The Civil War was the first American conflict to be documented in photographs. Although the long exposures necessary at the time did not allow photographers, to capture action on the battlefield, the camera was an ideal instrument for studio portraits of soldiers in uniform and for documenting more sedentary activities, such as the mustering in of troops and camp scenes. Other war-related images include stereographs, such as one of a Mystic-built ironclad that saw action during the war; this relatively recent technology provided three-dimensional imagery when viewed with a stereoscopic device. To find more materials on these and other subjects related to Connecticut and the Civil War, use the topic headings within records to extend your searches—terms such as “United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865” (enclosing phrases in quotes). Use the facets lists to the left of the search results or add more terms to narrow your search—terms such as “secession” or “abolition*,” using an asterisk* to allow for singular or plural forms. Or search on the names of individuals or organizations. Exploring the collections or items to which individual items belong or of which they are a part can be another way to find more resources of interest.
