Dust and Revival: The Lesser-Known Stories Behind Civil War Sketches

Among the many American Civil War enthusiasts, a pencil sketch created by special artist Edwin Forbes stands as a classic work. The drawing depicts Sergeant Major William J. Jackson of the 12th New York Volunteer Infantry, and with its camera-like realistic brushwork, it is considered a superior representation of an ordinary soldier during the Civil War. Yet, for more than eighty years after its completion, this sketch was virtually unknown to anyone.

From the spring of 1862 to the autumn of 1864, Edwin Forbes created hundreds of illustrations while reporting on the Army of the Potomac for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. Approximately 150 of these works were engraved and printed in the publication, but Jackson's sketch was not among them. After the war, Forbes retained most of his original illustrations, refining many works or transforming them into oil paintings and etchings, and including some in his own books. Yet Jackson's sketch remained unexhibited.

When Forbes died in March 1895, his wife Ida maintained his collection of original works, and Jackson's sketch was catalogued as "Infantry Soldier Study—Sergeant Major." In January 1901, Ida sold the entire collection to financier J.P. Morgan for $25,000. In 1919, Morgan's estate donated the collection to the Library of Congress. Subsequently, the sketch disappeared from public view once again for twenty-five years, until it resurfaced through the efforts of an American Army private during World War II.

This private was named Lincoln Kirstein, and he was no ordinary soldier. Born into wealth and educated at Harvard, he was well-connected and devoted to the arts. In early 1943, the thirty-six-year-old Kirstein enlisted, having already published multiple books and co-founded the Harvard Society for Contemporary Art and the American Ballet School in New York. After completing basic training at Fort Dix in New Jersey, Kirstein was assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia to write training manuals. To pass his leisure time, he conceived the idea of collecting and documenting American soldier artwork. Through his efforts, William Jackson's sketch was brought back to light.

The journey of this Civil War sketch from obscurity to rediscovery is a long story of dust and the connections of many individuals. It is not merely an artistic work, but rather a vessel carrying rich historical narratives. From the creation by artist Forbes, through the transfer of the artwork among different hands, to Kirstein's revival of its vitality, each step added distinctive charm to this sketch. It reminds us that history's corners hide many forgotten treasures awaiting discovery and excavation. These stories buried by time may provide us with new perspectives and dimensions for understanding the past.

Further Reading:

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