There are three documents in the Confederate Citizen Files which relate to Bridget Bolen. All are receipts from Confederate military authorities which provide details of monies due to her in return for goods and services received. It is clear from the documentation that Bridget Bolen was running a large holding in the vicinity of Staunton, Virginia, and was called upon regularly by the Confederate military. The first of the documents dates to 10th August 1863 with the last the following summer on 14th July 1864. It may well be the case that there were further documents which date to earlier in the war that have not survived or are yet to be identified. What is certain from the available evidence is that the provision of supplies to the Confederacy was an extremely lucrative activity for Bridget Bolen.

The first receipt is dated to 10th August 1863 and pertains to the rental for one month and 18 days of the Irishwoman’s storehouse, in order for it to be utilised as a magazine. For this she received the sum of $40. It was authorised by Major Beverley Randolph, most probably when that officer was serving in Fitzhugh Lee’s Cavalry Division (the nephew of Robert E. Lee). It is interesting to note that as with her amnesty petition, Bridget Bolen provides ‘her mark’ on the document; despite her wealth, it would appear she was illiterate.

Receipt to Bridget Bolen indicating she was entitled to $40 for the rent of her storehouse for use as a magazine by Major Beverley Randolph (Image via Footnote)

Later that month she was again called upon, this time renting out a four horse team and a two horse team in order for them to be used to haul lumber for the construction of a building, on this occasion receiving $33 in payment.

Receipt to Bridget Bolen entitling her to $33 payment for the use of her horse teams to haul lumber on 27th and 28th August 1863 (Image via Footnote)

The final note for payment is dated to 14th July 1864, and details the provision of milk by the Cork native for the month of June. She provided a total of 997 1/2 gallons for the use of the sick and wounded in the General Hospital at Staunton. Her payment for this transaction far exceeded the earlier ones, amounting to a total of $2992.50. It was signed by the surgeon in charge of the hospital, with the Irishwoman once again adding her mark to the document. This high figure was undoubtedly partially the result of inflation, as the Confederate dollar lost value as the war dragged on.*

14th July 1864 receipt for Bridget Bolen entitling her to $2992.50 in payment for the provision of 997 1/2 gallons of milk to the Staunton Hospital in June 1864 (Image via Footnote)

The last payment in particular would indicate that Bridget Bolen was a woman who possessed considerable resources in the later war years, and most probably was the owner of a not insignificant amount of land. It also seems likely that she may have been a slaveholder, given the commitment in her amnesty appeal to ‘never again use slave labor’. As the search continues to find out more about this woman and her life, it is interesting to note an entry on the ‘Find A Grave’ site for a headstone in Thornrose Cemetery, Staunton, Virginia. It records the name ‘Bridget Bolen’ with the inscription ‘Mother. Died September 14, 1895, 70 years.’ Although the age of this woman suggests she was born around 1825 (as opposed to the c.1830 date which is indicated by her given age at the time of the amnesty petition), it seems unlikely that there were many women with the same name in Staunton, and this may well be the final resting place of the lady in question. To see the headstone click here.

*With thanks to Jim Swan for information regarding the inflation of the Confederate dollar.

References

Footnote Confederate Citizen Files (subscription required)

Attorney-General of the United States James Speed. Bridget Bolen addressed her petition to him. (Image via Wikipedia)

The fourteen exceptions to Johnson’s amnesty were as follows:

1. Confederate Civil or diplomatic officials

2. Individuals who vacated judicial positions in the U.S. to aid the rebellion

3. Confederate Army officers above the rank of Colonel and Navy officers above the rank of Lieutenant

4. Individuals who left seat in the U.S. Congress to aid the rebellion

5. Individuals who resigned commissions in the U.S. Army or Navy and afterward served the rebellion

6. Individuals who treated black prisoners of war or their white officers unlawfully

7. Individuals who absented themselves from the U.S. in order to aid the rebellion

8. Confederate military personnel who were educated at the U.S. Military Academy or U.S. Naval Academy

9. Former Confederate Governors

10. Individuals who left home in the U.S. jurisdiction to aid the rebellion

11. Individuals who engaged in the destruction of U.S. commerce

12. Individuals in federal custody

13. Voluntary participants in the rebellion who held taxable property worth at least $20,000

14. Individuals who had broken the oath of allegiance issued on 8th December, 1863 (2)

Bridget Bolen's signature 'her mark' as it appears on her amnesty petition (Image via Footnote)

The U.S. Government received approximately 15,000 applications for amnesty between 29th May 1865 and 6th September 1867. Of these c. 13,500 of the petitions were successful. Clearly given the breadth of the fourteen exceptions and the numbers of people who eventually applied, many of those who fell within the terms of reference did not bother to petition the President for amnesty. Of the c. 15,000 received, Bradley R. Clampitt has identified that only some 389 were from women. The majority of these women applied for the amnesty under the thirteenth exception, namely those who held taxable property worth over $20,000. Their motivations for doing so appear to have been a fear that they would lose their property if they did not secure the amnesty. Bridget Bolen fell into this category, and it was to guard against the loss of property that she decided to petition the government. (3)

Bridget Bolen's petition for amnesty (Image via Footnote)

On the 7th August 1865 the Irishwoman had the following petition written, which was witnessed by E.B. Dull:

Staunton, Augusta County Virginia, Aug. 7th 1865

To the Hon James Speed

Attorney General of the U.S.

The petition of Bridget Bolin [sic]. Respectfully represents that she is a native of Cork, Ireland a citizen of Augusta County in the State of Va. where she has resided for the last 11 years. That she is in the 36^th year of her age, is the owner of land and has been as she is now, engaged in commercial pursuits, during the war. That she is not a slave owner; will never again use slave labor or recognise the Institution of Slavery in the U.S. That her participation in the late rebellion consisted only in the past of taxes and contraction of supplies for the army levied under the authority of the so called Confederate States Govt. That her property may or may not be worth $20,000 but whether more or less no proceedings have been instituted against her by the U.S. authorities for its confiscation. That she has taken and subscribed the annexed oath of Amnesty, and as a legal citizen of the U.S. intends to keep the home in good faith. She therefore coming, probably, within the 13^th exception of the President’s Proclamation of the 19^th May last, prays for special pardon on the terms and conditions prescribed.

Her mark: Bridget Bolen

Witness

E.B. Dull (4)

Bridget Bolen's signed Amnesty Oath (Image via Footnote)

Bolen’s petition was accompanied by a signed amnesty oath which was witnessed by William A. Burnett, a notary public. As with the majority of women who applied for amnesty under the thirteenth exception, Bridget Bolen’s petition was successful, and she was pardoned on 16th August, 1865. (5)

Many intriguing questions about the Corkwoman’s life remain. Did she leave Cork as an already wealthy woman, or did she marry into or acquire her money in Virginia? What was the nature of her wealth? What activities was she engaged in during and after the war? Given her claim that she had resided in Augusta County for 11 years it should be possible to identify her on the 1860 census, although no Bridget Bolen appears. Perhaps Bolen was a married name adopted post 1860- two other Irishwomen named Bridget of the right age do appear on the census for the county, namely Bridget Miligan and Bridget Cochran, and she may be one of these women. There is much research yet to do to find out more about Bridget Bolen and her circumstances; a woman of such means is unlikely to be absent from contemporary local newspapers, for example. It is to be hoped that more can be discovered that will facilitate a follow up post on her in the near future.

(1) Clampitt 2010: 327, Footnote: Confederate Amnesty Petitions; (2) Clampitt 2010: 327; (3) Clampitt 2010: 325-329; (4) Footnote: Confederate Amnesty Petitions; (5) ibid;

References

Clampitt, Bradley R. 2010. ‘”Not intended to dispossess females”: Southern Women and Civil War Amnesty’ in Civil War History, Volume 56, Number 4, pp. 325- 349

Footnote Confederate Amnesty Papers (subscription required)

Timothy O'Sullivan, Irish Photographer of the Civil War (Image via Wikipedia)

The American Civil War of 1861-65 took place some 150 years ago. It is very difficult for us to imagine what is was like to experience the upheaval of that period, or to have borne witness to the horrors of battlefields such as Gettysburg and Petersburg. However, there is one medium that has left us with imagery taken direct from these fields of conflict- photography. Famous practitioners such as Irish-American Mathew Brady and Scotsman Alexander Gardner remain well known, and many of their photographs still achieve a wide circulation today. Another was Irishman Timothy O’Sullivan, who worked for both Brady and Gardner during the war. He succeeded in capturing some of the most recognisable and emotive images of the Civil War. 

There is some question as to Timothy O’Sullivan’s place of birth. O’Sullivan himself once claimed on a job application that he was born in New York, but his death certificate records his place of birth as Ireland. It is possible that O’Sullivan lied about his place of birth to improve his chances of winning the position. He is now variously described as being born in New York or Ireland, with institutions such as the Smithsonian listing him as being of Irish birth. (1)

O’Sullivan learned his trade from Brady before the outbreak of the war, initially being based in the Irish-American’s New York studio. He was later moved to Brady’s Washington D.C. office, which was then run by Alexander Gardner. When war broke out O’Sullivan initially worked with Brady, and one of his cameras was reportedly blown up at the first Battle of Bull Run. As it became apparent that the fighting would drag on, the Irishman was sent to locations such as South Carolina where he took photographs with Union armies in the field. In 1862, Gardner ended his association with Brady and set up his own business. O’Sullivan decided to join the Scotsman and work as his assistant, a position he held for the remainder of the war. (2)

The Photographer and his kit. Image taken by Timothy O'Sullivan at Manassas, July 1862 (Library of Congress)

It was while working with Gardner in 1863 that O’Sullivan captured some of his most famous images. Gardner and his team were the first photographers to arrive at the Gettysburg battlefield, taking their first shots on 5th July 1863.The Irishman was responsible for the famous images ‘Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter’ taken in Devil’s Den and ‘A Harvest of Death’ which showed Union dead on the field. Research by William A. Frassanito has established that the Confederate sharpshooter image was set up by the photographers, as the dead Rebel in the image appears in a number of other photographs placed in different positions. Scott Hartwig, Supervisory Historian at Gettysburg National Military Park has recently presented a compelling argument at the From the Fields of Gettysburg blog that the men in the ‘Harvest of Death’ images are soldiers of the 121st Pennsylvania on McPherson’s Ridge. (3)

The image of the Confederate Sharpshooter taken by Timothy O'Sullivan on the Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania in July 1863 (Library of Congress)

O’Sullivan continued to take photographs throughout the remainder of the war, and was present at Petersburg and Appomattox, where he shot the McLean House in which Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysses S. Grant. When Gardner published his Photographic Sketch Book of the Civil War in 1866, many of the images were credited to the Irishman. O’Sullivan’s sense of adventure did not end with the conclusion of the war. In 1867 he joined Clarence King’s geological survey of the fortieth parallel as a photographer, with a mission to document the territory between the Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains. He was back in the West again in 1871 when he accompanied the geological surveys west of the one hundredth meridian. He would go on to lead an expedition himself in 1873 where he took some notable images of Apache scouts. (4)

'A Harvest of Death' taken by Timothy O'Sullivan on the Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania, July 1863 (Library of Congress)

Unfortunately the Irishman was not destined to have the opportunity for a long career; he contracted tuberculosis at the age of 42 and died on Staten Island on 14th January 1882, where he is buried in an unmarked grave at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery. Despite his premature death, O’Sullivan’s work has proved a fitting legacy. The photographs he created continue to fascinate and horrify in equal measure, standing as testament to the brutal realities of conflict during the American Civil War.

The McLean House at Appomattox Court House, site of the surrender of Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant. Image by Timothy O'Sullivan taken in April 1865 (Library of Congress)

(1) McGinn: Through Irish Eyes, Foresta 1996: Timothy H. O’Sullivan, Regan 2003: Life of Timothy H. O’Sullivan; (2) Regan 2003: Life of Timothy H. O’Sullivan, McGinn: Through Irish Eyes,University of Virginia: Timothy O’Sullivan; (3) Frassanito 1975: 24-27, ibid 1975: 190-192, ibid 1975: 228-229, Hartwig 2011: A Mystery Solved? Part 2; (4) McGinn: Through Irish Eyes, Foresta 1996: Timothy H. O’Sullivan (5) McGinn: Through Irish Eyes;

References & Further Reading

Foresta, Merry A. 1996. Smithsonian American Art Museum: Timothy H. O’Sullivan taken from American Photographs: The First Century

Frassanito, William A. 1975. Gettysburg: A Journey in Time

Hartwig, Scott 2011. ‘A Mystery Solved? Part 2′ at From the Fields of Gettysburg

Horan, James David 1966. Timothy O’Sullivan: America’s Forgotten Photographer

Regan, Margaret 2003. The Life of Timothy H. O’Sullivan in the Tuscon Weekly

McGinn, Brian. Through Irish Eyes: The Civil War Photography of Timothy O’Sullivan

University of Virginia America Studies: Timothy O’Sullivan, A Portrait

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Online Catalogue

The Center for Civil War Photography

Halt of Wilcox's Troops in Caroline Street previous to going into Battle, 13th December 1862 (Arthur Lumley, Library of Congress)

One of the very first of these artists was Irishman Arthur Lumley. He was born in Dublin in 1837 and emigrated to the United States while still a child. Settling in Brooklyn, New York, he entered the National Academy of Design in the 1850s to study art. At the age of 21 he became a US Citizen. He began to illustrate for books, and spent the pre-war years engaged in works for titles such as The Life and Adventures of Kit Carson and Wild Life; or Adventures of the Frontier. (2)

A Sutler's tent near H.Q., August 1862 (Arthur Lumley, Library of Congress)

The outbreak of war found him working for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. In April of 1861 Leslie sent Lumley to Washington D.C. to become the first Special Artist attached to what became the Union Army of the Potomac. He was an eyewitness to Bull Run, the first battle of the war, of which he produced a number of sketches showing the initial Federal success and subsequent retreat. 1862 found Lumley with the New York Illustrated News, who published no less than 298 of his wartime illustrations. (3)

Building 'corderoy' roads from Belle Plain to Fredericksburgh (Arthur Lumley, Library of Congress)

The life of a Special Artist was not an easy one. They experienced many of the hardships of frontline troops, and during battle had to sketch the action as quickly as possible. These men often received no credit for the publicized image, which could be significantly altered and adapted prior to release. Lumley managed to do this at some of the most horrendous engagements of the war, such as Antietam and Fredericksburg.  In addition he sent back reports of the events he witnessed, which helped the illustrated papers to communicate to their readers the particulars of the war.

Breaking up the camps of the Army of the Potomac, February 1863 (Arthur Lumley, Library of Congress)

Not all of the artist’s images would make it to final publication, and indeed some would never make it as far as the editor’s desk. Brigadier-General Alpheus S. Williams was pleased with the sketch that Lumley made of his division wading across the Rapidan during the Chancellorsville Campaign of 1863, but noted that the Irishman lost his entire portfolio of sketches in the defeat and retreat that followed. (4)

Bringing wounded soldiers to the cars after the Battle of Seven Pines, 3rd June 1862 (Arthur Lumley, Library of Congress)

Lumley had a productive career as an artist, and during his life he also worked for publications such as Harper’s Weekly, The London Illustrated News, La Monde Illustrate and Fine Arts. In his later life he would turn to painting, particularly landscape work and portraits. He did not have any family and spent his final months in the Mary Fisher Home in Mount Vernon, New York, where he died aged 75 on 27th September 1912. (4) Although his life has not been the subject of major study, he has nonetheless left a lasting legacy in some of the finest and most important surviving sketches of life and death during the American Civil War.

(1) Time Magazine 1961; (2) Gallagher 2007, New York Times obituary 1912; (3) Gallagher 2007, New York Times obituary 1912; (4) Sears 1996: 164; (5) New York Times obituary 1912

References & Further Reading

Gallagher, Sheila 2007. Artist Biography: Arthur Lumley

Sears, Stephen W. 1996. Chancellorsville

New York Times 28th September 1912 ‘Arthur Lumley Artist Dies’

Time Magazine 17th February 1961 ‘Artist-Journalists of the Civil War’

Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog

New York Times Archive 1851- 1980

The Becker Collection

Moore, James 1865. Kilpatrick and our Cavalry. (Illustrations by Arthur Lumley)

Frank Leslie’s Illustrated History of the Civil War (with Illustrations by Arthur Lumley amongst others)