Photos: The Best Facial Hair in the Civil War

Browse through these portraits of officers with great facial hair and then vote for your favorite

  • By Jeff Campagna and Brian Wolly
  • Smithsonian.com, April 29, 2011
| 11 of 25 |

Rear Admiral Stephen Bleecker Luce Col. John Haskell King Maj. Gen. John Dunlap Stevenson unidentified soldier Maj. Gen. James Allen Hardie Maj. Gen. W.B. Hazen
Maj. Gen. James Allen Hardie

(Library Of Congress)


Maj. Gen. James Allen Hardie served during the Mexican-American War and in the Civil War largely played an administrative role. When Gen. George Meade received word that he was to be commander of the Army of the Potomac, it was from orders delivered by Hardie.

Can this mustache handle the competition? Vote for this facial hair!

| 11 of 25 |





 

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Girls just love that hair

Didn't see James Longstreet or Stonewall Jackson..Was this contest about facial hair or weird ways of growing it? Consider Longstreet's sideburns in his later years..Those were impressive..

I would have liked to see more Confederate generals. Seems like the South was mostly clean shaven.

Looks just like my friend Cliff Pops Duggins!

Do any of these styles have names? If not, that would also be a great competition!

" . . . [N]ever really about slavery"? May I suggest that Mr. Price read James McPherson's "Tried By War" for the historically substantiated contrary conclusion.

Looks like Rear Admiral Stephen Bleecker Luce got into the hemp stash!

Where is Burnside? He was in the magazine.

The most handsome man in this line up is definitely "Jeb" Stuart - hair, no hair, whatever! He reminds me of several of my cousins, and that doesn't surprise me since we're all from the same area, from the same families of long ago. The War Between the States was never really about slavery; that horribly institution woud've ended in about the sameamount oftime, without such losss of life but the real issue made men and women fighting mad! State rights. Too bad the South lost so badly - NOW we need some of those state's right BACK! The South, during Restoration, was kicked when down, for sure. Carpetbaggers raped and ripped off and ruined so much; no wonder the South took forever to catch up with all kinds of things! One thing for sure,we gave up FAR too many state rights over the years.

Now? So much for the federal govt being a "servant to the states." It's just the opposite! Maybe the Occupy movement can turn some of this around. The Bonus Army left ripples that created the middle class as we know it today, so if THEY can occupy and make change, then we, their children and grandchildren, can do it, too! States rights rule, right, JEB!? :-D

What about Union General Naglee? Now that was some major facial hair. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Morris_Naglee

I think have a photo of Abe Lincoln about the age of 20 trying to find his photo to compare looks at that age

Wow! The shape of his head makes me feel sorry for his mother! What a magnificent done he has!

I didn't see General Lee.

Where's U.S. Grant? How could you have left him out? Too obvious? Alvord's facial hair may not be a prize winner, but his George Clooney eyes absolutely knock me out.



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