Civil War Pictures

Photograph of Major General Benjamin Butler

Photography was growing as a discipline during the Civil War and it became increasingly common for newspapers to print images as well as text (Bosse, 3-4). These images were often political cartoons or maps of battle locations, but also included black and white photographs. One of the most famous Civil War photographers was Matthew Brady. He and his associates would visit the battlefields either prior to the fighting or after the battle had ended, and document the results to publish in local newspapers. “Photographs show camp life, routines, war preparations, the moments just prior to battle, and the aftermath of battle” (National Archives).