MOLLUS Album, Pictorial History of the War of Rebellion, Volume 36, Owned by Brevet Brigadier General Albert Ordway

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Nov 18, 2016 - Nov 19, 2016

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• Lot Description
  Large-format Civil War photo album containing 91 individual prints made directly from original negatives during the 1890s, assembled by Colonel Albert Ordway, a pioneering photo historian of the Massachusetts Commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS.) The leather binding is embossed Pictorial History of the War of the Rebellion - Miscellaneous - Vol. 1 (interior pencil notations indicates this is volume 36 of the 120 albums assembled). Each photo (with but two exceptions) is captioned in a beautifully-written 19th century ink script, identifying the subjects or scenes. The prints range in size as follows: 29 albumen-sized (roughly 8 x 10 inches or smaller), 4 imperial-sized albumens (full page), 37 stereo-sized (single prints), 5 imperial stereos (single prints) and 16 carte-de-visite-sized prints. The photos are all albumen, with the exception of 6 circa 1900 prints produced as silver gelatin images. There are a few copy prints of artist's illustrations or earlier photographic montages (refer to cowans.com for complete listing and additional photographs).
  
  Subject matter of this collection can be broken out into two main categories: officer group portraits (31 identified and one unidentified) and scenes from Washington's Grand Review in May 1865 (26 captioned and 14 uncaptioned.) The Grand Review photos represent the largest-seen group known to Cowan's and contain many unpublished scenes, showing crowds, troop formations and reviewing-stand dignitaries and spectators. Two vignetted montages entitled Executive Officers of the US Government for the Buchanan and Lincoln cabinets are included, with 15 carte-sized prints of Lincoln administration officials. Accompanied by photos of Sanitary Commission officials, court martial officers of the Lincoln Conspiracy trial, Signal Corps officers, mounted orderlies of a 4th Corps artillery brigade and 3 post-war portraits of officers. Most notably is the well-known 1867 outdoor scene at Fort Sanders, WY showing Generals Grant, Sherman and Sheridan, meeting to discuss completion of the trans-continental railroad.
  
  Other highlights include a group portrait entitled Generals of the Cavalry Corps showing from left, Generals P.H. Sheridan, G.A. Forsyth, Wesley Merritt, T.C. Devin and G.A. Custer, taken by Alexander Gardner. Another famous 1865 Gardner group portrait shows General W.T. Sherman and his chief lieutenants: Generals Howard, Logan, Hazen, Davis, Slocum and Mower. An albumen portrait of two greater Cincinnati, German-American generals, August Kautz and Godfrey Weitzel, is posed at the latter's tent fly in 1865. A wonderful albumen entitled View on Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 7th Streets, shows the Army of the Potomac led by Collis' Zouaves in their distinctive white turbans. Another page contains two spectator scenes captioned Views at the Treasury Department Building and three stereo photos captioned Views on Capital Hill. All are either unpublished or infrequently published scenes.
  
  MOLLUS albums today are rare to the marketplace, with the majority residing in the US Army's Military History Institute at Carlisle, PA, which took possession of the Massachusetts Commandery collection in 1973. Other albums are known to exist at Cleveland's Western Reserve Historical Society and other national institutions. The importance of Ordway and his associate Major Arnold Rand's collecting efforts, in an era when many negatives and photos were discarded, cannot be over-estimated. Most new assessments and identifications of wartime photography come from their early collecting efforts.
  
  A complete list of the photo captions and comments follow:
  
  - Generals of the Army of the Potomac, March 1862, showing Generals McClellan, McDowell and Buell, posed outdoors with eight generals.
  
  -  Generals of the Cavalry Corps, showing Generals Merritt, Gregg, Sheridan, Davies, Wilson and Torbert (from left.) Taken outside Sheridan's tent, this is a well-known portrait.
  
  - Generals of The Cavalry Corps, a companion group portrait to the above with Sheridan's HQ guidon propped against tent.
  
  - Generals of the Cavalry Corps.  Gallery group portrait of Generals Sheridan, Forsyth, Merritt, Devin and Custer, taken at Gardner's studio in 1865.
  
  - Sherman and his ranking generals taken at Gardner's Washington studio taken in late May 1865.
  
  - Generals of the 2nd Army Corps in front of Petersburg, Va, showing Generals Barlow, Hancock and Birney at center with 2nd Corps HQ guidon propped against tent fly pole. Also present are 21 staff officers .
  
  - General Officers of the 4th Army Corps, showing from left, Generals F. Van Derveer, T.J. Wood, W.L. Elliott, D.S. Stanley, L.P. Bradley, N. Kimball and E. Opdycke as corps, division and brigade commanders, taken in Nashville in 1865.
  
  - Generals P.H. Sheridan and A. Kautz with Major L. Kip of Sheridans' Staff.
  
  - Major Generals D.E. Sickles and S.R. Heintzelman, posed outdoors showing Sickle's empty trousers leg and crutches propped against nearby tree.
  
  - Commanding Officers, 1st Div, 20th Corps, a May 1865 group portrait of Generals J.L. Selfridge, A.S. Williams, J.S. Robinson, and W. Hawley.
  
  - Commanding Officers, 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 4th Corps, an 1865 Nashville outdoor group of Emerson Odycke with regimental commanders, including Arthur McArthur, father of future General Douglas McArthur (seated at right.)
  
  - General J.B. Steedman and fellow officers, including Col. Anson McCook (standing at right), taken in 1865. Steedman's Division last fought at the decisive battle of Nashville in December 1865.
  
  - Major Generals G. Weitzel and A.V. Kautz, posed outside Weitzel's tent fly in 1865. Both men were greater Cincinnati residents who did well in the regular army. This is a rare companion to the often-published, solitary portrait of Weitzel in same setting.
  
  - Generals D.A. Russell, T.H. Neill and J.H. Martindale, posed in front of wall tent with Neill's stenciled trunk clearly visible. Neill wears 6th Corps badges on his coat and hat, the proud symbol of his veteran troops.
  
  - Generals Corse, Clarke, Rice and Rowett, campsite portrait taken in 1865 of 15th Corps division commander Corse and brigade commander Rice with staff. 
  
  - Another print of the previous photo.
  
  - Bvt Brig Gen E.A. King, Bvt Lieut Col J.B. Johnson and Bvt Brig Gen W.G. Mitchell, all members of General W.S. Hancock's staff, likely taken in 1865.
  
  - Rear Admiral D.D. Porter and Maj. Gen. G.G. Meade, an uncommon portrait of old friends who attained high ranks in their respective arms of service.
  
  - Group at Fort Saunders, Wyoming, imperial albumen outdoor scene of Generals Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Dodge and their parties at a trans-continental railroad conference in 1867.
  
  - General Sheridan, Admiral Farragut and officers of the Department of the Gulf taken at Long Branch, N.j., 1867.  Outdoor albumen of largely unidentified group that includes General Heintzelman, seated at Sheridan's right.  Long Branch was a popular summer retreat for America's elite, who owned "cottages" along the shoreline.
  
  -  Officers of Horse Artillery Brigade near Culpeper, Va, September 1863.  Camp scene with 12 pound gun positioned near wall tents with officers nearby creates this familiar photo. A few months earlier these men fought-to-a-draw Stuart's cavalry at nearby Brandy Station, Va.
  
  - General Grant, Admiral Farragut and others.  Late war group portrait with seven distinguished gentlemen who are likely government officials.
  
  - Sanitary Commission unidentified group of five officials posed around a draped table.
  
  - Officers of Staff of Gen. Gershom Mott near Washington, D.C. June 1865. Outdoor scene of Mott and two staff officers posed beneath his tent fly, probably unpublished.  Well-posed portrait.
  
  - Officers of Staff of Gen. A. Mcd. McCook, Brightwood, D.C. July 1864.  Beautifully posed group portrait on front porch of officer quarters. Officer at center wears patch over right eye; all wear artillery insignia on their caps.
  
  - Officers of Staff of Gen. A.A. Humphreys June 1865.  Two officers sit beneath brush arbor of an open wall tent with contents visible.  Two black servants flank the scene. Humphreys commanded the 2nd Corps at war's end in this unpublished image.
  
  - Officers of the Signal Corps. Thirty-two officers pose outdoors with swords, belts and telescopes in this imperial albumen portrait. A signal flag rests against a nearby tent.
  
  - Officers of the Signal Corps shows thirteen officers posed around a flagpole with a garrison-sized, half-mast national flag draping the ground, likely recognizing the national state of mourning following Lincoln's assassination.
  
  - Capt. Cunningham of Gen Meaghers staff, Bealton, Va., August 1863.  Beautifully posed camp portrait of a seated officer-of-the-day posed before an open wall tent with garrison-sized national flag draping entrance.  Strong tonal qualities are remarkably well-preserved.
  
  - Court Martial. Gen T.M. Harris, Gen. D.H. Hunter, Gen. A.V. Kautz, Gen. J.A. Ekin, Gen. Lew Wallace, Maj. J.A. Bingham, are the members of the famous military commission that tried the  Lincoln Conspirators. Nicely toned albumen with Ekin's mourning badge visible.
  
  - Court Martial Group captions this unknown group of ten officers in a gallery setting.  A brigadier general sits at center in front row.
  
  - An early post-war group portrait at Gardner's Gallery, circa 1869, including Maj Gen H.W. Slocum, Bvt Brig Gen Jasper Packard, Bvt Brig Gen J.S. Witcher, Bvt Brig Gen Amasa Cobb, uncaptioned (Maj Gen R.C. Schenck), Bvt Maj Gen W.L. Stoughton and Maj Gen J.S. Negley. All these former soldiers served in the House of Representatives during the 1869-1871 term.
  
  - Uncaptioned albumen portrait of fourteen officers, possibly a court martial group. Many hold cavalry sabers, which may indicate a group from that branch of service.
  
  - Grand Review, Washington, D.C. May 1865.  Imperial albumen of J.E. Taylors' realistically-rendered painting of infantry formations marching on Pennsylvania Avenue, with mounted officers in foreground. A 6th Corps badge appears on the hat of a parading soldier. 
  
  - Grand Review ... The Reviewing Stand. Albumen print with Veteran Reserve Corps guard in front.  Three battle honors are readable on patriotic bunting.  Dignitaries visible in front row, from left: Gen. Grant, Secretary Stanton, President Johnson, Secretary Welles, Gen. Sherman and Gen. Meigs.
  
  - Grand Review ... The Reviewing Stand.  Rare, possibly unpublished scene shot from right of center with eleven battle honors readable on patriotic bunting. Dignitaries are blurred but Gen. Grant and Sec. Stanton are visible under magnification.  A dark, blurred mass appears between two facing lines of spectators, apparently capturing the column in motion.  Seen as a defect by war-era photographers and publishers, this view actually captures the parade in motion from the sidelines.  
  
  - Grand Review ... View on Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 7th Streets.  Another rare albumen shows the Army of the Potomac led by Collis' Zouaves in their distinctive white turbans, just before they were set in-motion. Several carriages are blurred in motion to the left of center, apparently clearing the street.  Soldier spectators line the curb in immediate foreground with residential buildings in background.
  
  - Grand Review ... Views at the Reviewing Stand.  Six single stereo prints of rare scenes shot from various angles, but most from the same perspective as the second albumen. Four show infantry columns approaching the stand, while a single view shows mounted troopers waiting for the column to advance. 
  
  - Grand Review, Washington, D.C. May 1865. Six single stereo prints of troop formations at a distance; none identified, some are more commonly-found scenes. One shows a major general on horseback doffing his cap, with mounted staff to his immediate rear.  This officer bears a strong resemblance to Jefferson C. Davis, who commanded the 14th Corps, but his identity is unverified. 
  
  - Grand Review ... Views on Pennsylvania Avenue, looking toward corner of 17th Street.  Three single stereo prints showing artillery caissons, ambulances and a group of unarmed soldiers walking as unorganized body, shot from perspective of the reviewing stand.
  
  - Four Grand Review single stereo prints captioned: Gen. J.A. Logan and Staff and Army of Tennessee, Gen. H.G. Wright and Staff and Fifth [actually 6th] Corps, Gen. H.W. Slocum and Staff and Army of Georgia. These scenes are shot from the most commonly-seen angle up Pennsylvania Avenue. 
  
  -  Four Grand Review single stereo prints captioned: Twentieth Army Corps and Gen. J.C. Davis and Staff and Fourteenth Corps. Photographed from the same perspective as above.
  
  - Grand Review, Washington, D.C. May 1865.  Six single stereo scenes of unidentified troop formations shot from same angle as preceding page.
  
  - Grand Review .... Two single stereo prints showing unidentified troops with mounted staffs leading, photographed from same angle as above.
  
  - Grand Review ... View at the Treasury Department Building and View on Capital Hill. Five single stereo prints, two showing reviewing stand spectators in wonderful detail and three showing unpublished scenes on Capital Hill.  One shows a sign which reads: The Public Schools of Washington WELCOME the Heroes of the Republic. Honor to the Brave.
  
  - Copy albumen titled President Buchanan and Cabinet, showing oval-vignetted photo portraits surrounded by patriotic illustrations.
  
  - Copy albumen titled President Lincoln and Cabinet, showing oval-vignetted photo portraits set amongst patriotic illustrations and topped by a federal eagle. President Lincoln's portrait is from a steel engraving.
  
  - Executive Officers of U.S. Government. Eight carte-sized prints of individually-captioned officers, including President Lincoln, Vice President Hamlin, Secretary of State Seward, Secretary of Treasury Chase, Secretary of State Cameron, Secretary of War Stanton, Asst. Secretary of War Dana and Secretary of Navy Welles. The portrait of Dana is posed outdoors in a military camp.
  
  - Executive Officers of U.S. Government. Seven carte-sized prints of individually-captioned officers, including President Lincoln, Secretary of War Cameron, Secretary of Interior Usher, Secretary of Interior Smith, Attorney General Speed, Secretary of Treasury Chase and Attorney General Bates

  Condition

  Condition on album's leather binding is very good and functionally solid with some signs of rubbing at lower and upper hinges and corners. Known as "The Eclipse Album" and patented in 1888, the "Interchangeable Leaves" arrangement holds the binding and pages firmly in place. Individual leaves (photo mounts) are in very good condition with some pages displaying either light or in a few instances, noticeable foxing to page and photos. Overall the pages and prints are in remarkably well-preserved condition. Photo quality varies through out the album from dark rich tones to some lighter toned prints, with the vast majority falling into a collector-acceptable medium range (please see individual photos.)
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