The Press Battalion

Posted by Julie L. Mellby on October 7, 2012
press battaliion2.jpg
Unidentified artist, The Press Battalion to be attached to the Manhattan Rifles, the attention of pressmen, compositors, engravers, journalists, and every department of the Art of Printing, is called to this Battalion, no date [1861-1865]. Graphic Arts Collection GC179 Broadsides Collection

33291.jpg
Our Civil War era recruitment broadside is similar to the one held by the New York Historical Society:


Manhattan Rifles! 1861-65. Civil War Recruitment Poster, featuring a Zouave, for New York Infantry Regiment, 12th (Lieut. Col. Geo. F. Watson, Comm’dg. Major Jno. M. Freeman). © New York Historical Society PR.055.3.226


The central image in our broadside is signed Shugg.
press battaliion3.jpg

Thanks to the Verona Printers in Gill, Massachusetts, we known their family’s printing business was begun in the early 1850s by the New York City chromolithographers at Richard Shugg & Company. “His son, Calvin Shugg, was a photoengraver and Calvin’s brother, Charles B. Shugg, was a pioneer in zinc plate printing. Their cousins were Proctor and James Shugg, of Shugg Brothers Engravers and Lithographers in New York City. Charles’ son, Charles P. Shugg, was also a well-known lithographer and plate-maker. Calvin’s son, William Shugg, worked in photography for print advertising.”

In 1903, the Manhattan Rifles became the first all Jewish regiment in the American National Guard. It is unclear what the relationship is, if any, between the first and the second organization.

Categories: