President Lincoln reviewing the Army of the Potomac on Monday, April 6, 1863
1863
Step right up to the front lines of the Civil War with this energetic field sketch by Edwin Forbes! Captured in April 1863, it shows President Abraham Lincoln and General Joseph Hooker on horseback reviewing the Army of the Potomac. You can actually see Forbes's brainstorming process in real-time, with handwritten notes like 'spectators,' 'Buglers,' and 'Guidons' scribbled around the figures to guide a future engraving. As a special artist for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Forbes rode alongside the soldiers, trading the polish of a studio for the gritty reality of camp life to bring the war home to readers.
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