Our digital download package includes the historic photograph in three variations:
Brown textured background
Plain white background
Original file
Available in the following formats:
JPG
SVG
PNG
Ideal for:
Printing on demand
Use in creative projects
Support Non-Profit Every purchase supports the Non-Profit Road to the Civil War, keeping history about the Civil War open, free, and accessible to students of all ages. Your contribution preserves the legacy of our nation’s past for future generations.
John Burns Burns becomes an overnight hero at age sixty-nine for fighting as a “citizen soldier” alongside the Union army at Gettysburg. A veteran of the War of 1812, he dons his high silk hat and shoulders his flintlock rifle on Day 1 of the battle and joins the Iron Brigade’s 7th Wisconsin regiment in its defense of McPherson’s Woods. He receives several wounds and, after being detained by the Confederates, avoids a summary execution by claiming to be a noncombatant. He is treated by their surgeons and slips back to his home for safety. In November 1863, President Lincoln greets Burns prior to his Gettysburg Address, adding to the old man’s popularity.
