The War for the Union, 1862 - A Bayonet Charge

The War for the Union, 1862 - A Bayonet Charge by American 19th Century; Winslow Homer, is a striking wood engraving created in 1862, depicting the close-quarters combat defining the American Civil War. As an artist-correspondent for Harper's Weekly, Homer utilized the print medium, specifically the highly reproducible wood engraving, to quickly disseminate dramatic and impactful images of the conflict to a wide audience. This work captures the essential brutality of 19th-century warfare, showing a massed formation of Union soldiers fixing bayonets and pushing aggressively against an unseen enemy line.

Homer’s artistic skill allows him to translate the chaotic energy and intense motion of the charge into a composition defined by powerful linear contrasts and dramatic light and shadow. Unlike many earlier depictions of war, the focus is not on individual heroes but on the unified, terrifying effort of the collective body of troops, underscoring the grim determination required of soldiers during this era. This print stands as a critical example of American visual culture created during the height of the conflict, reflecting the period 1851 to 1875 when photography was emerging, yet wood engravings remained the primary means of mass pictorial communication.

Homer’s early work laid the foundation for his reputation as one of the most significant American artists of the era. This powerful print, which occasionally appears cataloged simply as A Bayonet Charge, serves both as an artistic achievement and a valuable historical document. It is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to its status and age, high-resolution reproductions of the work are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring continued scholarly access to this pivotal moment captured in history.