Robert Knox Sneden - 1863 Self Portrait - Topographical Engineer on Staff of Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman
3D red cyan anaglyph from a depth map - original is a self-portrait watercolor, by Private Robert Knox Sneden, courtesy of Virginia Historical Society
Notes: For background information, an excerpt from Wikipedia, summarizing the discovery and importance of the Sneden collection - his extensive diary, Civil War art, and detailed CW battlefield maps. Then from the NARA pension records, a summary of Sneden's Civil War service, and his own detailed account of his capture by Mosby's Rangers, and subsequent imprisonment in Andersonville and other Confederate prisons.
----------------------
Wikipedia: "Recognition - In 1994, an art dealer approached the Virginia Historical Society about a Civil War archive that had languished in a Connecticut bank vault. Robert Sneden's great-great-nephew also transferred through purchase Sneden's diary and watercolors, close to 5,000 pages of the diary entries and memoirs, and near 500 watercolors and maps.
In the fall of 2000, Sneden was rediscovered by the general public and the Civil war enthusiasts after about 300 pieces of his artwork were revealed in the Eye of the Storm exhibition and subsequent book, which became a bestseller. According to the Virginia Historical Society, it was, "the largest collection of [American] Civil War soldier art ever produced".
-------------------------------
For a more thorough and interesting account of the discovery of the Sneden collection, read the article, "Eye of the Storm: The Civil War Drawings of Robert Knox Sneden," at this link: virginiahistory.org/learn/eye-storm-civil-war-drawings-ro...
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From NARA Pension Records - Certificate No. 437,454, Robert K. Sneden.
"....Sept 30th 1861. Enlisted in the one gun battery attached to the 40th NY (Mozart Regt.) then stationed on the old Fairfax Road near Alexandria Virginia. Was detailed 11th January 1862 as Topog Engineer and Draughtsman to Maj. Genl S.P. Heintzelman Commanding 1st Division Headquarters at Fort Lyon Alexandria Va and served in this capacity through the Peninsula Campaign of Genl McClellan. Afterwards (in same capacity) at Head Qtrs of Maj. Genl S.P. Heintzelman Commaning the Department of Washington. 1862-1863 – Went to the front by Special Order of War Department – Sept 5th 1863….transferred Nov 10th 1863 as Topog Engineer to Maj Genl W.H. French then commanding 3rd Army Corps at Brandy Station Virginia, and was acting under orders of Genl French when captured with others Nov. 27th 1863. RKSneden
Was present and under fire in the following Battles –
Siege of Yorktown Va April 1; May 4th 1862
Battle of Williamsburg Va May 5 1862
Battle of Fair Oaks Va May 31st 1862
Battle of Savage Station Va June 29th 1862
Battle of White Oak Swamp and Glendale Va June 30th 1862
Battle of Malvern Hill Va June 30 July 1st
2nd Battle of Bull Run Va Aug 29 to 31st 1862
Battle of Chantilly Va Sept 1st 1862 and
Battle of Kelly’s Ford Nov 7th 1863
Slightly wounded when captured
….I was captured…at Head quarters of Maj Genl WH French U.S.A. then Commanding the 3rd Army Corps at “Millers House” Brandy Station Virginia. Mosby with about 200 of his Cavalry made a raid on Head quarters during the night in a dense fog. They all wore U.S. Cavalry overcoats over their Rebel uniforms. 15 Headquarter clerks, teamsters, and a Provost Guard of 10 men under a Corporal was captured at the same time.
We were placed in front of the Rebel Cavalry and made to charge in the fog on our Construction Train of 200 wagons, which were parked about 1000 yards on the other side of the Rail Road which ran in front of the Headquarters to Culpepper beyond.—
Out of this train Mosby Captured and ran off about 115 mules, 3 guards, and 6 negro teamsters. Those captured were compelled to mount the mules and ride bareback to Hazel River, Madison Court House, and thence to Gordonsville Va from which we were sent by Rail Road to Richmond Va….
I was confronted by Mosby who threatened “to hang me to one of the trees in front of the house” because I refused to give information as to the situation of our Cavalry at the time. Pistols were held to our heads, with threats of immediate death if we made any noise or attempted to escape. They smashed the muskets of the Provost Guard against the trees and Captured most of us. Several of the Clerks hid themselves in the empty house and escaped capture….
While being plundered by the Rebels, I protested – when one of Mosby’s Officers struck me under the right eye with his pistol. (I could not see for two weeks afterwards.) At Woodville Va Mosby sent his surgeon to me but I declined his services. The scar is still visible though no bad effects have yet developed.
At Richmond Va I was a prisoner at Crew and Pemberton Tobacco Warehouse 3 months, then at Scott’s Prison on Main Street and removed with 600 others on the night of 22nd Feby to Andersonville Prison – Georgia where we arrived 1st March 1864. Staid here 6 months thence to Stockade at Savannah Geo. thence to Millen Geo. thence to Charleston S.C. being confined in Roper Hospital on Queen St and under fire of the “Swamp Angel” on Morris Island. From here was sent to Florence S.C. thence back to Charleston S.C. where I was exchanged 11th day of Dec – 1864 and shipped on the US Transport Steamer “Varuna” for “Camp Parole” Annapolis Md. – Sent too New York City and mustered out of the US Service 30th January 1865, being a Prisoner of War one year and 14 days being 40 months in the Service…
….While a prisoner of War in Crew and Pemberton Prison Richmond Va I had typhoid fever and knew nothing for 10 days. The Rebel doctor attempted to remove me to the hospital but I resisted the guards and was left on the floor to die as the case might be. We had no medical attendant or medicines while Prisoners of War at Andersonville, Savannah or Millen….While at Andersonville I had scurvy in the mouth, by which I lost 3 teeth. Here also I had rheumatism in arms and legs. Suffered intense pain all the time and had to hobble around on a stick like thousands of others.
During August 1864 2,992 prisoners of War died at Andersonville – 12,946 dead are there now. Continuous rains – lying on the ground without shelter – and privations have unfitted me ever since to withstand changes in the weather and travelling in my profession….For the past 9 years I have been partly supported by my Mother who has a small income…”
R.K. Sneden
New York, Nov 10th 1887"
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Red/Cyan (not red/blue) glasses of the proper density must be used to view 3D effect without ghosting. Anaglyph prepared using red cyan glasses from The Center For Civil War Photography / American Battlefield Trust. CCWP Link: www.civilwarphotography.org/
Robert Knox Sneden - 1863 Self Portrait - Topographical Engineer on Staff of Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman
3D red cyan anaglyph from a depth map - original is a self-portrait watercolor, by Private Robert Knox Sneden, courtesy of Virginia Historical Society
Notes: For background information, an excerpt from Wikipedia, summarizing the discovery and importance of the Sneden collection - his extensive diary, Civil War art, and detailed CW battlefield maps. Then from the NARA pension records, a summary of Sneden's Civil War service, and his own detailed account of his capture by Mosby's Rangers, and subsequent imprisonment in Andersonville and other Confederate prisons.
----------------------
Wikipedia: "Recognition - In 1994, an art dealer approached the Virginia Historical Society about a Civil War archive that had languished in a Connecticut bank vault. Robert Sneden's great-great-nephew also transferred through purchase Sneden's diary and watercolors, close to 5,000 pages of the diary entries and memoirs, and near 500 watercolors and maps.
In the fall of 2000, Sneden was rediscovered by the general public and the Civil war enthusiasts after about 300 pieces of his artwork were revealed in the Eye of the Storm exhibition and subsequent book, which became a bestseller. According to the Virginia Historical Society, it was, "the largest collection of [American] Civil War soldier art ever produced".
-------------------------------
For a more thorough and interesting account of the discovery of the Sneden collection, read the article, "Eye of the Storm: The Civil War Drawings of Robert Knox Sneden," at this link: virginiahistory.org/learn/eye-storm-civil-war-drawings-ro...
-------------------------------
From NARA Pension Records - Certificate No. 437,454, Robert K. Sneden.
"....Sept 30th 1861. Enlisted in the one gun battery attached to the 40th NY (Mozart Regt.) then stationed on the old Fairfax Road near Alexandria Virginia. Was detailed 11th January 1862 as Topog Engineer and Draughtsman to Maj. Genl S.P. Heintzelman Commanding 1st Division Headquarters at Fort Lyon Alexandria Va and served in this capacity through the Peninsula Campaign of Genl McClellan. Afterwards (in same capacity) at Head Qtrs of Maj. Genl S.P. Heintzelman Commaning the Department of Washington. 1862-1863 – Went to the front by Special Order of War Department – Sept 5th 1863….transferred Nov 10th 1863 as Topog Engineer to Maj Genl W.H. French then commanding 3rd Army Corps at Brandy Station Virginia, and was acting under orders of Genl French when captured with others Nov. 27th 1863. RKSneden
Was present and under fire in the following Battles –
Siege of Yorktown Va April 1; May 4th 1862
Battle of Williamsburg Va May 5 1862
Battle of Fair Oaks Va May 31st 1862
Battle of Savage Station Va June 29th 1862
Battle of White Oak Swamp and Glendale Va June 30th 1862
Battle of Malvern Hill Va June 30 July 1st
2nd Battle of Bull Run Va Aug 29 to 31st 1862
Battle of Chantilly Va Sept 1st 1862 and
Battle of Kelly’s Ford Nov 7th 1863
Slightly wounded when captured
….I was captured…at Head quarters of Maj Genl WH French U.S.A. then Commanding the 3rd Army Corps at “Millers House” Brandy Station Virginia. Mosby with about 200 of his Cavalry made a raid on Head quarters during the night in a dense fog. They all wore U.S. Cavalry overcoats over their Rebel uniforms. 15 Headquarter clerks, teamsters, and a Provost Guard of 10 men under a Corporal was captured at the same time.
We were placed in front of the Rebel Cavalry and made to charge in the fog on our Construction Train of 200 wagons, which were parked about 1000 yards on the other side of the Rail Road which ran in front of the Headquarters to Culpepper beyond.—
Out of this train Mosby Captured and ran off about 115 mules, 3 guards, and 6 negro teamsters. Those captured were compelled to mount the mules and ride bareback to Hazel River, Madison Court House, and thence to Gordonsville Va from which we were sent by Rail Road to Richmond Va….
I was confronted by Mosby who threatened “to hang me to one of the trees in front of the house” because I refused to give information as to the situation of our Cavalry at the time. Pistols were held to our heads, with threats of immediate death if we made any noise or attempted to escape. They smashed the muskets of the Provost Guard against the trees and Captured most of us. Several of the Clerks hid themselves in the empty house and escaped capture….
While being plundered by the Rebels, I protested – when one of Mosby’s Officers struck me under the right eye with his pistol. (I could not see for two weeks afterwards.) At Woodville Va Mosby sent his surgeon to me but I declined his services. The scar is still visible though no bad effects have yet developed.
At Richmond Va I was a prisoner at Crew and Pemberton Tobacco Warehouse 3 months, then at Scott’s Prison on Main Street and removed with 600 others on the night of 22nd Feby to Andersonville Prison – Georgia where we arrived 1st March 1864. Staid here 6 months thence to Stockade at Savannah Geo. thence to Millen Geo. thence to Charleston S.C. being confined in Roper Hospital on Queen St and under fire of the “Swamp Angel” on Morris Island. From here was sent to Florence S.C. thence back to Charleston S.C. where I was exchanged 11th day of Dec – 1864 and shipped on the US Transport Steamer “Varuna” for “Camp Parole” Annapolis Md. – Sent too New York City and mustered out of the US Service 30th January 1865, being a Prisoner of War one year and 14 days being 40 months in the Service…
….While a prisoner of War in Crew and Pemberton Prison Richmond Va I had typhoid fever and knew nothing for 10 days. The Rebel doctor attempted to remove me to the hospital but I resisted the guards and was left on the floor to die as the case might be. We had no medical attendant or medicines while Prisoners of War at Andersonville, Savannah or Millen….While at Andersonville I had scurvy in the mouth, by which I lost 3 teeth. Here also I had rheumatism in arms and legs. Suffered intense pain all the time and had to hobble around on a stick like thousands of others.
During August 1864 2,992 prisoners of War died at Andersonville – 12,946 dead are there now. Continuous rains – lying on the ground without shelter – and privations have unfitted me ever since to withstand changes in the weather and travelling in my profession….For the past 9 years I have been partly supported by my Mother who has a small income…”
R.K. Sneden
New York, Nov 10th 1887"
************************
Red/Cyan (not red/blue) glasses of the proper density must be used to view 3D effect without ghosting. Anaglyph prepared using red cyan glasses from The Center For Civil War Photography / American Battlefield Trust. CCWP Link: www.civilwarphotography.org/