Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Catalog Data

Artist:
Alexander Gardner, 17 Oct 1821 - 10 Dec 1882  Search this
Sitter:
Allan Pinkerton, 25 Aug 1819 - 1 Jul 1884  Search this
Abraham Lincoln, 12 Feb 1809 - 15 Apr 1865  Search this
John Alexander McClernand, 30 May 1812 - 20 Sep 1900  Search this
Medium:
Albumen silver print
Dimensions:
Image/Sheet: 17.3 × 19.7 cm (6 13/16 × 7 3/4")
Mount: 23 × 28.1 cm (9 1/16 × 11 1/16")
Mat: 35.6 × 45.7 cm (14 × 18")
Type:
Photograph
Place:
United States\Maryland\Washington\battlefields\Antietam
Date:
1862 (printed c. 1890)
Exhibition Label:
Part of Gardner’s Antietam series, this photograph introduces Major General John A. McClernand, one of the “political” generals whom Lincoln had to support to shore up his position on the home front but whose military inexperience (or incompetence) hindered the Union army. McClernand was raised in Illinois and, as a Democrat, knew Lincoln when they were both state representatives. A congressman in 1861, he resigned from the House of Representatives when Lincoln, who was looking for allies among Unionist Democrats, appointed him brigadier general of the Illinois volunteers. He served mostly in the West, where he angered both Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman, not least because of his egotism and ceaseless lobbying for an independent command. In October 1862 he was on leave in Washington to argue his case and accompanied the presidential party on its trip to George McClellan’s headquarters in Maryland. After continuing to perform poorly in command, McClernand left the army in 1864.
Topic:
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair  Search this
Costume\Headgear\Hat  Search this
Nature & Environment\Plant\Tree  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table  Search this
Printed Material\Papers  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache  Search this
Architecture\Building\Tent  Search this
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Top hat  Search this
Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard  Search this
Symbols & Motifs\Star  Search this
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Bowtie  Search this
Exterior\Military Camp  Search this
Allan Pinkerton: Male  Search this
Allan Pinkerton: Business and Finance\Businessperson  Search this
Allan Pinkerton: Law and Crime\Police\Detective  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Male  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Law and Crime\Lawyer  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Military and Intelligence\Soldier  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\President of US  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Environmentalist  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Illinois  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\Government official\Surveyor  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\State Senator\Illinois  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster  Search this
Abraham Lincoln: Crafts and Trades\Boat builder  Search this
John Alexander McClernand: Male  Search this
John Alexander McClernand: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Illinois  Search this
John Alexander McClernand: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Major General  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
S/NPG.81.17
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location:
Currently not on view
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm427de654a-b914-43a6-a621-de26a0d90ab2
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_S_NPG.81.17