An original albumen carte-de-visite photograph capturing a studio portrait of a completely shredded, bullet-torn and frayed Union national combat color draped over its staff. The lower front margin features a neat, period ink script inscription reading, "The Old Flag."

The reverse features a spectacular, large ornate graphic backmark for Whitehurst Gallery, 434 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. A crisp, authentic period fountain pen inscription at the upper margin provides the unit identification: "2nd Wis. Vols."

This extraordinary photograph stands as a profound visual monument to frontline sacrifice, documenting the physical remnants of the national flag carried by the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry (part of the famed "Iron Brigade"). Raised primarily in May and June of 1861, the 2nd Wisconsin was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and earned an immortalized reputation as one of the hardest-fighting infantry units of the entire American Civil War.

The complete destruction of the silk stripes and canton captured in this Whitehurst studio portrait reflects the terrifying volume of fire the regiment endured during its engagements, most notably at the First and Second Battles of Bull Run, the bloody carnage of the Cornfield at Antietam, and their legendary, desperate stand at McPherson's Ridge on the first day of Gettysburg. The flag is closely linked to the sacrifice of the regiment's color guard; at Gettysburg alone, the 2nd Wisconsin suffered a staggering 77% casualty rate, with multiple color-bearers shot down in succession as they advanced into the teeth of the Confederate assault. This photograph was produced shortly after the war at Jesse Whitehurst's premier Washington gallery to preserve the physical memory of the flag that the men of the Iron Brigade bled to defend.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards]

Very good. The albumen print exhibits sharp clarity and deep tones. The carte itself is structurally sound and unclipped with light, uniform age-toning and minor handling wear along the borders.