The Army of the Potomac - A Sharpshooter on Picket Duty
1862
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1862
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A soldier crouches behind a tree, rifle in hand, peering into the distance. He wears a blue uniform and a cap, alone in a quiet forest. Sunlight filters through the trees around him. This image started as a drawing made during the Civil War. Winslow Homer was sent to Virginia by *Harper's Weekly* to sketch camp life. His drawings were turned into engravings for readers back home. He focused on quiet, real moments, not battle scenes. The soldier looks alert but also young and vulnerable. Look next at The Cleveland Museum of Art to see how Homer’s wartime sketches became powerful paintings.
![Soldier Taking Aim [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/59bbf30d729c412f/thumb.webp)
