Almost all of the images below were taken in July through September of 1863 by Philip Haas and his assistant Washington Peale. Philip Haas was born in Arnhem, Holland around 1808. He immigrated to the United States at age 22. After first settling in New York City, he and his new wife, Sarah Ezekiel, moved to Washington, DC. He trained in photography under Louis Daguerre, the French inventor of the daguerreotype photographic process. In addition, Haas also trained as a lithographer. In 1843, he photographed former President John Quincy Adams. This is the earliest known photographic image of a United States president, which is on display in the National Portrait Gallery (link).

Before the Civil War, he returned to New York where he opened a photographic shop. On September 23, 1861, at age 53, Haas enlisted in the 1st N.Y. Engineers by lying about his age claiming he was 43. Haas mustered in on January 17, 1862, into Company A, eventually being promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in Company A. While stationed at Hilton Head, SC, on July 15, 1862, he was detailed for special service at headquarters. In 1863, Haas and his assistant Washington Peale took photographs of General Quincy Gillmore’s siege operations on Morris Island. They took dozens of pictures on Morris Island many of which are shown below. Haas died in Chicago on August 17, 1871, and is buried in the Jewish Graceland Cemetery (Gate 2, Section 1, Row 27, Lot 127, Grave 15). He had five children, four daughters (Berta, Mathilda, Annette and America) and one son (Leonard- died January 23, 1911 at age 67, wife Marian Lyons Haas).

In the background of his picture “Unidentified camp”, can be seen three men in suits on the beach looking at a battle that is ongoing in the ocean involving an ironclad, thought to be the USS New Ironsides.

This is the first picture ever taken during live combat. Southern photographer George S. Cook, was originally thought to be the first photographer to have taken a picture in live combat, that image is shown below. It depicts an image from Fort Sumter with the shelling of the fort by the Weehawken on September 8, 1863.

In the image you can see the smoke of a shell exploding in Fort Sumter just to the right of center. This image is often credited to Cook but according to the book The Blue and Gray in Black and White by Bob Zeller it is in reality a painting by Confederate Lieutenant John R. Key based on three half stereo photographs taken by Cook inside Fort Sumter on September 8, 1863. Apparently no camera at the time was capable of taking the wide angle view depicted. This would make Haas’ photograph the first image of live combat, shot sometime during the first week of September 1863.

Camps

Batteries

Units

Mortar Battery Photograph by Sam Cooley LOC

Operations

Benjamin F. B. Ditcher was enlisted in the Union army at Readville, Massachusetts on June, 5, 1863, by E. F. Stimpson for a term of 3 years. He mustered in on June 15, 1863, when he was 18 years old. His occupation was listed as a barber. On August 15, 1863, he was court-martialed with a plea of guilty to the charge of theft. “In that he, the said B. F. B Ditcher, Private, Co. F. 55th Reg’t Mass Vol Infantry, did rob one Tony Brooks, servant to the Lieutenant Garrisson, Co. D., 55th Reg’t Mass. Vol. Infantry, of the sum of ten dollars – or thereabouts – in United States money– this, in the regimental camp at Folly Island, S. C., between the hours of 6 and 12 P.M., on or about the 13 day of August 1864.” “19 Aug 1864 sentence of court martial General Order 61 from Regimental Headquarters to wit: having been tried and found guilty of stealing is hereby sentenced to have his head shaved every Monday during his confinement, to be confined at hard labor under guard for one month, with a log of wood two feet long and six inches in diameter attached to his right-leg by a chain two (2) feet long, to wear upon his back from 6 A. M. to 6 P.M. each day a board with the words B. F. B. Dicher (sic) THIEF in letters three inches long and to have deducted from his monthly pay the sum of sixteen dollars).” On November 30, 1864, he was wounded at the Battle of Honey Hill. Some time between March 14 and 17, 1865, he deserted during a march through Charleston, SC. He returned to the regiment between March 30-31, 1865, in arrest at Charleston, SC. On May 13, 1865, General Order 40 sentenced him to three months confinement and the loss of one month’s pay. He was confined at Castle Pinckney. The 55th MA mustered out on August 29, 1865. They were discharged in Boston on September 23, 1865. At the time Ditcher mustered out he owed the Federal government $100 dollars for bounty, $22.86 for overdrawn clothing allotment, and $21.18 for “equipment lost carelessly”.