General Lyon's Troops in Boonville, Missouri

You are bidding on an original 1861 Illustration of the departure of General Lyon and his command from Boonville, Missouri for the Arkansas border.  It is an original front page from the July 27, 1861 edition of Harper's Weekly, the most popular illustrated newspaper of the day.  Note that this is not a reprint, and I absolutely guarantee its authenticity. The date July 27,1861 is clearly marked on the front of the leaf.  On the day this leaf was printed, the Abraham Lincoln was president of the United States, and the Civil War was underway.

The lower half of this page illustrates the departure of General Nathaniel Lyon and his command from Missouri to Arkansas. In the early days of the war he was one of the few Union Generals who had met with any success on the battlefield. The only other Commander with any success thus far had been General McClellan in Western Virginia. The illustration depicts General Lyon and two others in the foreground with the troops and wagons in the background. You can almost feel the uplifted spirits these troops must have had as they marched off to Arkansas following their victories.  Pictured on the top of the page are photographs of General Prentiss and Brigadier General Williams.  The reverse of this page contains interesting documentaries on both men. 

The front pages of any Harper's Weekly are becoming increasingly difficult to find, let alone one one of such historical significance. The detail of the masthead will grab your attention as will the price of six cents or $2.50 per year in advance. 

This magnificent Harper's Weekly front page will certainly be the center of attention when framed and displayed in your home or office. Don't miss your opportunity to bid on this. If you are fortunate enough to have the winning bid please be sure to make a copy of the reverse side of this illustration for future reference before framing. Future generations will be glad you did as they refer back to the text.

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 assure you this piece will get noticed! 

The leaf is in very good condition, and has the rich sepia tone that you expect in original material from this period.  It has a few spots of light foxing, and a few finger smudges in the margins from folks handling the print over the last 140 years.

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