By Elliot Carter

Kriegsschauplatz von Nord-America (War plan of North America) is an aerial perspective drawing showing Washington DC just before the Civil War. The drawing depicts an enormous stretch of land - over 500 square miles - from Baltimore to Petersburg.

The drawing was commissioned by the Prussian military in 1862, the same year that Otto von Bismarck became Prime Minister. Prussia was a continental powerhouse in the 19th century at the forefront of military science. Their professional officer corps, der Generalstab, watched conflicts all over the world to study developments in tactics and technology.

They also sent official military observers to America during the Civil War to embed with Union and Confederate forces. One development that they took to heart was the importance of railroads and telegraphs in modern warfare.