Rebels on the March

[JimConley]

Gentlemen,
This is a photograph of Confederate troops on the march through the streets of Frederick, Maryland during the Antietam Campaign of 1862. It is believed to have been the only surviving photo that depicts Confederates on the move. I apologize if the quality is poor, but I had to scan this one because I could not locate anywhere online. I have another copy of it in another book and will post it if that makes for a clearer image. The photo is accompanied by a quote saying, "They were the dirtiest men I ever saw, a most ragged, lean and hungry set of wolves. Yet there was a dash about them that the northern men lacked."

Source: Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy. Time Life: Alexandria, 1998 (Print Date).

[GBaylor]

For a better view of the photo, go to the Antietam Battlefield Visitor's Center where it is blown up considerably.
John Sweeney

[JimConley]

For a better view of the photo, go to the Antietam Battlefield Visitor's Center where it is blown up considerably.
John Sweeney

John,
Unfortunately, that photo has been removed. That was one of the highlights of my trip to Antietam in April of 2002 and I was souly disappointed that they no longer display it. You may have visited more recently, but it was not there when I was. I even asked the historians about it and they conveyed it was no longer there. :cry_smile

[Vuhginyuh]

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994&page=1&highlight=frederick

[DonSmithnotTMD]

Be interesting to know what happened to it. I know somebody who has a large open space on a wall ::whistles quietly::

[JimConley]

[QUOTE=Vuhginyuh]http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994&page=1&highlight=frederick[/QUOTE

Apologies, I had not known that it was already posted. In my defense, the photograph I posted is larger? :sarcastic

[RyanBWeddle]

You can acquire a good print of the photo from the Frederick County Historical Society.

http://www.hsfcinfo.org/

[Vuhginyuh]

Vuhginyuh]http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994&page=1&highlight=frederick

Apologies, I had not known that it was already posted. In my defense, the photograph I posted is larger? :sarcastic

No need for apologies here...except maybe from me.

It makes no difference how or when or who posts this image, it is always a great to see. This is one of those shots that can answer one old question while generating four new ones in chorus.

[hardtack1864]

Was this picture taken in 62 or 64, because I heard on the history channel that it might be from 64.

[DougCooper]

I have always wondered why this is not more blurry - as if the photographer yelled down into the street to "hold still!" For you photogs, would this have been about a 5 second exposure?

[JimConley]

I have always wondered why this is not more blurry - as if the photographer yelled down into the street to "hold still!" For you photogs, would this have been about a 5 second exposure?
I believe they may have been at a halt. Notice the guys at the bottom pausing to look up towards the camera?

[markmason]

I believe they may have been at a halt. Notice the guys at the bottom pausing to look up towards the camera?


I like to refer to this image when I hear " Company Halt, shoulder arms fellas, your shoulder arms..when we halt"( echos through the company) :sarcastic

What was practiced in the field may differ considerably, from time to time, that which is printed in the manual :wink_smil

[1stMaine]

Comrades,

The larger image that was displayed at Antietam is in storage on the Pry farm property. I had the good fortune to view it for a couple of hours. It's especially interesting when viewed from a distance of about 6-10 feet.
Viewed from that distance, you can easily make out the soldiers in the background. There's a bunch of interesting things going on. For example, across the street, in the background, there are two soldiers twisting a blanket roll into shape. It's obvious what they are doing when you look at them. One soldier also appears to be holding a color staff or pike and standing at rest.
In the foreground, there's a woman with a basket talking to several men and others trying to hear what's being said. One soldier in the ranks has a drum over his shoulder, etc. Lots of neat details.
It is a pity that this image is no longer available for viewing, but if you were down there for a couple of days, it might be possible to arrange to see it.
respects,

[DougCooper]

It's obvious they are at the halt, as nobody is walking, :sarcastic but I would have thought normal movement or even shifting back and forth a little would have made it more blurry - that is why I wonder if he yelled down to them that he was taking an image. We are just lucky for this wonderful image that the Roche was able to wrestle the camera to that open window. Anyone know if there are other images taken that day by Roche?

Of great interest here is the condition of the uniforms - does anyone with a better resolution here have a good assessment of their condition?

[hireddutchcutthroat]

This has been covered before;


http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994

[DougCooper]

Sure enough, Marlin already answered my back to the future question on why it is not more blurry:

I have examined a very clear copy and I honestly don't see any muddy footprints. Also, there don't seem to be any puddles in the obvious places (gutters). Judging from the fact that there is not as much movement blurring as would be expected, a small lens apeture and quick exposure was probably used which could have only have been accomplished in bright sunlight. Also note the relative absence of shadows. Bright light and small shadows indicate the time to be mid-day. Perhaps this could narrow down the identity to units that passed through town around noon.
__________________
Marlin Teat

[RJSamp]

I like to refer to this image when I hear " Company Halt, shoulder arms fellas, your shoulder arms..when we halt"( echos through the company) :sarcastic

What was practiced in the field may differ considerably, from time to time, that which is printed in the manual :wink_smil

Campaign march, route step, slowing down in a town/BIG town.....this isn't a Halt in the formal sense of the command. I haven't read where they called the regiments to attention, picked up the step, aligned ranks and corrected the intervals...and then called a HALT.....for the simple accordion-like march of a 12+ mile Corps column moving down a single road.

On a 20 mile march, this would get incredibly formal, unnecessary, a problem for the men in terms of fatigue, etc. This became routine, automated, robotic....like the Federals who began to march in step on the pontoon bridge without orders....and had to be ordered to march off cadence.

The photographer had to have shouted down to hold still....but why aren't more of the men facing the camera? What is the fastest exposure time you can get away with???

I agree with you guys. .... the manual said this or that....what the men did in real life may not have been the same.....

RJ Samp