Tracking Down a Lost Photograph of Robert Gould Shaw

(Source: National Park Service)

I am in the process of finalizing the images that I will use for my forthcoming biography of Robert Gould Shaw, which will be published by the University of North Carolina Press in early 2026.

There are a number of images of Shaw that I plan to use that track his time in the military, including the Second Massachusetts Regiment and especially the Fifty-Fourth Volunteer Infantry. Up until a few weeks ago, however, I was under the impression that nothing existed from the few months that Shaw spent with the Seventh New York Militia in 1861. Turns out that at least one photograph was taken of Shaw in his uniform. This carte de visite is apparently not widely known and has appeared in print only in Roger Hunt's Colonels in Blue series published by Schiffer Publishing.

How did Shaw end up in a New York unit early in the war? Though born in Boston and educated at Harvard, Shaw’s family moved to Staten Island when he was very young. He attended school at St. John’s College (Fordham University) before heading to Europe to continue his education in the early 1850s. In early 1861, Shaw was working in New York City when he joined the Seventh New York.

It’s a wonderful image. Shaw, along with the rest of the regiment, donned grey uniforms (a color worn by many militia units at the beginning of the war, both North and South) and sky-blue overcoats. Each man carried a knapsack and one rolled blanket. In addition to extra boots, mess-kits, and rations, the regiment was issued 1856 rifle muskets manufactured at the Harpers Ferry arsenal.

The photograph is credited to Henry Deeks. I contacted my friend and fellow historian Ronald Coddington to see if he might have any contact information for Mr. Deeks. Ron is one of the leading experts on Civil War photography. Unfortunately, he informed me that Mr. Deeks passed away a number of years ago. After contacting two other people, I learned that the photograph was likely sold to a woman who was writing a book about Shaw. This was roughly eighteen years ago.

I know this is a long shot, but as you might imagine, I am very interested in securing the publishing rights for this image. If any of you have any additional information concerning the current owner, I would very much appreciate it if you would share it with me. I am happy to forward my personal email address if necessary.

Thank you.

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How many of you know that a scene depicting Robert Gould Shaw with the Seventh New York was filmed for the movie Glory, but was eventually cut? Here is a photograph of the unit working out in a New York armory in 1861. You can see Matthew Broderick standing at attention to the right of the cannon.