New picture

[dusty27]

We had such fun with the last picture, I went searching again and found this one.

The caption on the LOC site reads;

Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, the Army of the James, June 1864-April 1865. Shows a group of African Americans in front of a house; they appear to be servants.



How can they say that? The man on the left has sergeant stripes, no? They are both wearing uniforms. Now if our "blow up" experts out there can find some details to discuss......

[flattop32355]

Re: New picture

Don't look like servants to me. The corps badge on the fellow on the left looks more like a cavalry or 1st veteran corps badge than 18th or 25th corps.

Would be interesting to know what's on the other side of the hill. Looks like they built their shelter into the backslope to be close to the line.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: New picture

Dusty

I think you are right. I think these men are USCT. Especially since it is Army of the James. I think they look very soldierly despite the mud and otherwise "western front" conditions they are living in. Now way are these men servants.

Is it me or do USCT troops show up with dresscoats alot?

[dusty27]

Re: New picture

Great picture of tools in the bottom left corner. Shovel and some picks. Is that an ax near the door?

JASON!!!!

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: New picture

I like the masonry chimney. I think it is brick masonry, but I don't want jump to conclusions.

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: New picture

Yeah, they are both wearing frock coats . . .The sgt on the left also has a trowser stripe, his badge is probably a variant Army of the James style . . . .

There are some assorted other tool handles, etc. Nothing fabulous . . .

[ThehosGendar]

Re: New picture

The annoying thing about this picture (besides the incorrect caption) is that, at maximum resolution, the focus kicks in right around the chimney, so you can make out all the lovely details of original twigs and bramblery, but the two soliders are a blur! It's a shame, as there probably would have been some lovely detail on the badge.

Ryan's right... unfortunately, there isn't much in the way of mysterious hidden things in this one... Some picks and shovels in the lower left, what may be an axe by the door, but the axe itself is hidden from view. Here's the brick chimney:



I agree that these fellows are soldiers. While some servants are pictured wearing articles of issue clothing, they aren't wearing them in a polished manner as these fellows are, and, certainly, what would a servant be doing wearing sergeant's stripes?

These are servants:


And it looks like they forgot to defarb their camp, because they left out their can of Chunky Soup and a CD. They couldn't even hide it for the camera. *shakes head disapprovingly*

[Company Tailor]

Re: New picture

I'm not expert on tinware but is that a rolled edge on the bottom lid of that can in the closeup?

I was always under the impression that was a later characteristic of cans and dippers and the like.

Anyone?

[texandrummer61]

Re: New picture

Great picture, but I would like to know where it was taken. The nco on the left definently looks like cavalry, the other guy's uniform looks different - I
can't find the trim like the nco's on his uniform. If I knew how to zoom or get
the thumbnails , maybe it would be there.

Ian Broadhead

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: New picture

"The nco on the left definently looks like cavalry, the other guy's uniform looks different - I
can't find the trim like the nco's on his uniform. "
Ian Broadhead[/QUOTE]

Definately not a cavalry corps badge. It looks like 18th corps to me.

Dave Myrick

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: New picture

Great picture, but I would like to know where it was taken. The nco on the left definently looks like cavalry, the other guy's uniform looks different - I
can't find the trim like the nco's on his uniform. If I knew how to zoom or get
the thumbnails , maybe it would be there.

Ian Broadhead

Ian

I dont see anything about these mens uniforms that look cavalry. Based one the collar and cuff piping, I would say they are wearing dresscoats. Are you seeing something that I dont see?

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: New picture

I agree - with the tiff they clearly are both wearing Infantry Uniform Coats....


[Dutch Gap, Va. Bomb-proof quarters of Major Strong].

CREATED/PUBLISHED
1864 November.

SUMMARY
Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, the Army of the James, June 1864-April 1865. Shows a group of African Americans in front of a house; they appear to be servants.

NOTES
Reference: Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0342

Title from Milhollen and Mugridge.

Two plates form left (LC-B811-2551B) and right (LC-B811-2551A) halves of a stereograph pair.

Forms part of Selected Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 (Library of Congress)

[texandrummer61]

Re: New picture

Ian

I dont see anything about these mens uniforms that look cavalry. Based one the collar and cuff piping, I would say they are wearing dresscoats. Are you seeing something that I dont see?

Yeah. You may disagree with me, but the stripes on the nco made me think they were cavalry. The color tone[ very light] struck me as yellow, not sky
blue, like most nco's stripes.

Ian Broadhead

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: New picture

Yeah. You may disagree with me, but the stripes on the nco made me think they were cavalry. The color tone[ very light] struck me as yellow, not sky
blue, like most nco's stripes.

Ian Broadhead

Ian

Keep in mind that 19th century photography was very different from modern photography. Blues will often show up white, reds and yellows will show up dark and in some cases almost blend in with the coat. I encourage you to look at some known union cavalry photographs to see what I mean.


If you look at the coats in the photgraph you will notice; the cut and construction, number of buttons, and style of piping, all point to infantry dress coats.

[texandrummer61]

Re: New picture

Ian

Keep in mind that 19th century photography was very different from modern photography. Blues will often show up white, reds and yellows will show up dark and in some cases almost blend in with the coat. I encourage you to look at some known union cavalry photographs to see what I mean.


If you look at the coats in the photgraph you will notice; the cut and construction, number of buttons, and style of piping, all point to infantry dress coats.

Yeah- I just looked at some pictures of cavalry nco's and infantry nco's and
their chevrons look about the same color. I just saw the collar piping and
immediatly thought cavalry. Thanks for sorting out the confusion.
Ian Broadhead