that's awesome!!! I agree....never noticed that before. It's always great to have another set of eyes look at photos!