Scarce carte-de-visite (CDV) photograph of Henry A. Wise, who served as both Governor of Virginia and as a brigadier general in the Confederate army. This seldom-encountered photograph shows Wise dressed in a military heavy great coat, with a slouch hat in his hands. A pencil inscription to his left simply reads, “Gen. H. Wise,” while a second inscription below the image reads “Gen. Wise." Verso bears the imprint and official cancellation stamp of Charles R. Rees, perhaps the best-known southern portrait photographer in operation during the war.

Henry A. Wise was born in Virginia in 1806. He practiced law there until he was elected to various senior public offices, first to Congress in 1833 and as governor in 1855. While serving as Virginia’s governor, he was heavily involved in the aftermath of John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry, and signed Brown’s death sentence. At the outbreak of Civil War Wise was appointed a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. He commanded the Department of North Carolina and then a Division of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia during the Peninsula Campaign. Later, he commanded troops who defended Petersburg during the initial assault on the city in 1864. Wise was promoted to Major General following the battle of Sayler’s Creek in 1865, and was present at Lee’s surrender. He returned to practicing law after the War, and eventually died in 1876.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [19th Century Photography, Daguerreotype, Ambrotype, Tintype, CDV, carte-de-visite, albumen, cabinet card]