Wounded Soldiers

[calico_outlaw]

An interesting exhibit and book.
http://www.burnspress.com/
http://culture.wnyc.org/articles/features/2011/apr/13/merchants-house-display-photos-new-york-civil-war-regiment-soldiers/

[NoahBriggs]

Ah, the Harewood Hospital photos. Very interesting and chock full of incredible detail (some of it unintended, like closeups of the types of suspenders the troops wore). Good images of typical wounds of the period with occasional views of them treated. The pictures also provide some great examples of what the troops looked like fresh from the field - some crazy hair, lots of scruff, and even the tan lines across their foreheads from where they wore their hats all the time.

The photos also put a very human face on the otherwise faceless mass of war. These fellows had lives before the war, and those wounds will affect their lifestyle after the war. How I would love to be a fly on the wall to hear them recounting their tales as the photographer posed them.

Definitely worth look sees.

[Shandaygato]

Mr. Briggs: You are so right - instead of just reading "there were (number) of soldiers wounded at (insert battle) these photos do bring it to life. The first one, he looks like a young boy, and wonder exactly what his injuries were.....apparently his eyes. And the second.......it hurts me to look at the way that arm is positioned. I have seen a great many of these and it is astounding that these men survived considering the absence of antibiodics and no knowledge of hand washing, sterilizing instruments, etc.