Caught in the act.

[ThehosGendar]

Gents,

While candid shots of soldiers milling about and lounging are common, candid shots of actual operational maneuvers in progress are not. A fantastic example of the latter is an image of "Grant's troops crossing Germanna Ford" (LC-B811- 702[P&P]) on 4 May 1864.



When taking a magnified look at the image, many wonderful details come up - particularly the column moving across the pontoon and the awaiting soldiers on the shoreline wearing knapsacks.



But within this image is caught, I believe, an officer in the act of actually commanding his men in the midst of an moving, relevant-to-the-war operation, and not in a posed or staged manner.



Here, you can see the officer pointing to the right, directing the column towards the pontoon bridge. The sun is out, which is reflecting off of the finish of the knapsacks and steel barrels of the firearms. There is also a reflection at the officer's hip, which could possibly be the hilt of his sword.

Whether he is or isn't an officer, this is still an amazing image of an actual Civil War operation in motion.

What do you fellows think?

[markj]

Re: Caught in the act.

Indeed. William Frassanito discusses these images in his landmark "Grant and Lee: the Virginia Campaigns, 1864-1865" (although your detail is much better albeit still a bit dark).

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1577470060/qid=1090720862/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/002-3489630-9395208?v=glance&s=books

You may have also noticed the group of men on horseback directly "above" the scene you highlighted. This was apparently a general and his staff "moseying" off on their own--Frassanito, I believe, was able to identify them.

Keep up the good work,

Mark Jaeger

[hardtack1864]

Re: Caught in the act.

The soldiers by the close up of the officer or supposed officer, are they wearing hardpacks, or is it just me?

[verg]

Re: Caught in the act.

Dear Friends,

A quick tweeking of the image . . .

[MBBursig]

Re: Caught in the act.

Greetings,
I am assuming the "officer" is the figure on the right, but is the figure standing next to the "officer" (on his own left) is he another officer or does he look enlisted? He either has his rifle at Right Shoulder Shift or it is a sword over his shoulder? Also he appears, by my eyes, to be wearing a hardpack with a blanket roll on top. Odd as this is 1864. Anyways, it could be movement or an image behind the soldier that makes this appear. Lastly, the blurred figure to the "officers" own right appears to be running as his right leg is still but his left is blurred/missing from the image. Very interesting.
Great pic!

Cheers,

[hardtack1864]

Re: Caught in the act.

Looking at it more and more, those troops seem to have REALLY well packed soft packs or those are hardpacks, but if we could get a better close up, though is there anyway that his could have a wrong date or that someone may have some info about the hardpacks being issued in 1864 by some State like New york or Mass.? Really a neat photo and right when you think you have everthing down, something like this comes up! :tounge_sm

[79th N.Y.S.M.]

Re: Caught in the act.

The Man to his left has what looks like a blanket roll on a pack. Thanks for the light image. And ..Thanks for the image very good.
Again Thank you.