"A Very Fine Appearance:" The Vermont Civil War Photographs of George Houghton

By Donald H. Wickman, foreword by Harold Holzer. Published by the Vermont Historical Society.

"A Very Fine Appearance" belongs in every Civil War enthusiast's library alongside other photographic collections . . . owning a copy of Houghton's masterful Civil War photography is well worth the cost. "A Very Fine Appearance" is a handsome publication in its own right, and reminds us once again that there will always be room for "real" books in an age of e-readers.
—from All Not So Quiet Along The Potomac, Blog from A DC Lawyer on the Civil War

Click to enlarge.Donald H. Wickman's stunning new book focuses on Brattleboro photographer, George Houghton, and his photographs that captured the very marrow of Vermont soldiers' experiences during the Civil War. With over 100 images, "A Very Fine Appearance" pairs photographs with excerpts from the personal diaries and letters of Vermont soldiers.

Photographer George H. Houghton of Brattleboro accompanied Vermont soldiers into the field, documenting their experiences at Camp Griffin in Northern Virginia during the fall and winter of 1861-62; on the Virginia Peninsula during McClellan’s campaign in the spring and summer of 1862; and along the Occoquan River during the winter and spring of 1863. The images of those immersed in the battles truly express the significant role Vermonters played in the bloody conflict. Ken Burns, PBS filmmaker, commented, “This is a wonderful, intimate portrait of the war that still continues to define us.”

Noted author, historian, and the nation's most prominent scholar on Civil War photography, William A. Frassanito says, “Never before have the extraordinary efforts of a long-obscure Civil War cameraman named George H. Houghton been so thoroughly chronicled.”

“A Very Fine Appearance” reflects years of research by historian Donald H. Wickman, who also has written a biographical essay of Houghton that accompanies the photographs. An introduction by Harold Holzer provides additional context about photography during the Civil War.

Author Donald Wickman (r) and Representative Will Stevens (l) at the presentation event for "A Very Fine Appearance."

Book-signings

Please call (802) 479-8519 if you are interested in hosting a Don Wickman book-signing or would like to have him speak to your organization.

Interview

Click here to watch an interview with Donald H. Wickman about his book on WCAX News' "Books Over Breakfast."

Click here to listen to Scott Wheeler, host of The Vermont Voice on 1490 AM radio in Derby, Vermont. Scott interviews Donald Wickman about the horrors of the Civil War.