Edwin Forbes was born in New York City in 1839. At eighteen years of age he began the study of art and devoted himself to animal painting. In 1859 he became a pupil of Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait. From 1861-1882 his work was exhibited at the National Academy of Design. At the beginning of the civil war he joined the Army of the Potomac. There he became a Civil War reportorial artist for Leslie's Illustrated newspaper, joining the staff at age 22 in 1861. He was one of the youngest and one of the few artists who covered the entire war. Most of his illustrations were of the daily life of the soldiers, but he also depicted battle scenes including the Second Battle of Bull Run, and Hooker's Charge at Antiedam.

Forbes sketches of his experiences during this period of time were preserved in a series of copperplate etchings, which were exhibited at the Centennial exposition of 1876, and awarded a medal. General W. T. Sherman bought the first proofs for the United States government, and they are now in the War Department at Washington. He used many of his pencil sketches as studies for large paintings after the War and from them, did a series of detailed etchings, which were published in "Life Studies of the Great Army" in 1876 and "Thirty Years After: An Artist's Story of the Great War."

In 1877 he was elected an honorary member of the London etching club. His studio was in Brooklyn, and 1878 he devoted himself to landscape and cattle pictures.

Later in his career, his right side was paralyzed, and he learned to paint left-handed. Edwin Forbes died in 1895.