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The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 3, 1861

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:

[1]Women prisoners? I was astounded to see the front page print (of my August 3, 1861 issue [2]) of two women in a cart, surrounded by guards, captioned: “Bringing in the Misses Scott as Prisoners to Fall’s Church, Va.” But the interesting article relates the fascinating circumstances which lead to their arrest. The front page also has a nice battle scene captioned: “the Death of the Rebel General Garnett at the Battle of Laurel Hill”.

Inside pages include a nice print of General McClellan, a scene of an ax wielding African-American about to: “…Attack Of The Second Mate”, and a nice full page print of: “The Battle of Carthage, Missouri”. the latter shows both the Yankees & Confederates on either side of a stream.

There is also a print of the “Camp of the First Brigade of the Confederate Army…”. I wonder how they get those prints from the other side of the battle lines? One of the most dramatic prints I have ever seen in “Harper’s Weekly” is the centerfold in this issue, captioned; “Colonel Hunter’s Attack at the Battle of Bull’s Run”. The print shows hundreds & hundreds of soldiers, in very close ranks, charging towards the Confederates in the distance. Their are bombs bursting in the air, and soldiers falling from wounds, and officers on horseback as well. It’s a very dramatic scene! There are a few other prints relating to Bull’s Run as well.