Commander of the Army of Tennessee

Very rare war time Confederate produced image


(1817-76) Born in Warrenton, North Carolina, he graduated in the West Point class of 1837 where his classmates included notable future Civil War Union Generals Joseph Hooker, and John Sedgwick, and future Confederate Generals John C. Pemberton, and Jubal A. Early. In Bragg's pre Civil War U.S. Army career he fought against the Florida Seminole Indians, and served gallantly in the Mexican War earning 3 brevets most notably for his bravery in the Battle of Buena Vista. On March 7, 1861, he was appointed a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army and was assigned to command the southern coast from Pensacola, Florida, to Mobile, Alabama. A friend, and special favorite of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, he was promoted to major general, on September 12, 1861, and commanded the 2nd Corps of General Albert Sidney Johnston's army at the Battle of Shiloh. In June 1862, he was appointed commander of the Army of Tennessee which he led in the invasion of Kentucky ending in the Battle of Perryville, Ky. He saw further action in the Battles of Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga. In 1864, President Davis called Bragg to Richmond where he was put in charge of the military operations of the Confederacy and superior to his contemporaries in grade although junior by date of his commission. After General Robert E. Lee was appointed General-in-Chief of the Confederate Armies in early 1865, Bragg was sent to North Carolina where he fought under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston in the 1865 Carolina's campaign. After the war he served as Chief Engineer of Alabama, and dropped dead on September 27, 1876, while walking down a street in Galveston, Texas. He was 59 years old at the time of his death. He is buried in the Magnolia Cemetery, in Mobile, Alabama. General Bragg was known for having a quick temper, and being overzealous in the discipline of his soldiers.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Superb bust view pose of General Bragg in Confederate uniform circa 1863 or slightly earlier. This is a beautiful, actual real war time image of Bragg which is very rarely seen for sale. This is not one of those highly touched up views of Bragg that you generally find. The back of the card is blank and it is my opinion that this is a true Southern produced "war time image" of the general. Very rare and desirable, and an image that I've only had once or twice in my 46 year career at "War Between The States Memorabilia."