Rare Pictures From the American Civil War Era

A Houston housewife who has quietly collected rare Civil War images for 50 years has sold more than 500 early photographs to the Library of Congress. Many of them are stereo pictures, or two of the same frame that are printed on one card and meant to be seen in 3-D via a stereo viewer—since the 1970s.

The library announced the acquisition Sunday and is placing the first 77 images online. Some scenes offer a rare glimpse of slave life in the South. Another set depicts President Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession in 1865... Here are some of sample images from the collection.

The promenade along the Battery in Charleston Harbor, 1861.

A view of Charleston harbor from the battery with a ship at anchor in the distance. One man leans against the fence post while another is seated on a bench., 1861

Members of the Marion Light Artillery cleaning a gun in one of the batteries on Coles Island, South Carolina, 1861.

Artillery and fortifications on Coles Island, South Carolina, 1861.

The exterior walls of Fort Sumter damaged by Confederate bombardment. Four men stand near a boat in the foreground, 1861.

The an interior view of Fort Moultrie in Charleston harbor after the first bombardment by the Confederates. Confederate soldiers are gathered on the parapet with artillery,  April 1861.

Fort Moultrie, Charleston, S.C., April 1861.

Sumter after bombardment, 1861.

Interior Sumter the day after Gen. Anderson left, April 1861.

Mills House Hotel, Charleston, Feb. 1863.

Morris Island Battery, April 1863.

Mount Pleasant, Charleston, S.C., 1861.

Fort Sumtert, Charleston, S.C., 1861.

A plantation in Charleston, S.C., between 1860 and 1863.

Plantation workshops in Charleston, S.C., between 1860 and 1863.

Planter's house near Rockville, 1863.

Planter's summer residence, between 1860 and 1863.

Plantation no. 12, Rockville Plantation, near Charleston, SC., Jan. 1863.

Plantation no. 7, Rockville Plantation negro church, Charleston, S.C., Jany. 31, 1863.

 Southern artillery militia, Charleston, between 1861 and 1865.

Sumter, the day after its capture, between 1861 and 1863.

Sumter parapet with dismounted gun, between 1861 and 1863.

Fort Sumter entrance, Charleston, S.C., between 1861 and 1863.

Fort Sumter interior with flag staff, Charleston, S.C., between 1861 and 1863.

Continuation of ruins of officer's quarters on the right of the gateway, between 1861 and 1863.

Circular Church and Secession Hall, Charleston, between 1861 and 1865.

Home of Abraham Lincoln, 1865.

Abraham Lincoln's casket conveyed by funeral car through the crowd on Broad Street in Philadelphia, April 22, 1865.

A group of citizens entering the grounds of the Illinois state house to view the body of Abraham Lincoln on May 3 or 4, 1865. Two soldiers stand near the specially built arch. The African American man with the cane near the head of the line is Reverend Henry Brown.

The public receiving tomb of Abraham Lincoln at Oak Ridge Cemetery. One man is seated in the foreground and another man stands at the entrance to the vault along with two soldiers in uniform., May 1865.

A view of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. after the death of Abraham Lincoln showing mourning bands draped on columns, and a flag at half staff. A caisson is parked in the foreground, 1865.

A view from a hill of a crowd observing a tribute to Abraham Lincoln on the street below, between 1865 and 1867.

An aerial view of buildings on Broadway near Bowling Green draped with mourning cloth in preparation for Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession, April 24, 1865.

Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession on Broadway heading towards Union Square. The building on the left is the home of Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt, grandfather of Theodore Roosevelt, April 24, 1865.

An aerial view of buildings on Broadway draped with mourning cloth in preparation for Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession, April 24, 1865.

(Images: Osborn & Durbec—Robin G. Stanford Collection/Library of Congress)