Lot 537: Rare Civil War Ambrotype, 19th GA Infantry with Johnson Family of GA

Rare large half plate Civil War ambrotype photograph depicting nine (9) Confederate soldiers, likely all members of the 19th Georgia Infantry, and members of the Johnson Family of Georgia, seated and standing outside an army tent. This image was taken in June of 1862 when John Hutchins Johnson (1807-1864) pictured far right, front, seated and holding a hat), and members of his family traveled from his plantation in Coweta County, Georgia to Richmond, VA to visit his sons, members of the 19th GA Infantry, whose regiment was stationed nearby.  Lt. Col. Thomas Coke (T.C.) Johnson stands at far left holding the hand of his seated wife, Ella Wiggins (1840-1911), with their young son at her feet. Just a few weeks after this image was taken, T.C. Johnson was killed leading the 19th Georgia Infantry into action at the Battle of Mechanicsville. According to family records, the soldier standing just behind T.C. is his brother, Richard Allen Johnson (1845-1914). Seated at J.H. Johnson’s right is family friend and distant relative Rev. Dabney Jones. Jones’ son sits beside him, under the flag, wearing a beard without mustache. The older woman standing beside Ella Johnson may be J.H. Johnson’s second wife, Mariah. Not pictured in this image is John Hutchins Johnson’s sons Lt. William Henry Harrison “Adjutant” Johnson (b. 1840, who would be killed in action at Oluste, FL, in 1864). The Georgia Digital Library, which provided some of the information for this entry, has another photographic view of this same family gathering which does include William Johnson standing next to T.C. Johnson.  Additional information was provided by a 1938 letter by Edgar H. Johnson, son of a fourth brother, John Andrew Johnson (1837-1900), written to Thomas Coke Johnson III. It is not clear if John is in the photograph. A copy of this letter is available to the winning bidder. The ambrotype measures 5  1/2 in. H x 4 1/4 in. W. and is housed in a gilt metal mat with oval opening (4 1/2 in. H x 3 1/2 in. W). Also included in this lot is a group of eight (8) assorted daguerreotypes, tintypes and ambrotypes of various unidentified family members in civilian clothing, ranging from ninth to sixth plate sizes. Some subjects pictured may also be members of the James Harvey Pride or Edward Chambers Betts families. Thomas Coke Johnson III (1899-1986), the grandson of Lt. Col. Thomas Coke Johnson, married Pride and Betts descendant Elizabeth Broun Pride (1909-1997). All of these photographs descended to their daughter, Sally Johnson Harlan, of Jackson, Tennessee. Note: a plantation journal from the John Hutchins Johnson family is also in this auction, lot 538, along with a tintype of Lt. Col. T.C. Johnson, (lot 536), and a portrait of John Hutchins Johnson and possibly his wife, Mariah, lot 1116 (Day 2 of this auction). 

PROVENANCE: Living Estate of Sally Johnson Harlan.

CONDITION: Half plate family photograph: scattered dark discoloration throughout, but particularly concentrated to upper half of image and mat, likely due to corrosion or mold. The image is matted but lacks a case. The other smaller photographs are in varying degrees of condition with scattered spots of corrosion and tarnish to daguerreotypes and mats, but the tintypes are in generally good condition. The union cases are in generally poor condition with wear and separations. We have not attempted to remove these photographs from their frames.