Vote For the July Cover

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

Congratulations to Greg Barnett for his submittal of Wendell Decker's excellent Fort Sanders image. This poll and thread are officially closed. Happy Fourth to Everyone.

[Spewy]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

Looks like we're going to have another month of dead guys on the cover. Man I just can't get enough of that.

[PieBoy96]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

In image number three where did all of the knapsacks and blanket rolls go?

Who says troops always went into a fight with their baggage? There are countless accounts of men dropping knapsacks, etc. before going into a fight. Especially while attacking a fortified position, I'd imagine.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

#3 is just chilling. Notice in the Antetiam immage, all fo the equippage is gone.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

Here is the image I was thinking of that #3 reminds me of...

Thanks to the LOC for the image of "Antietam, Maryland. Dead soldiers in ditch on the right wing where Kimball's brigade fought so desperately"
Granted the LOC image is a ditch and contains a great deal of debri that might not be present in a fortification/trench setting as image #3.

[Greg Barnett]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

"It is well that war is so terrible -- lest we should grow too fond of it."
~ Robert E Lee~
Statement at the Battle of Fredericksburg (13th December 1862)

Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost,
That the hands of the sisters Death and Night incessantly softly wash again, and ever again, this soil'd world;
For my enemy is dead, a man as divine as myself is dead,
I look where he lies white-faced and still in the coffin -- I draw near,
Bend down and touch lightly with my lips the white face in the coffin.
~WALT WHITMAN~
Reconciliation

The image is what it is.

I have enjoyed all of the discussion regarding Mr Decker's Image. I had hoped Wendell might personally express his views on the image and what he was trying to achieve.

I will attempt to post a higher resolution image this evening. This will allow further detail to be viewed. Unfortunately I could not get the larger files to post earlier.

Kindest Regards,

[lukegilly13]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

What I liked about image 3 was the work/detail that Wendell put into it.....
He chose the heavier folks to lay in the front to look more bloated. Not to mention that he was a great deal away from his tent when he captured the image. If you've ever been involved in one of these images made by him I know you can remember seeing him scurry across the field with a wetplate in hand in 90+ weather. I remember him saynig that he had a particular image in mind that he was wanting to recreate and although I cannot find it right now..it is shockingly smiliar with the details of the yanks on top looking off into the distance. There was quite a bit of gear in the photo...but I agree that it does not show up to well. Maybe there is something to be said here about original photos as well. I can find myself in the photo and cannot see my gear yet I know I had it on as did all the guys I was with. I can see both sides of the argument, but I liked number 3 because of the attention to details and the effort Mr. Decker but into it.

[Haversack]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

Well, yeah, so long as you ignore:

Lack of equipment
Undisturbed earth
Unbroken limbs, unbloated corpses, unshattered undergrowth, and the general lack of the detrius of war.

Sorry, just didn't make it for me, although for a moment, it did, until I noticed the lack of details. Then it only looked like a bunch of live guys playing dead in an old dry ditch.

#2 has that "scratchy" feeling of a tintype/daguerrotype that has seen nearly a century and a half of handling and storage. Much better presentation.

You may be able to see all of it,but(and take this from someone who was there when the photo was taken)there was plenty of gear in the photo.I know that I(and many others around me)either had on a bedroll/knapsack or had thrown it someplace nearby as a "prop".The guys in the front of the photo may not have bedrolls or knapsacks on,but haven't you ever heard of guys taking gear(expeecially knapsacks and blankets)off of the dead???

Undesturbed earth?Really now?This fort had(and just prior to the taking of the photo)went through an assault,with troops(myself included)climbing all over the walls,and making dirt go everywear.I know I had enough dirt in my bootees to build another bastion.Didn't know we were supposed to take pics to the fort before taking the photo,cause ya know they did that to make the earth look more disturbed.

If you can tell if limbs are broken or not,then,well....wow.Thats downright amazing.Next time I guess I will just have to break my arm and/or leg for the photograph.....

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

I agree with the Mr Anderton - Great image though #3 is - looking at 'casualties' for a whole month....

As you know War is not glamorous. The fallen is what we should always focus on. We must always remember those who died, in defense of their Unit, Corps, God and Country.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

Well, yeah, so long as you ignore:

Lack of equipment
Undisturbed earth
Unbroken limbs, unbloated corpses, unshattered undergrowth, and the general lack of the detrius of war.

Sorry, just didn't make it for me, although for a moment, it did, until I noticed the lack of details. Then it only looked like a bunch of live guys playing dead in an old dry ditch.

#2 has that "scratchy" feeling of a tintype/daguerrotype that has seen nearly a century and a half of handling and storage. Much better presentation.

Well the lack of equipment is not unusual. Bodies were often stripped of any useful gear...and it is taken too far away to tell if there is any equipment there or not. Bloated corpses? Does the photo say how long after the battle the photo was taken? There are stages of death. Corpses do not start bloating right away. conditions vary and it is relative. Besides, some of the more filled out fellas lying there look slightly bloated to me. :D You can tell from that distance if limbs are broken or not? That is amazing!! Undistrurbed earth? looks pretty disturbed to me. Use your imagination. Hands down the most realistic photo of the bunch. Only my opinion.

[toccoa42]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

As far as authentic photos go...the realism in #3 is without a doubt right on. I could not find one detail in that photo that would lead one to believe it was a modern image.

Well, yeah, so long as you ignore:

Lack of equipment
Undisturbed earth
Unbroken limbs, unbloated corpses, unshattered undergrowth, and the general lack of the detrius of war.

Sorry, just didn't make it for me, although for a moment, it did, until I noticed the lack of details. Then it only looked like a bunch of live guys playing dead in an old dry ditch.

#2 has that "scratchy" feeling of a tintype/daguerrotype that has seen nearly a century and a half of handling and storage. Much better presentation.

[garyjd]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

......Bad taste? I guess blowing up image's of the dead to see what kind of buttons they have on their jacket is of better taste? News flash all the people we model our impressions from are dead. I supose we are just to "re-enact" the candy land side of the war between the states?? Take it for what it is, if you dont like it, dont vote for it there will be plenty more of the same ole sh** soon enough!
John McClellan
Fowlers Battery

You're comparing apples and oranges. I have not learned one thing from images of guys pretending to be dead. The study of originals is not tasteless unless you spend too much time wondering why a guy has a fist size hole in his forehead and how it got there. Think I'll pass on the dead guys and vote on the same old sh**. ~Gary

[jake.koch]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

I believe that they were simply stating why they did not vote for the image, the same way that people state why they voted for an image. I don't think there is a reason to get upset about it. There is no reason to attack them for their opinion.

I understand their viewpoint, and agree with it. However I do not think that this image disrespects the men who died, but there are limits. I also do not think that many members of this forum are here to "reenact the candy land side" of the rebellion.

[John McClellan]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

......Bad taste? I guess blowing up image's of the dead to see what kind of buttons they have on their jacket is of better taste? News flash all the people we model our impressions from are dead. I supose we are just to "re-enact" the candy land side of the war between the states?? Take it for what it is, if you dont like it, dont vote for it there will be plenty more of the same ole sh** soon enough!
John McClellan
Fowlers Battery

[jake.koch]

Re: Vote For the July Cover

I agree about what has been said in regards to the staging of casualties, however by looking at the three images, this one struck me as by far being the most realistic of the three. Ignoring the staged casualties in the photo, I really liked the way that the men in the background were haphazardly standing around, and the way the others were silhouetted against the sky.