Battlefields of Virginia

Souvenir photographs by Fred H. Foss

The Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections Division has among its photographs collections a group of photos which date from the May 1887 "excursion" of the veterans of the 57th and 58th Massachusetts to the Civil War Battlefields of Virginia. The series includes 25 images, of which, the library has 19.

Each image measures 5" by 8" and according to the information on the back of each, they sold for $.25 individually, or $2.50 per dozen (in 1887). The photographer was Fred H. Foss of Dover, N.H. who promoted himself as "late of the 56th Mass."

To be noted about this collection is the 19th century state-of-the-art for craftsmanship for the photographer and printer. Some of the images have variations in the intensity of light and dark, especially at the edges, and others are not printed quite so perfectly centered and horizontal on the card stock. All have faded and yellowed with time into rich sepia tones. The accompanying captions were transcribed from the back of the cards upon which the images are printed.

Each image is numbered according to its place in the series. The images are presented in two groups of six and one group of seven.