Description
Extremely rare carte view of all identified members of the Iron Brigade band. The center focal point of this carte view a photograph of all the band members instruments. It is then surrounded by vignette views of each band member. The reverse of the card then has a period ink inscription identifying each member with a notation “Band of 1st Brig. 3rd Division. 5th C.”. The band was made up of members from the 2nd, 6th and 7th Wisconsin as well as the 19th Indiana Infantry and 24th Michigan Infantry. At Gettysburg on July 1st, James Sullivan of the 6th Wisconsin noted, “On July 1, with Gettysburg in sight, the Brigade band struck up “Red, White and Blue”. When fire broke out the band swung out to one side and began “Yankee Doodle” in double quick time and “Forward, double quick!” sang out Colonel Rufus Dawes and the battle commenced”. Later that day the band members would work as nurses and stretcher bearers tending to the wounded. This one has a desirable back mark by Gettysburg photographers Tyson’s Brother and bears a cancelled tax stamp dated 1864. This one also comes with the book “An Irishman in the Iron Brigade” written by James Sullivan. This one is slightly faded on the front but the inscriptions on the reverse are nice and bold and very legible. Super rare carte view of one of the most recognizable units of the war!
