There is some sort of unknown fascination that grips me when it comes to the American Civil War and very old photographs. I have expressed this sentiment before and I still feel the same. Having said this, you can imagine my delight when I came across some more Civil War photographs that are not well known, so here are the photos for your enjoyment.

Communications played a large part in the war. These photographs illustrate the different types of communications that took place during the war and show the people who made these communications possible.

1. Signalmen of Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren's flagship receiving a message from the Georgia shore
2. Bealeton, Va. Group of military telegraph operators
3. Bealeton, Va. Group at tent and wagon of the New York Herald

4. Photograph from the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, September-October 1862
5. Gettysburg, Pa. Alfred R. Waud, artist of Harper's Weekly, sketching on battlefield
6. Petersburg, Va. Military telegraph operators at headquarters

7. Richmond, Va. Wagon train of Military Telegraph Corps
8. Petersburg, Va. Two youthful military telegraph operators at headquarters
9. Petersburg, Va. Military telegraph operators at headquarters; another group

10	11	12

10. Virginia. Newspaper vendor and cart in camp
11. Falmouth, Va. Group in front of post office tent at Army of the Potomac headquarters
12. Petersburg, Va. U.S. Military Telegraph battery wagon, Army of the Potomac headquarters

13. Washington, D.C. Central Signal Station, Winder Building, 17th and E Streets NW, and Signal Corps men
14. Brandy Station, Va. Wagons and men of the U.S. Military Telegraph Construction Corps
15. Brandy Station, Va. Winter quarters of telegraphers and photographers, Army of the Potomac headquarters

16. Bull Run, Va. New bridge built by McDowell's engineers; photographer's wagon at left
17. Petersburg, Va. Mills; photographic wagon of Engineer Dept. in foreground
18. Yorktown, Va., vicinity. Group before the photographic tent at Camp Winfield Scott

The men depected in these pictures were responsible for all types of communications including, for the first time, instant communications by telegraph. Some of them may have had more of a bearing on the war than any soldier in the field.