Union troops resting in a field

[David Fox]

Re: Union troops resting in a field

Remember, Ordnance went to the trouble having made and (condition of surviving examples being a guide) issuing .69 elongated ball boxes in the 1864 pattern. Supposedly, many of the Washington garrison artillerymen marched as infantry to join in the 1864 overland campaign were armed with .69s. One suspects there were sufficient M.1839 and M.1861 .69 round ball boxes in store to supply ongoing needs.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Union troops resting in a field

If I am not mistaken the government was issuing long ball boxes as a "one size fits all" box for both models of firearm.

[Dusty Merritt]

Re: Union troops resting in a field

Pvt. Shattuck, the National Archives identifies those as images of the 170th NY as well. In the first image you linked to, you can see the "I 170" on a couple men's caps, so I'd say that's probably spot on. The Brady team must have spent a fair amount of time on the 170th, as there are also a couple photos of the regiment's officers, including this great image at the same location as the ones you linked to, showing officers of both the 170th and the 164th ("Corcoran Zouaves"), also of the Corcoran Legion.


2nd from left is, I believe, Col. James McMahon of the 164th, KIA while planting his regiment's colors on the Confederate earthworks at Cold Harbor.

The soldiers in this next image are lacking an ID from the NA but appears to contain some of the same men in the 2nd photo you linked to:


There are two boys in the left foreground. One has what looks like a zouave fez on his head, while the other is wearing a zouave jacket. They may be members of the 164th (drummer boys?). The photo caption reads "Scene on the Orange and Alexandria (O. & A.) R.R. near Union Mills," which is consistent with where Corcoran's Legion was stationed in the winter of 1863-late April 1864.

[Chris Montague]

Re: Union troops resting in a field

Regarding the gentlemen standing 1 left of the drummer. I see some have speculated colors and/or some sort of punishment. Anyone have any documentation of soldiers carrying 1 or more weapons at support arms while others got to rest being a common punishment or a form of "hazing" back then? Just food for thought... Perhaps NCO's today really aren't so different from back then :tounge_sm

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Union troops resting in a field

I think he is goofing around, people had a sense of humor back then too :tounge_sm

Or the rifle shifted while the photo was taken, the blur of his hand corresponds with the blur of the rifle.