Bill Howard

The internet can be a powerful tool for historical research. Several years ago, I purchased a fine carte-de-visite image of an unknown Union officer in hopes that I might someday identify him. The photographic image, which was obtained for a reasonable price, featured the portrait of a bearded Union officer wearing a double-breasted frock coat with shoulder straps that appeared to indicate the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or Major. The photographer’s imprint on the reverse o

Ambrotype image in half-case by Daniel Denison of Albany, New York circa 1852 (Credit: Bill Howard Collection) During the American Civil War, Daniel Denison (1814-1899) was one of the most accomplished photographers operating in the City of Albany, New York. As thousands of soldiers passed through the Capital City on their way to and from the Front, Denison, along with his business partner, Rensselaer E. Churchill (1820-1892), produced high quality portrait images that are s