WAR DEPARTMENT LIBRARY,

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 1, 1897.

Extracts from the report of A. W. Greeley, Brigadier General and Chief Signal Officer in supervisory charge of War Department Library, referring to the photographs in the War Library:

By far the greater number, and by all means the most important, of these negatives are those generally known as the Brady War Photographs, which reproduce scenes and portraits connected with the War of the Union. From their value, importance, and present condition a brief post-bellum history of these negatives is most appropriate. It appears that on January 29, 1866, the council of the National Academy of Design, D. Huntington, President, adopted a resolution reciting the value of this collection as a reliable authority for art and as illustrative of American History. They strongly recommended the proposal to place the collection permanently in the keeping of the New York Historical Society.

Relative to the proposition of its owner, Mr. Mathew B. Brady, to exhibit the collection temporarily in the galleries of the New York Historical Society, Lieut. -General U. S. Grant, in a letter dated February 3, 1866, spoke of it as "a collection of photographic views of battlefields, etc., taken on the spot while the occurrences represented were taking place" and adds, " I knew when many of these representations were being taken, and have in my possession most of them, and I can say that the scenes are not only spirited and correct, but also well chosen. The collection will be valuable to the student and artist of the present generation, but how much more valuable to future generations."

Brady in his descriptive circular spoke of the collection as then embracing the results of twenty-five years, including:

First: "Portraits of many distinguished men who figured in the early years of the present century."

Second: "Likenesses of all prominent actors in the war with Mexico."

Third: "Portraits of eminent men and women of the whole country."

Fourth: "Battlefields of the rebellion and its memorable localities with groups and likenesses of the prominent actors."

The first active connection of the Government with the Brady collection appears in the action of the Secretary of War William W. Belknap who purchased for the War Department in July, 1874, as shown by his letter of August 7th to the Adjutant General, a large number of photographic negatives of war views and pictures of prominent men at an expense of $2,840.00.

On motion of General Benjamin F. Butler, member of Massachusetts, a paragraph was inserted in the Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill (Act approved March 3, 1873) reading: To enable the Secretary of War to acquire a full and perfect title to the Brady collection of photographs of the War, and to secure and purchase the remainder now in the possession of the artist for $25,000.00. In connection with the amendment, General Butler said:

"The title under which the Secretary of War purchased the part already obtained was acquired for non-payment of storage. It is very doubtful whether the Secretary of War has a valid title."

General James A. Garfield joined Butler in the statement "that the commercial value of the entire collection was $150,000.00 and Garfield stated that the part bought for $2,500.00 covered three-quarters of the collection."

The sum of $25,000.00 thats appropriated was paid April 15, 1875, the voucher reading, "For the Brady collection of photographs of the War and a conveyance of a full and perfect title to the same."

The Comptroller said of these Brady negatives, "The photographic views of the War, showing battlefields, military divisions, fortifications, etc., are among the most authentic and valuable records of the Rebellion. The preservation of these interesting records of the War is too important to be intrusted to glass plates, so easily destroyed by accident or design, and no more effective means than printing them can be devised to save them from destruction."

This collection cost the United States originally the sum of $27,840.00, and it is a matter of general regret that these invaluable reproductions of scenes and faces connected with the late civil conflict should remain inaccessible to the general public. The features of most of the prominent actors connected with the War of the Union have been preserved in these negatives, where also are portrayed certain physical aspects of the War that are of interest and of historic value, certain artistic processes now lend themselves to suitable reproduction of these photographs which could thus be given permanency, impossible for the deteriorating negatives, at an expense which a few years since would have appeared impossibly small.

General Greeley states further, "It is hoped that recommendations already made by Chief Signal Officer of the Army may at an appropriate time receive the approval of the War Department and that Congress may authorize the reproduction of the most valuable and important photographs."

PERIODICALS: A HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR: SECTION ONE