James Gardner, brother and partner of photographer Alexander Gardener Gardner, corner 7th & D Strs., Washington, D.C

More than 2,500 special portrait photographs, called ambrotypes and tintypes, and small card photos called cartes de visite represent both Union and Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Tom Liljenquist and his sons Jason, Brandon, and Christian built this collection in memory of President Abraham Lincoln and the estimated 620,000-850,000 Union and Confederate servicemen who died in the American Civil War. For many, these photographs are the last known record we have of who they were and what they looked like. See "From the Donor's Perspective--The Last Full Measure" for the full story. The Liljenquist Family began donating their collection to the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division in 2010, and continues to add to it. In addition to the ambrotypes and tintypes, the collection also includes several manuscripts, patriotic envelopes, photographs on paper, and artifacts related to the Civil War. The portraits often show weapons, hats, canteens, musical instruments, painted backdrops, and other details that enhance the research value of the collection. Other photo topics include flags, city views, veterans, and ships. Among the rarest images are sailors, African Americans in uniform, Lincoln campaign buttons, and portraits of soldiers with their families and friends. LOC Prints & Photographs Division holds thousands of images relating to the Civil War, found in many different collections.

Alexander Gardner was a Scottish photographer who is best known for his photographs of the American Civil War. He was born on October 17, 1821, in Paisley, Scotland, and began his career as a jeweler's apprentice. However, he soon became interested in photography and moved to Glasgow to work as a photographer's assistant. In 1856, Gardner emigrated to the United States and opened a photography studio in Washington, D.C. He quickly gained a reputation as a skilled photographer and was hired by Mathew Brady to work for his studio. Gardner became one of Brady's most trusted assistants and was responsible for many of the studio's most famous photographs. During the Civil War, Gardner was sent by Brady to photograph the Union Army's campaigns. He took some of the most iconic images of the war, including the first photograph of President Abraham Lincoln at Antietam and the famous "Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter" photograph. After the war, Gardner continued to work as a photographer and opened his own studio in Washington, D.C. He also traveled extensively and took photographs of Native American tribes in the West. Gardner died on December 10, 1882, in Washington, D.C. His legacy as one of the most important photographers of the Civil War era lives on through his powerful images that captured the horrors and heroism of one of America's darkest periods.