Stragglers on the march to headquarters. Under guard
1863
Edwin Forbes wasn't just an artist; he was essentially an embedded journalist sketching the gritty reality of the American Civil War right from the front lines. This 1863 sketch captures a somber moment: a column of weary 'stragglers'—soldiers who fell behind or deserted—being marched under guard by cavalrymen. Forbes traveled with the Army of the Potomac, and his honest, unglamorous depictions of daily soldier life were so acclaimed they later won a medal at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition.