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

Fought in 10,000 places - claiming 600,000 lives - the war left much in ruin. The South suffered dramatically: ten billion dollars in property was laid to waste and two-fifths and of its livestock was destroyed. Interior view of Fort Sumter showing ruins, taken by a Confederate photographer in 1864, Charleston, South Carolina CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1864(?), printed later REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-116996 Richmond, Va. Street in the burned district Photograph of the main eastern theater of war, fallen Richmond, April-June 1865. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-3242 Richmond, Va. Ruins of Mayo's Bridge Photograph of the main eastern theater of war, fallen Richmond, April-June 1865. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-0874 Portrait of a Confederate soldier? Manassas, Va. Orange and Alexandria Railroad wrecked by retreating Confederates CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1862 March. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B817-7197 Richmond, Va. Damaged locomotives Photograph of the main eastern theater of war, fallen Richmond, April-June 1865. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-3155 Charleston, S.C. View of ruined buildings through porch of the Circular Church (150 Meeting Street) Photographs of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy -- specifically of Charleston, S.C. 1863-1865. General Gillmore's success at Fort Pulaski earned him the conduct of a much more difficult undertaking: the reduction of the defenses of Charleston Harbor, with the aid of a squadron under Rear Adm. John A. Dahlgren. Operations began early in July 1863; by October hard work and heavy losses had reduced Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg (renamed Fort Putnam by the Federals) on Morris Island, and had silenced Fort Sumter. But no further progress was made until February 18, 1865, when Gen. William T. Sherman's approach overland broght about the evacuation of Charleston. The photographers who came to record the flag-raising ceremony at Fort Sumter on April 14, 1865, just 4 years after the surrender with which the Civil War opened, thoroughly documented the forts, Federal and Confederate, and the lovely old city, which fortunately had received only limited damage. Present-day addresses for the Charleton buildings are added when possible; the movement is in general inland from the Battery along Market Street, with excursions down side streets as they are reached, and left to the Arsenal at the then limits of town. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 April. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-3448 Charleston, S.C. Ruins of the North Eastern Railroad depot Photographs of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy -- specifically of Charleston, S.C., 1863-1865. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-3082 Harper's Ferry, W. Va. Ruins of arsenal Photograph from the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, September-October 1862. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1862 October. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-0655 Cold Harbor, Va., vicinity. Ruins of Gaines' mill Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, the Peninsular Campaign, May-August 1862. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 April. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-0932 Ruins on Carey Street, Richmond, Va., April, 1865 CREATED/PUBLISHED: photographed in April 1865, printed later REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZC4-7936 Sea face of Fort Sumpter [sic], showing broken guns, shot, shell, &c. Man seated on cannon, amid rocks. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-91673 Atlanta, Ga. The shell-damaged Potter house Photograph of the War in the West. These photographs are of Sherman in Atlanta, September-November, 1864. After three and a half months of incessant maneuvering and much hard fighting, Sherman forced Hood to abandon the munitions center of the Confederacy. Sherman remained there, resting his war-worn men and accumulating supplies, for nearly two and a half months. During the occupation, George N. Barnard, official photographer of the Chief Engineer's Office, made the best documentary record of the war in the West; but much of what he photographed was destroyed in the fire that spread from the military facilities blown up at Sherman's departure on November 15. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1864 REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-2717 Ruins on the Canal Basin, Richmond, Va. CREATED/PUBLISHED: LC-USZC4-7935, LC-USZC6-50 REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8184-10573 View of Richmond Va., at the close of the rebellion Rubble as city of Richmond lies in ruin. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-117574 Ruins of Richmond, April, 1865 CREATED/PUBLISHED: Hartfort, Conn. : The War Photograph & Exhibition Company, 1865. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-107050 Charleston, S.C. View from roof of the Mills House, looking up Meeting Street; ruins of the Circular Church in center Photographs of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy, specifically of Charleston, S.C., 1863-1865. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 April. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-3440 Richmond, Va. Barges with African Americans on the Canal; ruined buildings beyond Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, fallen Richmond, April-June 1865. Photograph shows African American refugees on a boat with household belongings. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865. REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-B8171-7617 Copyright 2002 WETA. All rights reserved.