New photography by Pat Cagney captured with a digital camera.

Provost Marshall's Office, Alexandria, Virginia

Artist A. J. Russell

CultureAmerican

Date1866 - 1869

MediumAlbumen print

DimensionsOverall, Image: 10 3/16 × 13 5/8 in. (25.9 × 34.6 cm)
Overall, Support: 16 13/16 × 19 7/8 in. (42.7 × 50.5 cm)
Overall, Mat: 23 15/16 × 27 15/16 in. (60.8 × 71 cm)

Credit LineGift of David L. Hack and Museum purchase, with funds from Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., by exchange

Object number98.32.220

Collections

Photography

Not on view

DescriptionThe David L. Hack Civil War Photography Collection. A line of men stand in uniform in front of a two story brick building. Several chimneys jut out of the roof. Large windows and decorative ionic columns dominate the façade. A circular window rests at the top of the building in the center. A sign above the doorway says "Provost Marshal's Office" and a banner along the top of the building says "Marine Fire Insurance Offices." Below the photograph the text reads "Alexandria Va." This is from _Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War_ (Hack Collection No. 2].

Label TextAndrew J. Russell American (1820-1902) Provost Marshall's Office, Alexandria, Virginia, ca.1863 Albumen print on original mount 98.32.220 The Provost Marshall's office was established under the command of General McClellan during the early part of the war. The Provost Marshall acted as both a Chief of Police and Magistrate. Among the duties of this office were making searches, seizures, and arrests. He had custody of deserters, from both North and South, and of prisoners of war. All prisoners taken in battle were turned over to the Provost Marshall and later transferred to special guards for delivery to secure camps. The Provost Marshall also had jurisdiction over the issuance of passes into camps for citizens, as well as responsibility to hear their complaints. His contact with the citizens also included supervision of the draft. He saw that order was preserved and enforced Marshall Law among the citizens. Edited By: DS Edited Date: 01/2006Exhibition History"Civil War Photographs from the David L. Hack Collection and Civil War Redux: Pinhole Photographs by Willie Anne Wright," Alice R. and Sol B. Frank Photo Galleries, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, February 3 - October 29, 2006; Cape Fear Museum, Wilmington, NC, February 15 - May 28, 2007; Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV, July 26 - September 21, 2008