American Civil War prints and
painting by Keith Rocco. The historical American Civil War art prints of
Keith Rocco include The Bivouac, The Patriots of '61, Always Ready, The
Last Full Measure and many more. Keith Rocco must certainly rate
as one of the US major Historical and military artist of today. His
meticulous research and eye for detail has built him a reputation
amongst print and original collectors and many of his paintings
hang in collections across the US, including The Andrew Mellon
Foundation, The Pentagon, Gettysburg National Park, National Guard
Heritage Collection and many others. These American Civil
War prints are available here from Cranston Fine Arts The Military Print
company
The Last Full Measure, 1st Minnesota Regiment at Gettysburg by Keith Rocco.
General Winfield Scott Hancock, commander of the Union Second Corps was trying to avert a disaster on the Union center. The exposed Third Corps was overrun and fleeing the battlefield, with the victorious Confederates in pursuit. This breakthrough opened an avenue to the Union rear that threatened the whole army. Hancock needed men to buy him time to bring reinforcements up to plug the gap in the Federal line. The general observed a body of men lying in a slight hollow, just behind the crest of Cemetery Ridge, to the left of the cemetery. He spurred his horse to this position. Hancock spied Colonel William Colvills 1st Minnesota Infantry, 1st brigade, 2nd division, Second Corps. These men were in reserve, but they had been watching the battle unfold through the dense clouds of gunsmoke that clung to the ground on this sultry summer day. The 1st Minnesota was understrength, shouldering but 262 muskets this day. The regiment had been bloodied on every field, from First Bull Run through .........
At Gettysburg, two men, Brigadier General John Buford and Major General John Reynolds, made critical command decisions during the frays opening stages that helped bring about a Northern victory. Their military savvy on the morning of July 1 delayed the Confederates and allowed the Union to gain possessions of the high ground south of Gettysburg. On July 1, the two officers reached the apex of their military careers. Buford deserves accolades for wisely deploying his two brigades of troopers across the ridges west of Gettysburg. The popping carbines and rumbling horse artillery of his command forced the lead elements of the Army of Northern Virginia to deploy off the dusty ribbon of the Chambersburg Pike, and form from a column into battle lines, a ponderous maneuver for nineteenth century infantry, and one that gained vital time for the van of the Federal advance, let by Reynolds, to arrive on the field. While Buford was giving battle, Reynolds was hurrying his foot soldiers toward t.........
For many who study the American Civil War, April 6, 1865, has come to be known as Black Thursday for the Confederacy. Three days earlier, General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia had evacuated the defenses protecting Richmond and Petersburg with the intention of heading towards North Carolina. Unfortunately for the Southern army, such plans were not meant to be. On April 5, as Lee departed Amelia Court House with his army, he found the Federal army entrenched across his path at Jetersville station on the Richmond & Danville Railroad. Choosing not to bring on an engagement, instead the Confederate commander determined he would make a night march around the Union roadblock. The Confederate army now began heading in a westward direction toward Farmville. At this point he was told, rations would be available for his men before they continued on with their journey to North Carolina. All went well through most of the morning of the 6th. Finally in mid-afternoon, while the army was c.........
It was the morning of September 17, 1862 -- a day destined to become the bloodiest 24 hours in American history -- and the 9th New York quietly steadied themselves for the trial to come. The Ninth New York was one of the Federal Army's most colorfully-uniformed commands, clad in exotic regalia inspired by the famed French colonial troops called Zouaves. Like many Yankee Zouave units, at the outbreak of war in April, 1861 these sons of Manhattan had raillied to the cause behind a dashing and charismatic leader Rush Hawkins. Colonel Hawkins was not present at Antietam; ten days earlier he had returned to New York on leave of absence, and the Ninth would go into battle under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Edgar. A. Kimball. While lacking Rush Hawkins good looks and sartorial splendor, Kimball was equally determined that the Ninth New York live up to the inscription emblazoned on the red silk of the regimental colors: Toujours Pret--Always Ready. Morning had given way to afternoo.........
Major General George G. Meade reached the Gettysburg battlefield just before midnight on July 1, 1863. Meade had been selected to command the Army of the Potomac just four days earlier, when Major General Joseph Hooker, the man whom Lee had defeated at Chancellorsville two months earlier, resigned over differences with the War Department. Few generals in the war bore a heavier burden of command than did Meade at Gettysburg. The country looked to him to deliver victory over a Confederate army that had not yet known defeat. If the Army of the Potomac was defeated, the consequences to the future of the Union would be grim. Meades headquarters was at Taneytown, Maryland, about thirteen miles south of Gettysburg. Meade stayed at Taneytown to better coordinate the movements of his army corps toward the battlefield. Only when he was certain the entire army was responding to the unexpected clash at Gettysburg did he transfer his headquarters to the battlefield. Meade rode to the gatehouse of.........
For many Americans, the early months leading up to, and during, the first year of the Civil War, were months spent in a flurry of patriotic activities. Few have expressed these times better than H.E. Sterkx, In the beginning patriotism became the prevailing emotion of the day and it affected old and young alike with the determination to do something, almost anything to help. Some designed flags for the republic, others made banners and delivered presentation speeches for local military units, and there were still many more who dedicated themselves to the tremendous task of encouraging men to enlist in the armed forces. It was a time like no other-- because it offered a rare opportunity for females to participate in public affairs. The roles which women played in supporting the war -north and south- through their domestic talents were noted, and honored, and praised at the time. Today, however, they are often overlooked. For the vast majority of women, contributions to the war effort .........
The acrid smell of gunpowder rankled the afternoon air over the plains at Manassas, Virginia. The guns of the Union and Confederate armies were engaged in the first great battle of the American Civil War, July 21, 1861. By early afternoon the hard-pressed Confederates were gathered on the slopes of Henry Hill, awaiting another onslaught, taking advantage of the lull to reorganize and reinforce their lines. On the reverse slope of the hill the brigade of General Thomas Jonathan Jackson posted here among a growth of pine trees to shelter the men from the harassing Federal artillery fire. Jacksons firmness here earlier in the day had already earned him the soon to be immortal name Stonewall, for his cool demeanor under fire. The Virginians had already been blooded with an attack on Captain Charles Griffins Federal battery. The attack of the 14th Brooklyn Zouaves was fierce and the New Yorkers hit Jacksons men hard, driving the 33rd Virginia and disrupting the 2nd Virginia, threatening to.........
