Unidentified Federal CDV

[Dusty Merritt]

I finally got a scanner and was able to scan a CDV I picked up a couple years ago. I was hoping someone might notice some interesting details I've missed. The backmark identifies the photographer as A.J. Hatstat of No. 211 Broadway, South Boston, Massachusetts. He has a "K" hat insignia but I can't see anything that might identify his regiment. As you can see, his sack coat is a bit too large and his trousers are wrinkled. The informality of this photograph is really striking to me.

[markj]

Re: Unidentified Federal CDV

Intriguing image. The William C. Darrah Collection at Penn State also holds some images with A. J. Hatstat gallery stamps, so they're likely more or less contemporaneous. You might want to check reference books dealing with 19th Century American photographers since, based on the South Boston address, they could at least narrow down the time frame during which your cdv was made.

The soldier, though not ID'd, was almost certainly from the South Boston area. Therefore you might want to find out what companies were raised in that locale. This would, in turn, narrow down the "spread" of regiments in which the man probably served. The "K" device is a good lead--just find out what Boston-area companies were assigned that letter and you may be halfway home.

Finally, given the locale, I'd say there's a better than even chance the man shown was Irish.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: Unidentified Federal CDV

Have fun: http://www.civilwararchive.com/unionma.htm

[Dusty Merritt]

Re: Unidentified Federal CDV

Thanks, Mark and Bryan, for the info.

And thank God for the "advanced search" function on google! Unfortunately, Dyer's doesn't give that much info for company formations in specific regions of Boston. So far, I've found that the 11th Massachusetts had a Company K from Dorchester, which is the closest I've come. I have a feeling a lot of South Bostonians are simply identified in the muster rolls as being from Boston. I also found that Fort Independence, which housed a number of units throughout the war, is located in the South Boston area. I suppose it's possible he could be from elsewhere and had his picture taken while stationed there. I will keep digging.

[Dignann]

Re: Unidentified Federal CDV

I can't help you too much with the subject, but here's some info I found on the photographer. Not that it helps, but still mildly interesting.

Andrew J. Hatstat
Born on 6 Jul 1835 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA. He died on 25 Sep 1889 in Haverhill, Essex Co. MA.25 Died of Apoplexy, age 54 yrs. 2 mos. 19 days. Occupation: photographer. He was buried in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. Son of William M. and Joanna (Brock) Hatstat. Began work as a Daguerreotypist, an early form of photography.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?Nantucket,County::ma::1279.html

Listed as a daguerreotypist in Boston, Mass., 1857-1860. In 1857, he was listed working for the partnership of William M. and H.A. Hatstat, and boarded at 29 South Magnolia Street. He was next listed in 1860 as an ambrotypist and photographer at 211 Broadway, and lived on Third Street. He was listed in Boston until the late 1880's.

http://www.daguerreotype.com/

Eric