Craig Heberton, of the Center for Civil War Photography, tells us that the person seen in many of the Petersburg photographs attributed to Timothy O'Sullivan was his brother-in-law and fellow photographer, William Pywell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Pywell.  Keep it in the family!  Craig will publish more on this.
O'Sullivan and Vest Man

Fort Davis isn't really elusive- it's big and it still exists- but until now there was only one photograph of it identified.  It is beautifully captured in the background of LC 02607 and LC 02608.  If interested, download the tif version from the LC website for a more high definition view, which is clear enough to show ladders at the base of a signal tree.  The rectangular patterns in the grass- tent sites?  
Fort Davis & Battery XXII
Fort Sedgwick, better known as Fort Hell
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Three photos were taken of this unfortunate soldier struck with a piece of shrapnel between the eyes. Not near the Jerusalem Plank Road picket line photos. Current thinking puts these three photos nearer to Confederate Battery 25..

We appreciate this post on the blog of Ryan Moore at the Library of Congress Map Division- https://blogs.loc.gov/maps/2019/06/map-helps-uncover-civil-war-battlefield-tunnels-at-petersburg-virginia/.  The map that was key to our discovery of the location  Confederate tunnels is beautifully described by Moore and is a stunning example of the cartographer's art and science.  

A handy app makes it possible to offer a zoom function for historic maps and photos. We will eventually incorporate this function for earlier pages. See June 18, Federal Maps. Let us know what you think.

This is an accurate and entertaining depiction of how forces entrenched in the last year of the war. These skills learned by the soldiers in combat changed the face of the Civil War battlefield. Ear buds are suggested.

Progressive Entrenching

A very entertaining account has been added to the "Sinks" page... don't miss it.  Much goes on between the lines.

On a more heartwarming note- check out additions to Kittens, Puppies and Ponies.

We've added a version of a paper we delivered at the Society for Historical Archeology Conference in New Orleans on January 4.  Archeology isn't just about digging.  Much of it has to do with modeling the activity of humans on the landscape at various times and for various purposes. The paper addresses various levels and scales of observation between the lines of combatants- from the heights of signal towers and trees, to the depths of covered ways and picket posts in locations where the observers needed cover.

There’s more we could have added- French terms are particularly descriptive- boyaux, a military term for communications trenches, can literally be translated as bowels or guts.  A vidette, related to latin words about seeing and watching, is a mounted sentry in advance of the outposts of the army.

Also- sometimes we read or reread a regimental account that provides great descriptions of some of the features we've already posted.  In this case, James A. Emmerton, AA Record of the Twenty-third Regiment Mass. Vol. Infantry in the War of the Rebellion 1861-1865, provides good descriptions of the Confederate mine explosion of August 5, 1864, and has been added to our discussion of that topic.

He also has a vivid description of the August 15, 1865 flood, which has been added to
 Dams and Inundations. 
 "A Strange Sort of Warfare Underground"cord of the Twenty-third Regiment Mass. Vol. Infantry in the War of the Rebellion 1861-1865