The Wilson Fighting Brigade

You are viewing an original 1861 Civil War Print of Colonel William Wilson and his fighting brigade.  The print is from an 1861 edition of Harper's Weekly, the most popular illustrated newspaper of the day. The print is captioned, "Colonel William Wilson and His Staff (Wilson's Fighting Brigade)". Note that this is not a reprint, and I absolutely guarantee its authenticity. This leaf was printed in 1861, and the date is clearly marked on the front of the print.  On the day this leaf was printed, Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States, and Wilson's Brigade would soon establish a reputation as one of the best fighting units in the war.   

This is a stunning print, rich with historical content. Four men are featured prominently in the foreground, armed to the teeth. Their large Bowie Knives are clearly showing.  They have swords and sidearms, and appear confident and well equipped. One man is shown seated in front.  He is smoking a long stemmed pipe.  He has a look of determination on his face. The men are identified as Colonel Creighom, Adjunct Hearey, Paymaster Duffy, Surgeon Pease, Colonel Wilson and Major Newby. Seated to the left, with a much more casual look is the Quartermaster, Bradley.  In the background soldiers can be seen relaxing and visiting.  This print is much more detailed than most, and you can spend hours studying the detail of each uniform.  Several men appear to be wearing sashes of some sort, and they all have a peculiar ribbon on.  This is a striking print, and one you don't want to miss.  It  would make a wonderful gift for any Civil War buff, particularly someone interested in this most famous unit.

The print is in good condition and has the rich sepia toning you expect from original material from this period.  It has a few spots of light foxing, and a few finger smudges in the margins.  This print scores high on both historical content and visual impact! 

Unlike newsprint of this century, these older, original pages do not yellow and fall apart.  The reason is that modern newspapers use an acid based process.   Remnant acid in the paper causes the paper to quickly yellow and deteriorate.   A different process was used in the mid-1800's which yielded an exceptional quality paper that will last for centuries. Special acid free mats should be used when you frame this piece to ensure that it will last another 150 years.  Acid free mats are available at most better frame shops.  If you have any questions related to handling or framing this piece feel free to email me.  The print is approximately 10 3/4 X 16 inches.  I have been collecting Civil War Newspapers for over 10 years.  It is a fascinating hobby, and I find that these pieces really get noticed when framed and displayed.

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