General Stuart's Return from Pennsylvania, from "Confederate War Etchings" 1861 - 1863

Adalbert John Volck, a staunch Confederate sympathizer, created this etching as part of his series "Confederate War Etchings" to promote the Confederate cause. Volck romanticizes General Stuart's raid into Pennsylvania, portraying the Confederate soldiers as triumphant heroes. The etching offers a window into the Lost Cause narrative, which idealized the Confederacy and downplayed the role of slavery in the Civil War. Volck, through his art, actively participated in shaping the memory of the conflict. Look closely, and consider the identity of those absent from this celebratory image: the enslaved people whose forced labor underpinned the Confederacy’s economy, and whose freedom was at stake in the war. This absence speaks volumes about the selective history Volck sought to create. The etching reflects how art can perpetuate ideologies. It serves as a reminder of the power of images in shaping collective memory and national identity.