| A collection related to John Jacob Omenhausser, an artist and Confederate soldier, known for his drawings and paintings depicting prisoners of war (POWs) and their Union Army guards at Point Lookout, Maryland.
The Brooks collection spans from Omenhausser’s childhood (1848) to after his death in 1877 and extends to both the Omenhausser and Howle families and their descendents. It includes artwork, letters, family photographs, and documents by and relating to John Jacob Omenhausser.
John Jacob Omenhausser was a private in the Confederate army, serving in the Richmond Light Infantry Blues of the 46th Virginia Infantry. On June 15, 1864, in Petersburg, Virginia, Omenhausser was captured by the Union Army and sent to Point Lookout in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, where he remained a prisoner-of-war until June 1865. Omenhausser is known for the artwork he produced during his imprisonment, which he sold to make money while we was a prisoner of war. Omenhausser's individual drawings and sketchbooks document his experiences of prison life and daily activities within Point Lookout. The scenes are often humorous, and include witty captions or cartoon-like dialogue to counterbalance the deprivations he and his fellow Confederates suffered. Some of his Point Lookout scenes show United States Colored Troops (USCT) soldiers serving as prison guards.
Most of the letters chronicle the relationship between John Omenhausser and Ann Howle, which culminated in their marriage on July 11, 1866. Omenhausser often included poems to his “Dearest Annie” in his letters and even proposed to her in a letter before he was captured.
Included are some of Omenhausser’s sketches and paintings. His subjects included: a pencil sketch of the Lewisburg Mess (1861); Camp Glover (1863); [Richmond?] Mess, Camp Duke (1863); Lewisburg Mess in color (1863); a watercolor of an unidentified camp scene (1863); and a sketch of Glover’s Plantation. There are also drawings of Baltimore that Omenhausser did in 1848.
Photographs include those of John Jacob Omenhausser, Ann Howle Omenhausser, their daughter Ida, and his sister, Louisa Regina Omenhausser Romoser. This collection also contains family genealogy for the Howle and Omenhausser families. There is an Omenhausser family Bible in which family members are listed. Other belongings of John Omenhausser include a German New Testament and a soldier’s hymn book. Items from Omenhausser’s youngest daughter, Susan Lee Omenhausser, are also part of this collection.
This collection also contains family genealogy for the Howle and Omenhausser families. There is an Omenhausser family Bible in which family members are listed. Other belongings of John Omenhausser include a German New Testament and a soldier’s hymn book. Items from Omenhausser’s youngest daughter, Susan Lee Omenhausser, are also part of this collection. |
