Name/Title
Night Guard before Starting: Reading the Roll by Albert BerghausEntry/Object ID
IMG3685Description
Night guard officers in Charles Town standing in formation in front of a building. Two officers in foreground reading orders to the guard officers. One officer holds the paper orders, while the other officer holds a lantern.
This sketch was later engraved and published in the December 10th issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper with the title "Meeting the Picket Guard - The Officer Reading the Roll and Giving his Directions Previous to the Guard Going on Duty for the Night." Unlike the engraving, however, this drawing provides specific names for the Virginia militia detachments forming the picket guard, identifying them left to right as "Richmond Militia" (Richmond Greys), "Continentals" (Continental Morgan Guard from Winchester), and "Frederick Militia" (from Frederick County, Virginia).
There are a number of small sketch portraits and doodles on verso.
The sketch is undated but would have been drawn in the weeks or days leading up to Brown's execution on December 2, 1859. The sketch is also unsigned, but is known to be Albert Berghaus' work due to its later publication in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper.Acquisition
Accession
62Source or Donor
Jefferson County MuseumAcquisition Method
PurchaseMade/Created
Date made
1859Place
* Untyped Place
Charles Town, West Virginia