Vignetted studio bust portrait albumen CDV. New York & Washington, D.C.: Brady’s National Photographic Portrait Galleries, [ca. 1863]. Photographer's imprint to mount verso. Recto bears a bold, period ink signature across the bottom of the mount: "O.B. Willcox."

A West Point graduate and Mexican-American War veteran, Gen. Orlando B. Willcox was a mainstay of the Union IX Corps. His Civil War service was characterized by extreme highs and lows. He was wounded and captured while leading a brigade at First Bull Run, spending over a year as a prisoner of war. Upon his exchange, he returned to command a division at Antietam and Fredericksburg. During the Gettysburg Campaign, Willcox commanded the 1st Division of the IX Corps; while his unit was held in reserve to protect the army's communications, his leadership was vital in the subsequent pursuit of Lee's retreating forces. A low-drama general, Wilcox's steady leadership throughout the war built him a reputation as a soldier's soldier, and he led the first Union troops into Petersburg in 1865. He would eventually be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Bull Run. 

The image itself is a quintessential wartime study from the studio of Mathew Brady. Willcox is depicted in his general’s frock coat, his signature "imperial" beard and steady gaze captured with the technical precision for which Brady was famous. The presence of the general’s own signature on the mount elevates this from a mere collectible to a significant historical document. Brady images of high-ranking generals signed by those generals remain one of the gold standards for Civil War photography. This is an opportunity to acquire a scarce example signed by a Medal of Honor recipient. 

[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]

Remarkable clarity and contrast within the vignette. The mount is clean, and the ink signature remains exceptionally dark and legible. A superior autographed specimen of a prominent IX Corps leader and Medal of Honor recipient.