In 1861 when the Civil War broke out, the country was filled with excitement and fear. As great armies were formed and the soldiers marched off to distant battlefields and unknown adventures, the latest news from the front became a source of great importance. Several prominent news publications sent correspondents to accompany the armies and report on the war. Illustrated newspapers, however, such as Harper’s Weekly, and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated News also sent artists into the field. Equipped with a sketchbook, these artist correspondents were responsible for capturing scenes of battle and camp life with pencil, charcoal, and watercolors. At the time, photography, although not uncommon, was still somewhat in its infancy. The equipment was cumbersome, the medium could only capture still images, and the ability to print photographs in the newspapers did not yet exist. A quick and talented artist, however, could capture any scene with a sketch on the spot and with a minimum of equipment. These eyewitness sketches along with detailed notes would be sent back to the newspaper office where they would be turned into published illustrations for the anxious public to see (A process that will be discussed in Part 2 of this blog).
These Artist Correspondents or “Special Artists” had to be more than just capable of rendering a subject. They were witnesses to history as it unfolded, and their job was to see and interpret these events accurately. They would accompany the armies in the field and in most cases endure the same dangers and privations as the private soldier. Special Artist Theodore R. Davis described the duties of an Artist Correspondent: “Total disregard for personal safety and comfort; an owl-like propensity to sit up all night and a hawky style of vigilance during the day; capacity for going on short food; willingness to ride any number of miles on horseback for just one sketch, which might have to be finished at night by no better light than that of a fire.” In order to sketch a battle, the Special Artist would have to accept the fact that, although they were non-combatants, they would often be in great danger.
There were a great many artist correspondents that covered the war in its many spheres. It is through their eyes that we can have a glimpse of not only the drama and horror of battle, but of the humor, boredom, and everyday life of the citizen soldier of the American Civil War. Some of these artists would go on to have successful careers as illustrators or fine artists after the war, and some would disappear into obscurity. Among this talented group were Alfred Waud, Edwin Forbes, Theodore R. Davis, Frank Vizetelly, Conrad Wise Chapman, Alexander Meinung, Thomas Nast, and of course Winslow Homer.
I encourage you to Google any of the above names to see examples of their amazing work and consider the conditions under which it was rendered.
