1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Signal Corps 17th AC, in the rear of Vicksburg 1863]

Title taken from inscription on recto. Image of 20 Federal soldiers posed in barren landscape. Four officers are seated in chairs behind the line of enlisted men on the ground. The seated officers are dressed in uniforms appropriate to their command status, while the men on the ground are dressed in ordinary soldier attire. Two buildings can be seen in the far background, one on the center crest of the hill, and one on the far left. Stamp of French & Co on recto. Printed on the back of a portrait mount with gilded oval opening.

GLC05111.01.0082

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Scene, dress parade and camp of a regiment of the Western Army, near Vicksburg. Miss. 1863.]

Title taken from inscription on recto. Troops are lined up for inspection in the distance. They face the camp, which is laid out in company rows. The enlisted men's tents are on the right, and officers' tents can be seen running perpendicular to these. There are also two rows of small open ovens with chimneys where small groups of soldiers (or "messes") prepare their own meals. The camp appears to be in an orchard of some kind--fruit trees visible in between the tents.

GLC05111.01.0083

1865

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [U. S. pontoon across Big Black River. U.S. troops in the front. C.S.A wagon & guard in the rear. 1865]

Image of a long bridge crossing the Big Black River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. Silhouettes of several figures visible in the middle of the bridge and on the bank of the river. Title taken from inscription on recto. Stamp of French & Co. on verso. William C. Davis printed this image in "The Image of War" and attributed it to T. M. Moore (per the Old Court House Museum, Vicksburg, Miss).

GLC05111.01.0084

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: "Castle Fort" fronting the river and commanding the city of Vicksburg

A print of a photograph of Civil War-era defensive fortifications. Full title from inscription on recto: "Castle Fort" fronting the river and commanding the City of Vicksburg. Built after the end of the Siege of Vicksburg (July 4th, 1863). 15 Guns. Height above the river 1,000 feet." A number of artillery pieces [32-pounder Seacoast Parrot Rifles] facing in different directions out of the fort. An United States flag flies in the center of the image. "Castle Fort," also called "Fort Castle," had been the site of fortifications since 1631 when it was orginally called "The Castle." In 1692,…

GLC05111.01.0085

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: Fort near Vicksburg

A print of a photograph of two artillery pieces [Seacoast Parrot Rifles] behind fortress walls. The fort has a similar construction to "Castle Fort," which also had Seacoast guns of the the same size. Title from graphite inscription beneath print. Stamped on rear "Kean Archives, Phila."

GLC05111.01.0086

June 1865

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: Scene in front of Vicksburg

A print of a photograph showing the Mississippi River as seen from the town of Vickburg, MS. Title from inscription on recto: "Scene in front of Vicksburg. "Desota" [De Soto] under water. 7 feet. Iron clads & tin clads in the Mississippi 1865." Inscription on verso: "Gun boats assembled June 1865." Also stamped "Kean Archives, Phila." The "De Soto," [a small U.S. army tug] after losing its rudder in the mud, was burned by its officers to keep it out of Confederate hands. In the inscription, "7 feet" may refer to depth at which the "De Soto" lies under water. The river has overflowed its…

GLC05111.01.0087

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: One of the parks of captured artillery Vicksburg captured after surrender

A print of a photograph of several artillery pieces [Parrott Rifles] and many limbers. The cannon in the center foreground has been spiked with a solid shot. Several soldiers are posed at various places amongst caissons. A large road passes through the middle from bottom left to middle right. Some houses or other structures can be seen in the background. Written on front: "973.7344." Title from ink inscription on back, also stamped "12244."

GLC05111.01.0088

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Confederate four gun battery in Vicksburg]

A print of a photograph taken of Confederate defenses near Vicksburg, MS. Full title from inscription on verso: "The lower rebel 4 gun battery Vicksburg about 200 yards from and commanding the river." Image of four entrenched heavy artillery guns and a large encampment in the distance. The artillery trenches are stocked with ammunition and powder. There is also a large structure on the far left of the image. A soldier and a civilian pose in front of guns to the right. The soldier appears to be Union suggesting the photograph was taken after the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg on 4 July…

GLC05111.01.0089

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Artillery park in Vicksburg captured at its surrender with Methodist and Catholic Churchs behind]

A print of a photograph taken near Vicksburg, MS in 1863 after Confederate loss of the city to the Union Army. Inscription on verso: "One of the parks of artillery Vicksburg captured at its surrender Methodist Church in the front Catholic Church rear with high steeple." Photograph shows many artillery pieces and associated carts for transporting amunition and powder. Two large churches can be seen in the background along with a handful of other structures.

GLC05111.01.0090

circa 1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [U.S. Military Rail Road depot]

Image of a railroad depot in Vicksburg, Mississippi, showing the Richmond & Danville RR, and the Louisville & Nashville line. Rail junction where several spurs come together into the mail line also visible. In the middle of the image, a blurred train and puff of smoke indicate a train is in motion down the mail line. The box cars on the spurs have the letters USMRR [United States Military Rail Road]. Note the snow on the roves of buildings and on the ground.

GLC05111.01.0091

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Fort Hill after the capture of Vicksburg]

A print of a photograph showing a small group of Union soldiers stand on the fort's parapet. Much of the photograph shows the dirt, ground, and devastated vegetation on the hill. Lengthy inscription on verso: "Position of Fort Hill (Rebel) blown up and assaulted June 25th 1863 by the 45th Ill. Infy. vols. In this assault which was successful Lt. Col. Melathon Smith [and] Major Leander B. Fisk were killed. Col. J. A. Maltby, adjutant W. T. Frohock [illegible] 6 line officers were wounded and over one third the enlisted men were either killed or wounded. The 45th were supported by the 31st,…

GLC05111.01.0092

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: R.R. Depot, Vicksburg, Miss

A print of a photograph showing two trains running on tracks through a railroad depot near Vicksburg, MS. Title taken from inscription on recto. This depot is on the Vicksburg & Jackson line. Until Gen. Grant cut off the rail link, this was the destination of the supplies the Confederates stockpiled to resist the Federal seige. Stamp of French & Co. on recto. On verso graphite inscription reads "RR depot" and is stamped "Kean Archives, Phila."

GLC05111.01.0093

1864

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Ironclad USS Louisville outside Vicksburg]

A print of a photograph of the USS Louisville, a City-class ironclad gunboat laid down in September of 1861. Many sailors and/or officers can be see standing on the deck, the Louisville had a crew of 251. Inscription on recto: "Louisville iron clad gun boat 12 guns. Mississippi Squadron, 1864." The Louisville actually had at 14 guns at any point during the war, including all of 1864. Vicksburg looms in the backgorund. Note this image has been mounted over an oval photograph of a soldier.

GLC05111.01.0094

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: Courthouse showing the [illegible] marks recieved by it during the Siege

A print of a photograph of the Old Courthouse of Warren County, in Vicksburg, MS. Title taken from inscription on recto. A group of emancipated enslaved people are gathered near a brick structure to the left of the court house. Union soldiers, cavalry, and an artillery gun can be seen surrounding the court house. Stamp of "French & Co., photographers, Vicksburg, Miss." on recto. Despite the claims of the title, there is very little damage present on the building itself. The building is still standing as of 2017 and is preserved as a museum.

GLC05111.01.0095

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: Camp 20th Miss (Col) Regt [illegible] Vicksburg below the City 1863

A print of a photograph of a camp of Confederate soldiers near Vicksburg, MS. Title taken from inscription on recto. Stamp of "French & Co., photographers, Vicksburg, Miss." Soldiers visible throughout camp, some in small formations, others standing individually. Entrenchments and shebangs are visible in the foreground. Soldiers' barracks in background and river is visible to the left. The 20th Mississippi was stationed at Vicksburg for most of the siege.

GLC05111.01.0096

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: Barracks 52nd USCI

An albumen print of a small encampment of union soldiers. Title from inscription below photorgraph. The 52nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment was garrisoned at Vicksburg after the battle. Row of four wooden barracks visible with tents in front. Entrenchments in the foreground. Some of the troops are visible lined up in front of the barracks. Stamp of "French & Co., photographers, Vicksburg, Miss."

GLC05111.01.0097

circa 1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: [Front of court house. Vicksburg company U.S. artillery in front]

Image of Vicksburg company posed in front of Warren County Court House. Title taken from inscription on recto. Stamp of "French & Co., photographers, Vicksburg, Miss." also visible on lower right corner of image. A highly visible structure throughout the county, the Warren County Court House became a popular visitation site for Federal soldiers who had set seige to Vicksburg for months. Some soldiers are wearing infantry sack coats, not artillery, and have black felt hats (called "Hardee hats"), common among Western Federal troops. Others in the group are wearing the regulation artillery…

GLC05111.01.0098

1863

French & Co.

Photograph

Title: U.S. Marine Hospital Vicksburg

A print of a photograph of a three-story building in Vicksburg, MS. The Mississippi River can be seen in the background beyond the rest of the city. Title taken from inscription on recto. Stamp of "French & Co., photographers, Vicksburg, Miss." Men posed outside the building and someone standing in the left most bottom window. The building was constructed in 1853 and used as a hospital until 1873 (taken over by the Marines after the end of the siege in 1863). Demolished in 1892. Print is mounted at an angle to the backing material.

GLC05111.01.0099