Wounded and captured at the battle of Glendale, Virginia in 1862 and confined in Libby Prison

He was later exchanged for Confederate General Simon B. Buckner

Mathew Brady image

(1802-68) Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he graduated in the West Point class of 1822. Much of his pre-war army career was spent in Florida fighting against the Seminole Indians where he served as aide-de-camp to General Edmund P. Gaines. He distinguished himself during the Mexican War fighting under General Zachary Taylor, and was brevetted major and lieutenant colonel for gallantry at Palo Alto, and Resaca de la Palma. Appreciative Philadelphia citizens presented McCall with a sword upon his return to the city in 1847. He was appointed Inspector General of the U.S. Army, in 1853. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was commissioned major general of Pennsylvania Volunteers and commanded the famous "Pennsylvania Reserves" Division of the Army of the Potomac. He planned the operation against Dranesville, Va. in December 1861, and during the 1862 Virginia Peninsular campaign he formed the advance of General Fitz John Porter's Porter's 5th Corps as they gallantly opposed the assault of General A.P. Hill's Confederates across the Chickahominy. A few days later, on June 30, 1862, he was wounded and captured at the battle of Glendale (Frayser's Farm). While trying to ascertain his position without his staff officers, he instead ran into soldiers of the 47th Virginia Infantry, part of General James Longstreet's command. Longstreet had served as a Second Lieutenant under McCall in the 4th U.S. Infantry. Confined in Libby Prison, Richmond, Va., until August 18, 1862, he was paroled and exchanged for Confederate General Simon B. Buckner who had been taken prisoner at Fort Donelson, Tennessee in February 1862. With his his health broken from his confinement as a prisoner of war, he was forced to retire in March 1863. He was one of the oldest West Point graduates to fight in the Civil War. He died at his "Belair" estate in West Chester, Pennsylvania on February 25, 1868, and is buried in the Christ Church Burial Ground in his native Philadelphia. McCall was 65 years old at the time of his death.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Seated view wearing a double breasted frock coat with rank of major general, striking a Napoleonic pose with one hand inside of his uniform coat. Back mark: Brady's National Photographic Galleries, No. 352 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C., & Broadway & Tenth Street, New York. Period ID, "McCall" on the front mount. Scarce view. Very fine image.