Understanding the Civil War Though Photography

Few photographers were able to capture as big a cross-section of people, places and events during the Civil War as Mathew Brady.

Much of the American Civil War can be understood through military correspondence, army documents and letters. But to understand the social impact of the bloodiest battles in the nation’s history, researchers and citizens alike often turn to what was then a budding technology: photography.

There were many photographers who were able to capture the horrors and hardships both Union and Confederate soldiers had to face, but Mathew Brady was one of the most prolific. In addition to the aftermath of major battles, Brady and his associates were also able to capture day-to-day routines, details from camp life, and quiet moments between soldiers.