Ruins of Mrs. Henry’s House, on Battle Field of Bull Run by Matthew Brady

Description

Ruins of Mrs. Henry’s House, on Battlefield of Bull Run by Matthew Brady

In the summer of 1861, Mathew Brady began releasing oversize photographs on paper mounts with the series title Incidents of the War. These albumen silver prints with series numbers were relatively expensive and conceived to appeal to a small but wealthy audience. This photograph was taken in March 1862 by Brady operative George N. Barnard and depicts the ruins of Judith Henry’s house at the center of the Bull Run battlefield. On the July 21, 1861 battle, a Union shell burst through 85-year-old Judith Henry’s bedroom wall and tore off her foot. She died hours later, the first civilian casualty of the Civil War. The house survived the battle, but by the time this photo was taken had been stripped for wood and souvenirs and was all but gone. The house was rebuilt after the war, and a renovated version is now part of Manassas National Battlefield Park. The photo measures 13 ¾” by 10 ½” with some light foxing and soiling. A scarce wartime image of the Bull Run battlefield. Comes housed in a 14 x 16 inch display case with black velvet backing and descriptive card.

Inventory Number:  ALB 254