Existing comment:
Alfred Matthews:
Soldier and Artist:
The only illustration of the battle of Camp Wildcat was drawn by thirty-year-old Alfred E. Mathews, a private in the 31st Ohio Infantry. He arrived after the battle and based his drawing on descriptions from soldiers who had witnessed the fight.
His Art Pleased the General:
Matthews created more than thirty-five illustrations during the war. His drawings of the siege of Vicksburg were praised by General Grant as being "among the most accurate and true to life I have ever seen."
Artists Captured the Action:
Artists had an advantage over photographers during the Civil War because they could create action pictures. The long time needed to expose film forced photographers to limit their photos to subjects that wouldn't move. |