Gum Spring, Virgínia
1863
Edwin Forbes sketched this peaceful Virginia landscape right in the middle of the American Civil War, dated June 1863. As an artist embedded with the Army of the Potomac, he captured quiet moments like these towering gum trees to contrast with the chaos of battle surrounding him. The delicate pencil work shows a serene, almost dreamy woodland scene, completely hiding the brutal conflict that was raging just miles away. It's a rare glimpse into the calm before the storm of the Gettysburg campaign, which began just weeks later.