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From the publisher of the Harper’s reprints…
August 29, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
While Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers’ archives contain nearly every issue of Harper’s Weekly… available for purchasing… all original… I suspect more collectors are aware of the “reissue” editions of Harper’s Weekly from the Civil War years, easily noted by: “THE REISSUE OF” printed just above the “H” in “Harper’s…” on the front page. Done 100 years after the Civil War, they were a successful educational tool in classrooms across the country.
I recently found this letter from the President of the firm which did the reprints, and thought it offers some interesting insight into the history of the reprint series. It is not dated, but I suspect it was written in December, 1861.
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 24, 1861
August 24, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
I am intrigued by the front page print of my August 24, 1861 issue: “Presentation of Prince Napoleon by Sec. Seward to the President” as it portrays Abraham Lincoln as a very tall, lean man. I know he is tall, but I think this print is not to proportion based on other prints of him I have seen. Elsewhere in the issue is a nice full page of: “General McClellan & His Staff” plus a very dramatic print of a: “Splendid Charge of U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of Dug Spring, Missouri” .
I am intrigued by the print of “Scenes in the Brooklyn Navy Yard”, as among the 7 prints is one of a large gunboat under construction. What a massive undertaking! Other prints in this issue include “Camp Warren, Burlington, Iowa…”, a dramatic double page print of a naval battle: “The U.S. Frigate St. Lawrence Sinking the Privateer Petrel At Sea”, plus I was surprised to see a nice print of: “The Rebel General Lee”, the first time I ever saw a print of this famous Confederate general.
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 17, 1861
August 17, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
This week’s edition (for August 17, 1861) has more prints of some leading officers in the war, including Generals McDowell & Mansfield, and Flag Officer Stringham and Col. Blair. Sometimes war-related prints include prints of famous places I’ve never seen, such as the print of Boston soldiers marching off to war, in front of the famous Faneuil Hall. There are some follow-up prints concerning the Battle of Bull Run, including a print of “A Fire Zouave Relating His Experience of the Battle of Bull Run in the Street at Washington.” Their uniforms are fascinating.
Speaking of uniforms the doublepage centerfold is a great display of 23 different types of uniforms worn by the Confederate Army–an interesting array of costumes! There is an interesting full page print of a: “Stampede of Slaves From Hampton to Fortress Monroe”, but the most sickening print I’ve seen this far is a full page of: “The Rebels Bayoneting Our Wounded on the Battlefield at Bull Run”. Such brutality!
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 10, 1861
August 10, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
With all the battle action to report it is interesting that the front page (of my August 10, 1861 issue) is taken up with a literary piece. But there is much inside on the Battle of Bull Run, including a full page: “Retreat of our Troops from Bull Run, by Moonlight…” and a very dramatic full page print: “Charge of the Black Horse Cavalry Upon the Fire Zouaves at the Battle of bull Run”. This print shows very hot hand-to-hand combat. It must have been not only brutal, but very confusing with every foot filled with charging soldiers. Yet another print shows “Carrying in the Wounded at the Battle of Bull Run”. I can only imagine the total carnage.
Elsewhere is a nice half page print of: “Sandy Hook Hqts. of Col. Stone, on the Upper Potomac”. And if I thought last week’s centerfold was dramatic, this one has to be even better. It’s a large print showing hundreds of soldiers, a few on horseback, with dead and dying soldiers . Smoke and bursting bombs fill the air, yet the gallantry seems incredible as the soldiers charge in very close quarters. I notice several Negro soldiers as well. And if this was not sufficient, there is yet another very dramatic full page print of the: “Gallant Charge of the 69th Reg….Upon a Rebel Battery at the Battle of Bull Run”.
There is a very nice full page “Map of the Seat of War in Virginia” showing from Washington, D.C. to Staunton, Va. & the site of the Bull Run battle. There there is a “Balloon View of Fortress Monroe & the Mouth of the Chesapeake”. I didn’t realize that the fort is connected to the mainland by a very narrow strip of land. I can see what it is important in the protection of the harbor.
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… July 27, 1861
July 27, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
The front page (of the July 27, 1861 issue) prints of General Prentiss and Brigadier-General Williams are nice, allowing the subscribers to put a real “face” on the names appearing in the daily newspaper battle accounts. I always look forward to prints of our military leaders. The front page also has a scene of soldiers marching from Boonville, Missouri, to the Arkansas border.
A full page is taken up with a dramatic print of “The Battle of Rich Mountain, Virginia” showing a very daring charge of solders. I can only imagine the petrifying fear of the soldiers. I also love the great full page print of a “Balloon View of Washington, D.C.” offering a perspective not appreciated from ground level. The huge dome of the Capitol is only partially complete, and the streets of the city are both perpendicular and diagonal–an unusual look which would seem to be confusing. Another print includes a “Review of the New York Troops…” in front of the White House. What a huge edifice!
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… April 13, 1861
April 13, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
“The daily papers today give evidence of what everyone feared: war has begun. Events in Charleston harbor reached a breaking point as both the North and the South claimed the military installations there. But our “Harper’s Weekly” is about two weeks late with reports which I understand is due to the complexity of providing accurate illustrations of the events, certainly a small price to pay for the great benefit of “seeing” the war scenes. I look forward to the end of the month and seeing just what transpired at Charleston.
In the meantime today’s issue has a scene of Point Isabel, Texas, a town apparently on a cliff along the Gulf of Mexico. In the foreground troops are being transported on a paddle-wheeler. Near the back are two military scenes including a boat house at Fort Pickens, Florida, and another the inside of that fort. The cannons they use are huge and the fort’s thick walls seem impenetrable. I had not previously known what the inside of a fort looked like.
I recognize President Lincoln in one of the back page cartoons, his face and stature familiar from an earlier issue on his inauguration. In this cartoon he consults with “Columbia”, who says: “…be sure you’re right, then go ahead!” Yes, our future is in his hands.” With all of the tension in the air, I was surprised to see the double-page centerfold which included various vignettes of American Home Scenes, which seemed in stark contrast to the mood of the day.
To enjoy the images (and some of the text) from this issue, please go to: Harper’s Weekly, April 13, 1861
Same concern over 100 years ago…
August 30, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
While listing an issue of “Judge” magazine, the political satire publication popular for the three color political cartoons in each issue, I noted the back page of an 1888 issue has a caption: “Goods Will Be So Much Cheaper–But what will become of all the American Industries?” The print (see below) shows the opening of the “Protection” flood gates with “European Pauper Manufactures” pouring upon American industries, shown in disrepair.
With one of the concerns of the American economy today being the flood of manufactured goods from foreign plants and the flight of American industries to off-shore sites, I find it curious that an identical concern was a focus 122 years ago. This political cartoon could well appear in a newspaper today.