The Army of The Potomac—Our Outlying Picket in the Woods

The Army of The Potomac—Our Outlying Picket in the Woods is a significant wood engraving on paper created by Winslow Homer (American, 1836-1910) in 1862. Published in the widely circulated journal Harper's Weekly, this print provided citizens of the United States with immediate visual access to the realities of the Civil War.

As a correspondent-artist embedded with the Union forces, Homer utilized the highly reproducible medium of wood engraving, which allowed for rapid dissemination of imagery across the nation. This classification of print emphasizes the immediacy and documentary function of the artwork, serving as a vital piece of war reportage rather than a traditional fine art production. The detailed rendering, characteristic of the era's pictorial journalism, often focused on the mundane, yet essential, duties of the common soldier.

The scene depicts the Union’s Army of the Potomac, specifically focusing on an outlying picket posted within a dense wooded area. Homer consistently favored intimate moments of soldiers performing routine tasks over the glorification of battle. The work conveys the isolation and vigilance required of picket duty, capturing the inherent tension experienced by those stationed on the contested frontier between the opposing armies. Homer's focus on the individual experience became a defining characteristic of his artistic output during and after the conflict.

This piece stands as a powerful example of early American illustrated journalism adapted to the print medium. As Homer matured, these early sketches and published prints formed the basis for his later, more complex oil paintings. Today, high-quality images of this historical work are often available through the public domain, allowing wide access to its historical documentation. This historic print remains part of the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.