Arthur Lumley was an Irish immigrant who was one of the first “Special Artists”, who brought the war home by providing striking depictions of scenes usually only observed by those on the battlefield. At the beginning of the Civil War Lumley was working for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. In April 1861he was sent by Leslie to become the first special artist attached to the Union Army of the Potomac. The 68th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as Cameron Rifles (after the Secretary of War at the time Simon Cameron) or the Second German Rifle Regiment was a part of the Union Army of the Potomac. Lumley sketched this signed piece on October 21st 1861 with a brief description of what is transpiring. The piece is 16 ½ inches by 11 ½ inches.
Script at the top of the piece reads as follows:
“At Benton’s tavern on the road to Fairfax courthouse near Alexandria Virginia. Oct 21st 1861 the moment of the advance. Cameron rifles General Blenker’s Division.” Below the border reads “foraging party coming in”
Below is additional information on the 68th New York Regiment via Wikipedia.
The 68th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Also known as the Cameron Rifles or the Second German Rifle Regiment, the men were mostly German immigrants. Organized in July 1861, three months after the outbreak of war, the 68th saw service in the Eastern and Western theaters.
As a part of the Army of the Potomac, it was initially assigned to the defenses of Washington, D.C. Later, the 68th was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley and fought at the Battle of Cross Keys. The men of the 68th were then reassigned to central Virginia and found themselves in the thick of the fighting at Second Bull Run. After returning to the nation’s capital, the regiment fought in Chancellorsville and was routed by Confederate forces. At Gettysburg, they saw battle on two of the three days and took heavy losses.
The regiment was then transferred to the west and participated in the Chattanooga campaign. The 68th fought in the battles of Wauhatchie and Missionary Ridge, assisting in the Union victories there. The regiment marched to relieve the siege of Knoxville, and then spent the last year of the war on occupation duty in Tennessee and Georgia, before being disbanded in November 1865.
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