Mathew B. Brady (1822 - January 15, 1896) was an American photographer, credited with being the father of photojournalism. After taking numerous photographs of soldiers before going off to war he decided he needed to document the war itself. His efforts to document the American Civil War on a grand scale by bringing his photographic studio right onto the battlefields earned Brady his place in history. But once the war was over the public lost interest in seeing his photos, and his popularity and practice declined drastically. During the war, Brady spent over $100,000 to create over 10,000 plates. He expected the government to buy the photographs when the war ended, but when the government refused he was forced to sell his NYC studio and go into bankruptcy. Congress granted Brady $25,000 in 1875, but he remained deeply in debt. Depressed by his financial situation, loss of eyesight and devastated by the death of his wife in 1887, he became very lonely. He died penniless in the charity ward of Presbyterian Hospital in NYC in 1896, at the age of 73, from complications following a streetcar accident.