Browse the images by subject and dig deeper into the rich archive of photographs taken during the Civil War.

The Civil War was a singing war. Sentimental songs were popular with both armies but the Union had the better marching songs. In fact, a Southern major who listened to a northern officer sing some after the war admitted, "Gentleman, if we'd had your songs, we'd have licked you out of your boots." Band of the 8th New York State Militia, Arlington, Va., June, 1861 Group portrait of 16 men and boys posed with musical instruments. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1861 June [printed later] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-4545 Band of 10th Veteran Reserve Corps, Washington, D.C., April, 1865 Group portrait of 15 uniformed band members holding instruments, with two drums in foreground. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 Apr. [printed later] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-7865 Band group seated behind their instruments CREATED/PUBLISHED: photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed later U.S. Army band standing on steps CREATED/PUBLISHED: photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed later Band of 1st Connecticut heavy artillery on James River, Va. Group portrait of 12 men in semicircle in distance; most are holding musical instruments. CREATED/PUBLISHED: photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed later REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-41498 Brandy Station, Va. Band of the 114th Pennsylvania Infantry (Zouaves) Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, winter quarters at Brandy Station, December 1863-April 1864. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1864 April. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7611 Arlington, Va. Band of 107th U.S. Colored Infantry at Fort Corcoran Photograph of Washington, 1862-1865, view of the defenses of Washington. Shows group of twenty African American soldiers with musical instruments. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 November. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7861 General Grant's cavalry escort, City Point, Va., March, 1865 Group portrait with 5 buglers at left. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 Mar. [printed later] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-7445 Band of 9th Veteran Reserve Corps, Washington, D.C., April, 1865 Group portrait of 17 uniformed men posed in a semicircle and holding instruments, with two drums in foreground. 1865 Apr. [printed later] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-7807 Mount Saint Mary's College, Emmettsburg, Md., July 1863 Large group of people posed in front of building, on steps and on balcony. CREATED/PUBLISHED: photographed 1863 July, printed later REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-92239 Fort Monroe, Va. The post band Photograph of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy, specifically of Fort Monroe, Va. CREATED/PUBLISHED: [1864] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7421 Washington, D.C. Group of ambulances followed by band and infantry units on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Treasury Photograph of Washington, 1862-1865, the grand review of the Army, May, 1865. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 May. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-3322 Drum Corps of 61st New York Infantry, Falmouth, Va., April, 1863 Group portrait of 14 boys posed with drums. 1863 Apr. [printed later] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7520 Washington, D.C. Drum Corps of 10th Veteran Reserve Corps at leisure Photograph of Washington, 1862-1865, view of the defenses of Washington. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 June. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7688 Bealeton, Va. Drum corps, 93d New York Infantry Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, Meade in Virginia, August-November 1863. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1863 August. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7514 Drum corps, 8th New York State Militia, Arlington, Va., June, 1861 Group portrait of 18 men and boys, many seated on drums. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1861 June [printed later] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-4540 Copyright 2002 WETA. All rights reserved.