The Army of the Potomac— a Sharp-shooter on Picket Duty

Rifles, accurate at a greater distance than muskets, are one reason for the staggering loss of life during the Civil War. The Napoleonic tactic of lines of infantry advancing on entrenched positions was suicidal against modern weapons. Rifles also enabled a new type of assault: the sharp-shooter, or sniper. The solitary nature of the sniper’s post allowed Winslow Homer to zoom in for a striking composition of diagonal lines as well as dark against light. He was taking a greater interest in a fine art career and chose his own subject. The caption merely notes, “from a painting by Winslow Homer.”