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(MILITARY—CIVIL WAR—PHOTOGRAPHY.) GARDINER, JAMES.
Real
Photo post card of Medal of Honor recipient James Gardiner, holding his
slouch hat and wearing his medal on his jacket.
Albumen photograph, 5
3
/
8
x 3
1
/
2
inches; sepia toned; the reverse bears an odd inked notation: “William H. Singleton, 10
August 1855, 29 Winters.”
Np, 1855
[1,000/1,500]
A HITHERTO UNKNOWN IMAGE OF MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT SERGEANT JAMES DANIEL
GARDINER
(1839-1905).
Gardiner distinguished himself at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, Virginia,
on September 29, 1864 when he ran in ahead of his unit, shooting a Confederate guard on a para-
pet, then “running him through with bayonet” helping to allow his men to pass. Gardner’s regiment
was among a division of black troops assigned to attack the Confederate defenses at New Market
Heights. The defenses consisted of two lines of fortification manned by Brigadier General John Gregg’s
Texas Brigade. The attack was met with ferocious Confederate fire, resulting in over fifty percent of the
black troops killed, captured, or wounded.
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(MILITARY—CIVIL WAR—PHOTOGRAPHY.)
“The Scourged Back”
[supplied title].
Carte-de-visite photograph of the escaped slave, “Private Gordon,” vic-
tim of a horrific whipping.
Baton Rouge, LA, 1863
[4,000/6,000]
A CONTEMPORARY COPY OF ONE OF THE RAREST AND CERTAINLY MOST ICONIC IMAGES OF
THE CIVIL WAR
.
This photograph of an escaped slave, his back a mass of keloid scars, caused an out-
rage when it appeared in the pages of Harpers’ Weekly, under the caption “Gordon under medical
inspection.” Gordon (we do not know any other name) had attempted to escape and was beaten with
a bull whip. He was able to make it across the Union lines 1863 where this and one other image were
taken. Both are notably rare.
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