Confederate Winter Camp at Centerville and Manassas Junction. Two photographs. de Barnard, George N., 1819-1902, & James F. Gibson - 1862

[Washington, D.C., Alexander Gardner]. On 9 March 1862, McClellan's Army of the Potomac learned that the Confederate Army had vacated their winter encampment at Centreville and Manassas. By 11 March Federal forces had investigated the area. With them were two photographers, George N. Barnard and James F. Gibson, who made a series of photographs of the abandoned camp and the ruins of Manassas Junction. They sold their photographs in eight-by-ten-inch format with a 'Barnard & Gibson' credit. Barnard apparently worked on a per diem basis* for Alexander Gardner, who managed Matthew Brady's Washington shop; Gibson was a regular Brady employee. For several days they took photographs of Centreville, Bull Run, and Manassas Junction,** many of which were published in Alexander Gardner's Catalogue of Photographic Incidents of the War, published September 1863. These two photographs seem to have been taken at the same time but were not published in the Gardner series, nor are they in the series Illustrations of the War in Virginia.*** 1) Interior corner of a fortified works with two cannon positions facing to rear and right. In the background is a series of huts in random order. The square church steeple can be seen right center. 2) Taken on a gentle slope, this shot shows many tree stumps in the foreground, a stream horizontally almost midway with a flat wooden bridge, several huts on the opposite slope, and the photographer's wagon, without horse, near a roofless hut. At the top, on the horizon, are two large structures with tall towers or chimneys which appear to be the Centreville railroad depot. *** Two positive prints, each 16.5 x 21.5 cm (6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches). These images appear to have been purchased and elaborately framed by a Rhode Island soldier. For conservation purposes we have separated the photographs from their acidic mat and frame, which have been saved and are available should the complete historical record be desired. stock#NSPhoto001.