Who is the Civil War general on the cover of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"?

[E5RSY]

Having no success IDing him. Anybody know? And, why is he there, specifically?

Thanks, in advance.

Scott

 

[Brad Pittiful]

my search turned up...general fitz john porter

mentioned on this site

(link removed)

this paragraph

On The Seventh Day… Playback

We recorded for six days, and on the seventh, we played back. The album was finished August 10, and done the minute we stopped recording; it only had to be edited. Approaching it like a film, Bill was responsible for the creative editing that made this a piece of art, rather than just a bunch of songs with some conversation between them. He built it into a flowing event, with the art, the concept and the title. ‘Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ became obvious as the title after his editing.

Bill found that photograph of General Porter that he felt fit the cover. It seemed to him to capture the North and the South, and the history of America. The album was printed on chrome coat board, very thick. The record company didn’t want to make the cover, but they did. And it got a Grammy nomination!

My sister-in-law, Bill’s wife Alice McEuen, did the calligraphy. It took her about four days. She writes like that to this day.

then i search general porter and found his name to be fitz john porter

 

[surfoverb]

forrest gump?

 

[telex76]

forrest gump?

Nathan Bedford Forrest Gump.

 

[OlRedNeckHippy]

One of my all time favorites. Nice to finally know who that guy is, 44 years after the fact (1972).
(link removed)

 

[rand z]

One of my all time favorites. Nice to finally know who that guy is, 44 years after the fact (1972).
(link removed)

It introduced me, and a lot of other folks, to Bluegrass Music and Old Timey Country Music.

I count it as being an extremely important album in my life's musical education.

I haven't been the same since the first time I heard it...

 

[waparker4]

Looks like Admiral David Dixon Porter

 

[Buckocaster51]

I still remember hearing that for the first time.

Mighty fine stuff.

Jimmy Martin really stood out.

I had always assumed the photo was of Sherman.

Apparently I assumed wrong.

It is good to finally now the truth.

That album started my long association with J.W. Gallagher & Sons guitars. I sent a postcard off to: Mr. Gallagher, Wartrace, Tennessee and a few weeks later received a catalog. In the spring of 1975 I received my custom made Gallagher G-70 and it has been with me since.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Gonna dig it out and play it today.

Thanks for reminding me.

Man - those military types looked a lot alike back then.

Must have been hell at meetings...

 

[surfoverb]

Man - those military types looked a lot alike back then.

they all went to the same school and used the same tactics
thats partly why is was so bloody

 

[Fearnot]

Another fan here. It was my gateway into bluegrass and I listened to it incessantly for about two years in the mid '70s.

(Ironically, the year I spent in western Virginia cured me of my bluegrass phase. If I'd heard 'Rocky Top' one more time, there's no telling what might've happened. )

 

[BigDaddyLH]

The last war to feature really epic beards.

 

[MDMachiavelli]

Looks like Admiral David Dixon Porter

Definitely looks like him.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

The last war to feature really epic beards.

Uhhhhh....well...except for....

Ah forget it.

 

[radiocaster]

^I think the epic beards lost the Russian Revolution.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

^I think the epic beards lost the Russian Revolution.

From the sidelines:

image removed

 

[hekawi]

Looks like Admiral David Dixon Porter

it is David Dixon Porter. I think William McEuen in the article meant to say "Admiral Porter" and not "General Porter". BTW, General Fitz John Porter was his cousin.

 

[radiocaster]

From the sidelines:

image removed

the tsar too:
image removed

The thing about beards is that usually only cavalry and higher rank seamen were allowed to wear them, so with the decline of cavalry, the beards kind of disappeared.

 

[E5RSY]

I was away for awhile. Thanks for the replies and the solution.

In looking at some pics online it would seem there is a pretty good clue in the album cover photo: It appears Army officers had gaps in the columns of buttons (sets of three or four) on their blouses. Navy was continuous columns with no gaps, as in the picture.

Thanks, again.

 

[fendertx]

You guys sure it's not Andrew Luck!