GEN. JAMES McPHERSON & STAFF SIGNED CIVIL WAR CDV PHOTO FROM GEN. CROSMAN ALBUM

  
We are offering in this listing one original 1860's Civil War cdv sepia albumen photo of General James Birdseye McPherson & his staff. McPherson & nine members of his staff are posed in front, of what we believe to be, the Balfour House located in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The photo is ink signed with rank on the front bottom of the photo Jas. Most of the rank designation in the signature is missing from when the original clipped piece with signature was attached to the cdv. There is slight loss at the two sides to McPhersons name.

This is an authentic autograph in the hand of General James B. McPherson & it is guaranteed entirely original in all respects. The back does not have any photographer's marking. However, it is quite probable that the photographic gallery that took this photo was Barr & Young Army Photographers, Palace of Art, Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The reason that we say this is that in the General George H. Crosman album there was another signed photo of McPherson taken when he was in Vicksburg that has a back mark of Barr & Young studio which was located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The back has an, in period, penciled identification Maj. McPherson & Staff Vicksburg in an unknown hand.

Under the original McPherson inked signature on the front there is a penciled, in period, identification "& Staff, Vicksburgh" in an unknown hand. This cdv is one part of a 98 piece collection of cdv photos that was formed during the Civil War and slightly after by General George Hampden Crosman & his wife. The Crosman album contained a number of scarce & elusive cdvs of Union generals as well as a number of cdvs of Union generals with original autographs. This cdv measures 4 1/32 inches tall by 2 15/32 inches wide. There are some minute brown age spots & a little age toning.

There is a tiny bit of wear to the bottom left corner. Otherwise, the cdv is basically crisp.

Our inventory number of this item is #5887. And available only to addresses within the U. General James McPherson James McPherson was born on 14 November 1828 & died on 22 July 1864.

McPherson was a career United States Army officer who served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Atlanta, the second highest ranking Union officer killed during the war and the only commander of a Union army to die in the field.

At the start of the Civil War, he was stationed in San Francisco, California, but requested a transfer to the Corps of Engineers, rightly thinking that a transfer to the East would further his career. He departed California on August 1, 1861, and arrived soon after in New York.

He requested a position on the staff of Maj. Halleck, one of the senior Western commanders. He received this (while a captain in the Corps of Engineers), and was sent to St.

McPherson's career began rising after this assignment. He was a lieutenant colonel and the Chief Engineer in Brig.

Grant's army during the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson. Following the Battle of Shiloh, he was promoted to brigadier general. On October 8, 1862, he was promoted to major general, and was soon after given command of the XVII Corps in Grant's Army of the Tennessee. On March 12, 1864, he was given command of the Army of the Tennessee, after its former commander, Maj. Sherman, was promoted to command of all armies in the West (after Grant was sent to the East).

His army was the Right Wing of Sherman's army, alongside the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of the Ohio. On May 5, 1864, Sherman began his Atlanta Campaign. Sherman planned to have the bulk of his forces feint toward Dalton, Georgia, while McPherson would bear the brunt of Confederate General Joseph E.

Johnston's attack, and attempt to trap them. However, the Confederate forces eventually escaped, and Sherman blamed McPherson (for being "slow"), although it was mainly faulty planning on Sherman's part that led to the escape. McPherson's troops followed the Confederates "vigorously", and were resupplied at Kingston, Georgia.

The troops drew near Pumpkinvine Creek, where they attacked and drove the Confederates from Dallas, Georgia, even before Sherman's order to do so. Johnston and Sherman maneuvered against each other, until the Union disaster at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. McPherson then tried a flanking maneuver at the Battle of Marietta, but that failed as well. On July 17, Confederate President Jefferson Davis became frustrated with Johnston's strategy of maneuver and retreat, and replaced him with Lt. Hood was eventually defeated, and retreated into Atlanta.

Meanwhile, McPherson had advanced his troops into Decatur, Georgia, and from there, they moved onto the high ground on Bald Hill overlooking Atlanta. On July 22, they noticed that the Confederate troops had left Atlanta. Sherman believed that the Confederates had been defeated and were evacuating; however, McPherson rightly believed that they were moving to attack the Union right and rear. While they were discussing this new development, however, four divisions under Lt. Grenville Dodge's XVI Corps.

While McPherson was riding his horse toward his old XVII Corps, a line of Confederate skirmishers appeared, yelling Halt! McPherson raised his hand to his head as if to remove his hat, but suddenly wheeled his horse, attempting to escape. The Confederates opened fire and mortally wounded McPherson. His adversary, John Bell Hood, wrote, I will record the death of my classmate and boyhood friend, General James B. McPherson, the announcement of which caused me sincere sorrow. Since we had graduated in 1853, and had each been ordered off on duty in different directions, it has not been our fortune to meet. Neither the years nor the difference of sentiment that had led us to range ourselves on opposite sides in the war had lessened my friendship; indeed the attachment formed in early youth was strengthened by my admiration and gratitude for his conduct toward our people in the vicinity of Vicksburg. His considerate and kind treatment of them stood in bright contrast to the course pursued by many Federal officers.

JAMES McPHERSON & STAFF SIGNED CIVIL WAR CDV PHOTO FROM GEN. CROSMAN ALBUM" is in sale since Sunday, February 05, 2017. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Photographic Images\Vintage & Antique (Pre-1940)\CDVs".

The seller is "imajgin" and is located in Lampeter, Pennsylvania. This item can be shipped to United States.

• Original/Reprint: Original Print
• Signed?: Signed
• Date of Creation: 1860-1869
• Photo Type: CDV
• Subject: Military & Political
• Color: Sepia
• Region of Origin: US
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
• Framing: Unframed
• Size Type/Largest Dimension: Small (Up to 7")