Mathew Brady - 1864. Camp of the 44th New York Volunteer Infantry, also known as the "Ellsworth Avengers" and the "People's Ellsworth Regiment." The unit was raised in honor of Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth, who was killed at the Marshall House Hotel on May 24, 1861, during the Union Army's occupation of Alexandria. The 44th New York was stationed at Alexandria from January 24, to April 29, 1964, and assigned to guard duty on U.S. Military Railroad trains. The unit's regimental history, published in 1911, provides a detailed description of its camp on Shuter's Hill.
. . . the regiment went into permanent camp for the rest of the winter, at the head of King Street. The grounds were spacious and the camp was laid out with great regularity. it is not too much to say that when completed the camp was a model in all its detail. After the streets and tents of the regiment had been put in superior condition, a beautiful arch was created at the foot of each street. All the arches except the central arch were of similar design and construction, elaborately and beautifully trimmed with evergreens.
On Sunday, the 20th of March, an artist came from Brady's famous war-time picture gallery in Washington and took different impressions of the camp from which large pictures were made, many of which are still preserved by members and friends of the regiment.
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