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Exhibits
Water Color
Sketchbook by Private Henry Berckhoff
8th New York "German
Rifles"
27 May 1861 to 23 May 1863
What did the Civil War look like
to the soldiers who fought in it? The pictures in this exhibition
were drawn by a young Union soldier, Henry Berckhoff, during the
war. Berckhoff sketched these pictures in graphite and later added
ink and watercolor. He also attached the images to paper boards
and bound them together.
Berckhoff's paintings of large
groups of soldiers marching and fighting are shown in part one
of this exhibit. In part two, there are more personal and solitary
scenes of camp life. His drawings allow us to see the Civil War
through a soldier's eyes.
Berckhoff was a career soldier.
He served in the military almost continually from the time he
fought with the Union army until his retirement in February 1894.
Twenty years old when he enlisted in New York City, Berckhoff
became a private in the Eighth New York Volunteer Infantry, Company
B, which was also known as the First German Rifles. This was an
"ethnic regiment" composed of approximately 1,000 German
immigrants. The drawings displayed here represent the early years
of Berckhoff's military career.
Part One: Sketches
About Marching and Fighting
Part Two: Sketches
About Camp Life
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