Harper’s Weekly April 4, 1863 – Vicksburg Canal, Confederate Spy Antonia Ford & Dixie War Scenes

Harper’s Weekly April 4, 1863 – Vicksburg Canal, Confederate Spy Antonia Ford & Dixie War Scenes


Description
📰 Original Civil War–era issue of Harper’s Weekly, published April 4, 1863, during the critical Vicksburg Campaign, when Union forces were attempting to control the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy.
This issue is especially desirable for its Vicksburg canal engineering scenes, multiple Thomas Nast war illustrations, and a rare woodcut portrait of Antonia Ford, one of the most famous female Confederate spies of the Civil War.


Highlights of This Issue
🕵️ Confederate Spy – Antonia Ford
Page three features a 4¾" x 5" woodcut portrait of Antonia Ford
Ford was a prominent Confederate spy operating in Virginia, later arrested and imprisoned by Union forces
Female spies are rarely illustrated, making this an especially notable and collectible image
🌊 Front Page – Vicksburg Canal & Mississippi Engineering
Two front-page illustrations showing Union attempts to bypass Vicksburg’s Confederate defenses:
“Break in the Mississippi Levee Near the Canal at Vicksburg”
“Cutting Away the Dam at the Head of the Vicksburg Canal”
These scenes document the ambitious (and ultimately unsuccessful) engineering efforts to reroute the Mississippi River
⚔️ Thomas Nast – War in Dixie
Full-page Nast illustration:
“Arrival of a Federal Column at a Planter’s House in Dixie”
Full-page Nast illustration:
“A Night Scout in the Southwest — Surprise of an Outpost & Survey of the Rebel Guns”
Powerful visual narratives showing occupation, reconnaissance, and tension in Confederate territory
🏕️ Union Armies & Infrastructure
Full page with three scenes titled “The Army of the Cumberland”, including:
Bridge over West Fork of Stone River built by General Mitchell
Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad (looking south)
Headquarters of Major-General McCook, commanding the 20th Army Corps
🔥 Additional Battle & Landscape Views
Full page:
“Warrenton From Our Batteries”
“Sunset Gun in the Yazoo”
🐎 Southern Economy & Seizures
Half-page illustration: “Sale of Confiscated Blood-Horses at New Orleans”
🪖 Portraits of Union Officers
Smaller portraits of:
Brigadier General Robert B. Mitchell
Brigadier General Leonard F. Ross
🗞️ Back Page Political Cartoon
Cartoon titled “The Last Shot”, reflecting wartime exhaustion and political tension


Condition
📌 Complete in 16 pages
📸 I photograph every page, so please review all images carefully and ask questions if needed.
Original 1863 issue
Typical age-related toning and light wear
Strong impressions throughout
No facsimiles or trimmed pages
Why This Issue Is Especially Desirable
⭐ Rare illustration of female Confederate spy Antonia Ford
⭐ Front-page Vicksburg Canal engineering scenes
⭐ Multiple strong Thomas Nast war illustrations
⭐ Excellent coverage of Dixie, Mississippi, and the Western Theater
⭐ Balanced mix of espionage, infrastructure, battle, and politics
This is a highly visual, story-rich Civil War Harper’s Weekly with appeal to collectors of Civil War espionage, Vicksburg history, and Thomas Nast artwork.


Framing & Display
🖼️ Optional archival framing available
Acid-free matting
UV-protective acrylic (not glass)
Clean, museum-style presentation
Excellent for:
Libraries and studies
Civil War or espionage collections
Educational or gallery-style display


Shipping
📦 Ships flat (never rolled)
📦 Carefully protected for transit
📦 Tracking included


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