Henry Mosler (1841 -1920) kept a diary in October 1862. In it, he recorded observations about his service as an illustrator for Harper’s Weekly and an aide-de-camp to General R. W. Johnson of the Ninth Indiana Volunteer Regiment. This was Mosler’s first professional position as an artist. During this period, he wrote about his time with the troops: their movements, encampments, and encounters.

This digital exhibition presents and interprets his Civil War diary. Visitors can read his writing, examine published illustrations, follow his trek on a historic map of Kentucky, mark events of his life on the timeline, and explore selected diary entries in greater depth on the blog.

Comments

[Estill Curtis Pennington]

Mosler's Civil War diaries and sketch books became the foundation for his first important painting. "The Lost Cause" was commissioned after the war by a family with deep Confederate ties and loyalties...I used this material for my entry on Mosler in several recent publications. It is a vital document in the history of painting in the South. Thank you! Estill Curtis Pennington