The origins of Memorial Day lie in remembering those lost during the Civil War. Established as a national holiday in 1971, Memorial Day now serves as a solemn occasion to honor all American service members who have given their lives in battle. The day holds particular significance for Stillwater, Minnesota, where local history intertwines with the broader story of the Civil War.
In 1861, when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 men to bolster the Union Army. Minnesota answered that call with pride, becoming the first state to offer 1,000 troops. Among those who volunteered were 89 young men from Stillwater, who marched to Fort Snelling on April 21, 1861, to form Company B of the First Minnesota Regiment. Tragically, only 43 of them would return home after the war, their sacrifice etched into the town’s history.
In poring through the St. Croix Collection’s journals, scrapbooks, official documents, and books for photographs of Stillwater’s Civil War involvement, we were stopped by a book of Civil War photographs and in particular, the story behind how they were taken: Original Photographs Taken on the Battlefields During the Civil War of the United States by Mathew B. Brady and Alexander Gardner. This collection features photographs of pivotal Civil War battles, some of which Company B played a significant role, including Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg.
The story behind these photographs is as compelling as the images themselves. During the Civil War, photography was still in its infancy. Cameras were large, cumbersome, and required long exposures. To capture the chaos of battle, Brady and Gardner created special “What is it?” wagons (pictured above)—so named by soldiers because of their strange appearance.
Brady, Gardner, and their assistants had unprecedented access to the frontlines, and their work was integral in documenting the horror of the war. Their ability to gain the trust of military leaders on both sides was crucial, and it often put them in grave danger. Despite the risks, these photographers and their assistants documented the bloodshed and brutality of the war, ensuring that future generations would remember its human cost. Brady and Gardner’s efforts became known as the first instance of comprehensive photo-documentation of a war.
As we observe Memorial Day in Stillwater, Minnesota, it is important to reflect not only on the bravery of the local men who fought and died in the Civil War but also on the powerful images that preserved their sacrifice. Through the lens of history and photography, we remember their courage, and we honor the men who gave their lives to shape the nation we live in today.