As announced on Yahoo News this week, a recently discovered 19th C. painting of the pivotal Red River Campaign of the Civil War is coming to sale on January 25, 2013 in Minden, LA.

The painting, according to David J. Goldberg, president of The Appraisal Group of New Orleans, was most likely commissioned for a reunion of Confederate War Veterans.

During the Red River Campaign, in which the North sought to take Shreveport, LA, the South, under the command of Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor, was outnumbered two-to-one at best.  It surrendered to Maj. Gen. Nathanial P. Banks' Union forces in May 1864. The painting provides a dramatic view of one of the naval battles.

Against a ground of conflagration, it puts the power of artillery in the hands of the Confederacy, portraying Union warships in peril. In the foreground, a tender of Union naval personnel flee a sinking ship.  Flags flying on the beseiged ships are American flags.

The Red River Naval Battle painting may be the singular visual record of the campaign. A search of Civil War photography archives has surfaced no images of the Red River battles near Shreveport. The oil-on-canvas may have been done by someone who had first-hand knowledge of the battles or painted it from second-hand accounts delivered by soldiers who lived in Minden, perhaps even the relative of the current owner who fought on the side of the Confederacy.

Provenance on the painting is direct. It was passed down through the family of a Civil War soldier who lived in Minden, LA.

The Red River Naval Battle painting, which bears no signature, will be offered for sale on January 25, in Minden, LA, along with nearly 500 other historic properties that span the centuries the family has lived in Minden.

Other important properties include two colonial era portraits by a North Carolina artist. The portraits are classic Americana and are forbearers of the owners of the Minden historic home where the Estate Sale will be held.  

The Civil War painting, the American portraits, a Pottier & Stymus bed as well as the other items in the sale will be sold for fair market value. According to David Goldberg, "we want to see the walls stripped bare by the end of the three day sale." For a complete list of items in the Minden Historic Home Estate sale, please visit www.estatesalelouisiana.wordpress.com.

Details on condition and pricing can be obtained from David J.  Goldberg, 504-282-7611 or email mortongoldberg@cox.net