Davidson, J.O. “Battle of Port Hudson. Passing the River Batteries.”

J.O. Davidson.  “Battle of Port Hudson.  Passing the River Batteries.”  

J.O. Davidson.  "Battle of Port Hudson.  Passing the River Batteries."  From Prang’s War Pictures.  Boston: American Lithographic Co., ca. 1890.  15 x 21 7/8.  Chromolithograph.  Full margins.  Very good condition. 

Smoke and fire pervade Davidson’s image of the costly Union victory at Port Hudson.  In a nearly crippling exchange of mortar, the Confederates only managed to slow Admiral Farragut’s fleet (including his flagship, the Hartford) as they moved upriver, past the Louisiana fort to safety.  Fascinatingly, Davidson mixes sympathies by painting the scene from the Confederate point of view.  This print was first issued by the Boston Prang firm, and then reissued a few years later by the American Lithographic Co..  The image was made by chromolithography, where each color was printed by a separate stone.  Well detailed and finely colored, this is an excellent print that would have been sold to veterans of the great conflict.

Click the links below to view others from this series:

Thure de Thulstrup "Battle of Atlanta"

Thure de Thulstrup "Battle of Chattanooga"

Thure de Thulstrup  "Battle of Kenesaw Mountain"

Thure de Thulstrup "Battle of Shiloh"

Reference book on the series: Prang's Civil War Pictures