The individual shown in this EBay listing, and in the attached image, is tentatively ID'd as a First Sergeant in the 67th Illinois although his coat is more akin to a company-grade officer's.
The man's method is of sword carriage is intriguing. If we allow for the obvious possibilities (i.e., he was either unfamiliar with how to properly hold a sword at the shoulder, or, conversely, his positioning was simply more comfortable for a fairly long exposure), the man shown seems to be holding his sword much in the same way as he would for a rifle-musket. I've seen another c.1862 image of an officer holding his sword in a similar fashion. This suggests, to me anyway, that some individuals elected to carry swords in this fashion simply because it was more comfortable or they may have been physically unable to do so due to injuries, etc.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
Yours, &c.,
Mark Jaeger
The man's method is of sword carriage is intriguing. If we allow for the obvious possibilities (i.e., he was either unfamiliar with how to properly hold a sword at the shoulder, or, conversely, his positioning was simply more comfortable for a fairly long exposure), the man shown seems to be holding his sword much in the same way as he would for a rifle-musket. I've seen another c.1862 image of an officer holding his sword in a similar fashion. This suggests, to me anyway, that some individuals elected to carry swords in this fashion simply because it was more comfortable or they may have been physically unable to do so due to injuries, etc.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
Yours, &c.,
Mark Jaeger
Comment