Dead Rebs

[JimConley]

I'm sure most of you have run across this photo at one point or another. I thought it might be nice to post because of the things that stand out about this particular photo. These boys are lying in woods near Little Round Top. The poor departed soul in the middle of the photo stands out because of his bloated form. On a lighter note, don't those clothes look pretty dark?
Source: CivilWarPhotos.NET (http://www.civilwarphotos.net/files/casualties.htm) #544

[Vuhginyuh]

I always thought they were Federal. The Springfield and the dark hue of the uniforms being my substantiation

[markj]

Greetings,

These images are discussed at length in William Frassanito's "Gettysburg: A Journey in Time" and "Early Photography at Gettysburg." They are most certainly Confederate since, based on Frassanito's research, nearly all Federal bodies had been buried by the time the first photographic team arrived on the field (this was apparently no earlier than 5 July 1863). Frassanito also pinpointed the approximate location where the bodies were photographed and this was an area where Confederate forces had taken heavy casualties.

The dark color of the clothing can most readily be explained by the fact that there had been heavy rainfall immediately following the Gettysburg battle, which had thoroughly soaked the men's clothes.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[ThehosGendar]

This is interesting:

http://www.3nj.org/leggings.jpg

He's either wearing leggings underneath his trousers or his drawers got pulled out of his socks and are showing.

[Vuhginyuh]

I just saw Frassanito's book...you guys are right...as usual. Good job.

The shoe Jason posted looks like the same type of low-top seen in the center of the three Confederate prisoners at the rail fence.

I can't get a decent enlargement of that shoe. If it is similar can someone please add it?

See the post below, thanks Mark!

[markj]

Don't rightly know. Another possibility:

The man isn't wearing socks at all: the "white stuff" is bloated, decomposing flesh (at the time the photo was taken, he had been exposed to the elements for approximately five days and was pretty ripe--ugh!).

What are more interesting to me are the man's shoes. Unless I have lying eyes, the man is either wearing cut-down issue shoes or else low-quarters with strap-buckles.

Attached is an extract from what I call the "Larry, Moe, and Curly" photo of the Confederate POWs. If you look at the guy in the center, he seems to be also wearing cut-down shoes similar to those seen in the above photo.

Your thoughts?

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Vuhginyuh]

Don't rightly know. Another possibility:

The man isn't wearing socks at all: the "white stuff" is bloated, decomposing flesh (at the time the photo was taken, he had been exposed to the elements for approximately five days and was pretty ripe--ugh!).

What are more interesting to me are the man's shoes. Unless I have lying eyes, the man is either wearing cut-down issue shoes or else low-quarters with strap-buckles.

Attached is an extract from what I call the "Larry, Moe, and Curly" photo of the Confederate POWs. If you look at the guy in the center, he seems to be also wearing cut-down shoes similar to those seen in the above photo.

Your thoughts?

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

Thanks Mark, my thoughts exactly!

[ThehosGendar]

[QUOTE=markj]
The man isn't wearing socks at all: the "white stuff" is bloated, decomposing flesh (at the time the photo was taken, he had been exposed to the elements for approximately five days and was pretty ripe--ugh!).

What are more interesting to me are the man's shoes. Unless I have lying eyes, the man is either wearing cut-down issue shoes or else low-quarters with strap-buckles.
[QUOTE]

It's tough to make out, but I think you're right. Here's another view of the shoes from the right plate of LC-DIG-cwpb-00880:

http://www.3nj.org/shoes2.jpg

[Vuhginyuh]

Similar to these?

This is a matching set, I don't know why one looks much larger...

[Jimmayo]

I am a little skeptacle on the color of the uniforms being attributed to being wet as Frassanito states. Unless there is some trickey light things going on why is the soldier in the foreground uniform a different color? There is obviously adequate light since all the bodies are shown in good detail.

He gives another explenation that they actually have, matching trousers and jackets of a dark color and this is the one I like. There are actually three views of the same bodies (5 total) in the book. Frassanito states that at least two of the uniforms are dark. This would indicate that as he was studing the originals the other uniforms were a different shade.

As for the shoes, I believe MB&S has the low quarter shoes with the strap fastening on his site.

[ThehosGendar]

He gives another explenation that they actually have, matching trousers and jackets of a dark color and this is the one I like. There are actually three views of the same bodies (5 total) in the book. Frassanito states that at least two of the uniforms are dark. This would indicate that as he was studing the originals the other uniforms were a different shade.


Looking at the images closely, it becomes quite clear that the uniform is a matching set of the same dark colored jean. You can easily make out the characteristic striations that make up jean.

http://www.3nj.org/jeantrou.jpg
http://www.3nj.org/jacket.jpg

[roundshot]

At the base of Big Round Top, on July 4, 1863, Capt. Francis A. Donaldson of the 118th Pennsylvania "counted thirty seven bodies, all dressed alike, in a coarse dark material with black felt hats, seemingly new, and most likely taken from a store in Gettysburg, or some other town." From "Inside the Army of the Potomac," p. 311.

Bob Williams
Reilly's NC Battery

[JimConley]

At the base of Big Round Top, on July 4, 1863, Capt. Francis A. Donaldson of the 118th Pennsylvania "counted thirty seven bodies, all dressed alike, in a coarse dark material with black felt hats, seemingly new, and most likely taken from a store in Gettysburg, or some other town." From "Inside the Army of the Potomac," p. 311.

Bob Williams
Reilly's NC Battery

Outstanding quote, Bob! Your reputation just went to 12.

[DonSmithnotTMD]

curious. Might not hurt to see if some of those on the civilian side could shed some light. What I mean is, just the idea of 37 suits of the same material, cut, etc. MIght tell us a little about what people were wearing in the area at the time.

Then again, this is probably something everybody else knows and I'm just catching on to.

[roundshot]

My guess is that Donaldson was referring to the hats being of civilian origin, not the clothing. It is open to interpretation, however. Also, he specifically identifies one of the dead as William A. Duncan [Dunklin] of the 44th Alabama.
Donaldson's book is a great read. While observant, the guy has some serious paranoid tendencies that border on the amusing and eventually bring about his undoing.

Bob Williams
Reilly's NC Btty.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Keep in mind the camera of the 1860s picked up colors differently than how a modern black and while camera would. For all we know, that uniform could be reddish or yellowish, both will show up dark in a period photo. For all we know it could be bright neon pink.

[markj]

Keep in mind the camera of the 1860s picked up colors differently than how a modern black and while camera would. For all we know, that uniform could be reddish or yellowish, both will show up dark in a period photo. For all we know it could be bright neon pink.

Hi,

Hard to say but this clothing was thoroughly sodden since it had rained on one or more days following the battle. As the body was within the woodline, the clothing would have undoubtedly dried at a much slower rate than had it been exposed to direct sunlight. And, of course, there was no "body heat" to help dry things out either.

Gruesome but interesting.....

Regards,

Mark Jaeger