American Historical Ephemera and Photography

I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT THE NAME OF THE FATHER OF THE THREE LITTLE CHILDREN HAS BEEN DISCOVERED.

War-date letter from John A. McAllister to a "Mr. Lossing." Philadelphia, PA, 17 November 186[3?]. 2 pages, on bifolium, 5 1/4 x 8 in., creased along old folds, ink spotting. On patriotic letterhead.

In part: "I am glad to say that the name of the Father of the three little children has been discovered. His name Hummerton from Cattaraugus County N.Y."

CDV portrait of a trio of very unhappy-looking children, who became known by the title "Children of the Battlefield" (some spotting/discoloration to print). Philadelphia, PA: Gutekunst. Mount recto embossed "COPY" beneath image. Gutekunst's imprint on verso.

The image is a copy of an ambrotype that was discovered in the clutched hands of the deceased body of Amos Humiston on the battlefield at Gettysburg. He had received the ambrotype from his wife while at camp near Stafford Court House in Virginia. After its discovery, the image was made into CDV copies for mass distribution in order to identify the children and eventually to raise money for them.

Amos Humiston, of Portville, Cattaraugus County, New York, served as a sergeant in the 154th New York Volunteers. The children's names were Frank, Frederick, and Alice. Later copies of the image of the children included their names and a statement about the discovery of the image.