It’s 6:40 and I am here on the couch having a quiet moment before leaving for Governors Island. Somewhere along the way today I am going to squeeze in a mention of D-Day. When I was growing up June 6 was always a big deal; nowadays the anniversary of the Normandy Invasion barely registers. Only one person mentioned it to me yesterday. I suppose that’s the way it goes.

A few years ago during the sesquicentennial I wrote about the Liljenquist Collection at the Library of Congress. A few years ago the Liljenquist family donated their sizable collection of Civil War photographs and daguerreotypes to the Library of Congress. Soon after that donation the Library put a sizable portion of the donation on display. It is funny how the sesquicentennial is already receding into memory.

The image above came through my email the other day. It is Private Hiram L. Barrett of Co. K, of Joseph Hawley’s 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment. The little girl is Marrie. The metadata explains that the photo of the baby is probably from 1853. The Liljenquists bought well and wisely. The quality of the images is stunning.

Enjoy your Sunday.

(image/Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs, LOC)