A black and white photograph of men advertising with signs posted on their horse and buggies

Wagons and camera of Sam A. Cooley, U.S. photographer, Department of the South.

Photography in the Civil War

Learn more about photography during the Civil War, from techniques used in the 1860s — including 3-D photography — to what photos can reveal about battles to tips on taking photos yourself on the battlefield.

Explore Photography

Sketch of an eagle spreading its wings with a banner in its mouth

Civil War | Primary Source

“Pictures of the Dead at Antietam”

The following article appeared in The New York Times on October 20, 1862, reporting on the photographic display of the images that Mathew Brady and...

This is a drawing of a blank, open journal and a quill.

Civil War | Primary Source

“The Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg”

The following description appeared with Alexander Gardner's photograph "The Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg." Though likely very...

Civil War | Video

Step Into Antietam: The Bloodiest Day in American History

Garry Adelman visits Antietam National Battlefield to document the locations of four famous photographs of the bloodiest day in American History. View...