Ghosts of Capitol Hill: Mathew Brady

As I have done my research of the ghosts of Capitol Hill, I have tried to understand why ghosts appear in the first place, what keeps some people around the area long after they have died. A recurring theme is that of someone whose work is not complete, that some closure needs to happen, that they simply died too early

One story that I find particularly poignant is that of the famed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady, who has been reported wandering in Congressional Cemetery, trying to recover the money that he feels he is owed.

The graves and monuments of congressmembers in Congressional Cemetery. (LOC)

Mathew Brady became the father of photojournalism through his work during the Civil War. He and the crews he hired took over 10,000 pictures during the war. In spite of the success he had in showing them during the war, he was unable to turn his work into income, especially when, after the war, the public lost interest in seeing the gory details of the recently-ended conflict.

Brady had spent over $100,000 dollars in creating these images, and hoped that the federal government – either Congress or the War Department – would reimburse him. Unfortunately, there was as little interest in doing so on the government’s part as there was interest in seeing the images by the general public.

Brady rapidly went broke, in spite of the success of his photography business; during the course of his career he photographed 18 of 19 presidents, from John Quincy Adams to William McKinley. In 1875, Congress granted him $25,000, which did not prevent Brady’s slide into bankruptcy.

After his wife died in 1887, and with his health – and particularly his eyesight – failing, Brady became a semi-recluse, and he died in 1896 from the aftereffects of a streetcar accident suffered in New York City.

He was about to be buried in a pauper’s grave when the members of the 7^th New York Infantry heard of  his corpse’s plight; they collected money to give him a proper funeral in Congressional Cemetery.

About 15 years after his death, Brady’s Civil War pictures were published as The Photographic History of the Civil War. This 10-volume set cemented Brady’s fame as a photographer and his place in history as the father of photojournalism. Sadly, it came far too late to help Brady.

Today, a frail ghost wearing Brady’s trademark slouch hat and wrinkled overcoat and sporting a pointed beard has been sighted moving from one cenotaph in Congressional Cemetery to the next, reading the inscriptions. It is said to be Brady, wandering amongst the graves and monuments of those congressmen who did not see fit to pay him for his work, still trying to get the money denied to him in life.

Ghost Tours continue on Capitol Hill through Hallowe’en, including kids’ tours the next two weekends. More information here.