1861 Berdan Sharpshooters Harper's Weekly Oct 05 Telescopic Rifle 1st Ohio Zouaves
$84.55
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This October 5, 1861, issue of Harper's Weekly is a landmark edition for military technology enthusiasts, featuring the debut of one of the most specialized units in American history: Berdan’s Sharpshooters. As the war evolved into a static struggle of outposts and pickets, this issue captures the birth of modern sniping and the fortification of the Union’s defensive lines.
Title: 1861 Berdan Sharpshooters Harper's Weekly Oct 05 Telescopic Rifle 1st Ohio Zouaves
📜 ABOUT THIS PIECE OF HISTORY 📜
📜 The New Hampshire Sharpshooters: The entire front page is dedicated to a six-print feature on the Berdan Sharpshooters at Weehawken. Highlighting the "Telescopic Rifle," these prints document the recruitment and training of the elite marksmen led by Captain A. B. Jones. This is a primary source for the history of the 1st and 2nd United States Sharpshooters, arguably the most technologically advanced units of the 1860s.
📜 The Standoff on the Potomac: This issue provides a "picket’s-eye view" of the front lines in Virginia, featuring matching prints of Munson’s Hill (the Confederate advanced post) and Bailey’s Cross Roads (the Union advanced post). These images illustrate the tense proximity of the two armies just outside Washington D.C.
🌟 FEATURED HIGHLIGHTS 🌟
⚔️ Regional Zouaves & Elite Guards:
1st Ohio Zouave Regiment: A half-page print showing their departure from Cincinnati for Western Virginia—a vital piece for Ohio regimental history.
McClellan’s Bodyguard: A print of the Sturges Rifles, the elite unit assigned to protect the "Young Napoleon."
Duryea's Zouaves: Scenes of the famous 5th New York constructing massive earthworks on Federal Hill, Baltimore, to keep the city under Union control.
📍 The Western Theater & Missouri:
Gunboat Construction: A significant print of the Mississippi Gunboats being built at Carondelet near St. Louis, the fleet that would eventually crack the Confederate river defenses.
Jefferson City Conflict: Dramatic prints including "Rebel Prisoners in the Dungeon" of the Missouri State House and a "Rebel Prowler Shooting a Union Picket," highlighting the brutal nature of the war in the West.
🗺️ Mapping the Coast:
A detailed "Map of North Carolina," showing Fort Hatteras and the strategic sounds it commanded following the Union victory there the previous month.
🏛️ Confederate Leadership & Recruitment:
A portrait of Rebel General Joseph E. Johnston, the commander facing McClellan in Virginia.
A rare scene of "Recruiting for the Confederate Army at Woodstock, Virginia," providing a look into Southern mobilization in the Shenandoah Valley.
🧗 Mountain Warfare:
"The Ascent of Gauley Mountain" in Western Virginia by the 12th Ohio Regiment, documenting the grueling terrain of the Appalachian campaigns.
🗞️ LITERARY & SATIRICAL CONTENT 🗞️
Political Satire: The back page features two biting cartoons: "Our New Major-General" and "Infamous Persecution," reflecting the ongoing political debates surrounding military appointments and civil liberties.
🔍 CONDITION & TRANSPARENCY 🔍
Completeness: This is the complete 16-page issue, including the full Sharpshooter front page and the North Carolina map.
Authenticity: Guaranteed original woodblock printing from October 5, 1861, not a modern reproduction.
Condition Report: This issue is in excellent historical condition. The Berdan Sharpshooter vignettes are particularly crisp and represent some of the most "framable" military art of the early war.
🥂 WHY IT IS A MUST-HAVE 🥂
Firearms & Snipping Historians: The "Telescopic Rifle" front page is a foundational document for the history of sharpshooting.
Ohio & Kentucky Collectors: Features major regimental prints for the 1st and 12th Ohio and the Kentucky Volunteers at Camp Bruce.
Missouri Civil War Buffs: Provides a dark and realistic look at the conflict in Jefferson City.
Custom Framing: I offer professional framing for any item in my shop. The Sharpshooter front page or the Mississippi Gunboat print would make a museum-quality historical focal point!
📦 SHIPPING & PRESERVATION 📦
Safe Storage: Housed in an acid-free archival folder with a Mylar overlay to protect the 164-year-old newsprint.
Flat Shipping: Shipped with heavy-duty reinforcement to ensure the issue arrives safely.
Tracked: All orders include tracking for your peace of mind.
🏷️ TAGS (SEO) 🏷️
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1861 Berdan Sharpshooters Harper's Weekly Oct 05 Telescopic Rifle 1st Ohio Zouaves
$84.55