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Well over thirty years ago, historian Greg Mast began an endeavor to document and research the photographic portraits of Confederate soldiers from the Old North State. That project culminated in the publication of State Troops and Volunteers in 1995 by the Division of Archives and History, which included over 600 images and biographies.  Greg actually began work on this project as early as 1985, although it took him several years to realize that sufficient material survived to produce a book that would ultimately contain 603 photographs. Volume I of State Troops and Volunteers remains, to our knowledge, the largest book of portrait photographs of Civil War soldiers from a single state. Furthermore, each image was researched to the extent practicable in that distant pre-digital era and the stories of the soldiers were presented with the photographs of the soldiers!

In 2018, Fred Taylor teamed up with Greg and is committed to the continuation of the project and is now actively seeking North Carolina images for a successor work. While his efforts may not ever officially be a true “Volume 2,” our intent remains the same: to document and research the photographic legacy of Civil War soldiers from the Old North State.

So please continue to help us. If you have images that you are willing to share, please use our Contribute An Image link at the top of the page for submissions.

Images sought must be of North Carolinians. However, that can include Tar Heel soldiers who served in out-of-state or national units, and also soldiers from other states who served in North Carolina’s regiments and battalions. Primary consideration is given to uniformed images from the invention of photography, ca. 1839 to ca. 1870 [the Kirk-Holden War]. They may be antebellum militia, men who served in the US Army and Navy, Confederates soldiers from North Carolina, and Union soldiers from North Carolina. Also sought are images of soldiers not in uniform, but that date from the Civil War period. Wartime images of civilians (especially soldier wives) and politicians may also be submitted. Images of post-war North Carolina militia soldiers up to but not including World War I will be considered. Photographs of veterans are also sought, but, because of the large number of photographs of soldiers in their later years, we prefer images taken in veteran context, such as at reunions. If you have previously submitted images for State Troops and Volunteers and are still willing for your images to be used, please contact us.

Thank you for your continued support.

Greg Mast is a native of Watauga County, North Carolina, and near life-long enthusiast of Confederate history and military photography. Greg did his undergraduate work at Appalachian State University and received a master’s degree in history from Duke University. Greg’s seminal work, State Troops and Volunteers, remains the key resource for students, historians, and collectors of North Carolina images. Today, Greg resides with his wife in Person County and remains a passionate scholar in the quest to tell the story of the Tar Heel soldier.

Fred D. Taylor was born in Virginia, but proudly claims a strong North Carolina family lineage. Fred holds an undergraduate degree in history from Old Dominion University, and a juris doctor from the Mercer University School of Law. Today, Fred is a proud husband and father, practices law, continues to be a “student” of history, collector, and a writer. His work has appeared in such historical journals as Military Images and Civil War Navy Magazine, and several images formerly in his private collection are now included among the holdings of the Library of Congress.