Bill Howard

The American Civil War is often described as a young person’s fight. While many of the soldiers who fought in the war were less than 18 years of age, there were also thousands of older soldiers who filled the ranks. The average Civil War soldier was about 25 years of age. Although one-quarter of the 2.1 million men who served in the Union military forces were foreign-born, the majority of the soldiers who fought for the union were young white males who were born in North Am

Original Civil War Side Drum Dated 1862 Drums were very important to the movement and organization of Civil War armies. Drums sounded calls that helped to cadence an advance, convey the orders of an officer, or redirect lines during the heat of battle. Drums were as important as battle flags in helping to manage a large force during a battle. There are a great variety of drums that were used in the Civil War. Drums range from basic wooden shelled drums with minimal artisti

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