Susan Nelson
History 1700-042 31767
Doc Analysis Paper #1: Civil War Photograph Collection: Source: Nara
The Civil War Photograph Collection was very interesting and detailed. The photograph that
I chose to explain was #65. Two photographers having lunch in the Bull Run area before the
second battle 1862. This photograph interested me because of the relaxed atmosphere of the two
gentlemen in the photograph eating lunch despite what had gone on in the area and what was
about to take place later on. It shows the destruction and ruin all around them and yet they are
not concerned with their surroundings.
The two men look like they get along well and have a good working relationship together. It
almost looks like they are on a business trip, rather than being a part of the tragedy and
desolation that the war puts upon them. The man on the right has his knee up and it looks like he
is writing something, almost as if they are making their plans for their next business deal. They
seem very casual about everything that is going on around them. Maybe they are just used to
their situation.
The textbook talks about the “First Battle of Bull Run.” It mentions something very unusual
and striking about this battle. “Mc Dowell…had to order a retreat…a disorderly withdrawal
complicated by the presence of…many civilians, who had ridden down from the capital, picnic
baskets in hand, to watch the battle from nearby hills” (Brinkley 2010, 356). It sounded like the
civilians considered the battle to be more of a sport or entertainment rather than the life and
death matter that it really was. Perhaps that was why the gentlemen in the photograph were so
relaxed and at ease. That was probably the attitude of the people in that time period.
In the “Second Battle of Bull Run”, the north retreated and fled to Washington again. In
hopes of having better success, Lincoln changed the command from Pope to McClellan.
According to the text book, this area shown in the photograph was not a successful one for the
federal forces. As you can see in the picture, the trees look dead and broken and all signs of any
vegetation are gone. Everything that was alive had been destroyed. Because of the quality of the
photograph, it is hard to decipher, but it looks like there is a tree that was cut down and all that
was left was a stump. There was something that looked like a bridge going over the river. That
was broken also, making it impossible for anyone to cross over the water. There might be a
reason that the men are eating their lunch by the river. That river might be what they are drinking
with their meal. It makes you wonder what type of food they were able to pack for their lunch.
This photograph is a very good example of the tragedy and total destruction that war can
bring to a nation. It gives you appreciation for what our forefathers went thru for our country. I
hope we never need to have armies fighting on our homeland ever again.
65. Two photographers having lunch in the Bull Run area before the second battle, 1862. 90-CM-42.