Mr. Lincoln’s Camera Man : Mathew Brady

Rating:
Summary: A gallery of fascinating photographs
Review: Originally published in 1946, this is a terrific presentation of Civil War photos by the Matthew Brady team. Of special interest is the section reproducing Brady's post-war lantern slide lecture book, with unedited captions, for a program that was to have been presented at Carnegie Hall.

Roy Meredith's text covers Brady's pre-war career, with a large sampling of his portraits - including Lincoln - then takes up a chronological account, mostly of the Eastern Theater, as Brady & his team followed the armies in a wagon, processing their plates under terrible conditions. A large amount of photographs must have been ruined in the rain & mud. Brady mostly points his camera at the terrible aftermath of battle, at bodies & broken barricades, but there is one rare photo that may have been shot during Antietam. Brady is present at an out door gathering of Grant and his generals (Brady calls it a "War Council," but Grant never put his plans up for a vote. We see a defeated Lee, his great dignity intact. The Grand Review marches past. The Lincoln conspirators are hanged. Then we meet an arrogant Custer; a delegation of Native American chiefs; the curvaceous dancer, Laura Le Claire; Andrew Carnegie and finally, President Grant.

There are many books available of Civil War photographs. This one is excellent because it focuses on Brady. It's a large book - over 300 pages & 300 photos. Dover publishes fine books at bargain prices.

Bob Rixon