He commanded several artillery pieces at Fort Sumter during the Confederate bombardment that started the Civil War in April 1861

Severely wounded at the Battles of Antietam, Maryland, and at the Weldon Railroad, Virginia

(1829-92) Born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Medical School in 1850. The following year he accepted an appointment as assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army and served at various points on the western frontier until 1860. He was stationed at Fort Moultrie, in Charleston Harbor, and then was transferred to Fort Sumter where he was the surgeon on duty at the fort. Despite his purely medical background, he commanded several of the artillery pieces returning fire from the fort during the Confederate bombardment. A month after Fort Sumter, Crawford decided on a career change and he accepted a commission as a major in the 13th U.S. Infantry. During the 1862 Shenandoah Valley campaign, Crawford, who had been promoted to brigadier general on April 25, 1862, was highly praised by General N.P. Banks. At the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Crawford's brigade launched a surprise attack upon the Confederate left, routing a division that included the Stonewall Brigade. The Confederates counterattacked, however, and Crawford's brigade, which was unsupported by other units, was driven back with 50% casualties. At the Battle of Antietam he commanded a division, and was severely wounded in the right thigh. His wound took eight months to heal properly and he was unable to return to the field until May 1863, when he was given command of the Pennsylvania Reserves Division, which he led with great distinction at Gettysburg, where his troops drove the Confederates out of "the Valley of Death" beside Little Round Top, with Crawford dramatically seizing the colors and leading them from the front. The preservation of the Gettysburg battlefield was due in large part to General Crawford's efforts. He later led his Pennsylvanians in all operations of the Army of the Potomac until the close of the war. General Crawford was brevetted for gallantry in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Five Forks and the siege of Petersburg. President Abraham Lincoln nominated Crawford for appointment to brevet major general, to rank from August 1, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination. On August 18th, he was wounded in the chest in the action at the Weldon Railroad, Va. General Crawford was present for General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, on April 9, 1865, which made him one of the few soldiers to be present at both the beginning and the end of the Civil War. Crawford retired from the United States Army on February 19, 1873, with the rank of Brigadier General, U.S. Army. He authored the book "The Genesis of the Civil War," published in 1887. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 3, 1892, and was interred in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia. A statue of General Crawford was dedicated in "The Valley of Death," in front of Little Round Top, at Gettysburg, depicting him clutching a bullet-riddled American flag.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to a 2 3/8 x 4 card. Chest up view in uniform with rank of brigadier general. Brady, New York imprint on the front mount. Back mark: Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries, Broadway & Tenth Street, New York & No. 352 Pennsylvania Av., Washington, D.C. Excellent image. Very desirable. Scarce.