Mortally wounded at Gettysburg

(1821-63) After attending the University of Nashville, and studying law, he became the editor of the Columbus, Miss. Democrat. He served in the Mexican War as an enlisted man and officer, and was elected to Congress from Mississippi in 1852, where he vehemently upheld the cause of states rights until his resignation upon the secession of Mississippi from the Union. Barksdale was at first appointed quartermaster general of Mississippi; then entered the Confederate service as colonel of the 13th Mississippi Infantry, which he commanded at 1st Manassas. As a regimental commander and subsequently as a brigadier general, to rank from August 12, 1862, he distinguished himself on all the early battlefields of the Army of Northern Virginia. At Fredericksburg, his Mississipians frustrated for hours the attempts of Ambrose E. Burnside's engineers to build their pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock. On July 2, 1863, during the second day's fighting at Gettysburg, Barksdale was mortally wounded leading his Mississippi Brigade, and died the next day within the Union lines.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 3 3/4 card. Bottom of the mount has been trimmed. Chest up view in civilian attire. No uniformed pose of Barksdale is known to exist. Back mark: E. & H.T. Anthony, New York.