Interesting Mounted Photo

[1stMo Drummer]

Hello All,
My brother is the Director at the Newton County Historical Park and Museum, a small local museum in Neosho.
While going through some of the civil war era artifacts recently he came upon this photo and showed it to me...
Couple questions. First off it appears to be an "action shot" of sorts. (Of course with the exposure times required it cannot be just saying that is what the pose seems to be)
How common were shots such as this, where the subject(s) were not even looking at the camera?
And also what would the purpose if you will be of this image? It doesnt really seem to me at least to have much of a "theme" or a purpose behind it. (Just a shot of two horsemen.)
Thanks much,

[Hank Trent]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

Very cool image. I'll just comment briefly from a photo viewpoint, rather than a cavalry viewpoint. When you see "action shots" like this, they're often taken from a second story window or similar high locations, as this one appears to be, because that angle made the motion of people/things moving sideways less obvious. Also, the fact that photographers often had offices on the top floor of a building so they could have a skylight for their studio made it natural to aim their camera out the window from above, if they wanted to photograph something interesting outside.

Thus, a very off-the-wall, wild guess about the "purpose": It might have been that a photographer saw men on horseback milling around below unaware of him, realized what he could do, and took advantage of the situation to do something technically very neat: capture a natural-looking scene of two of them in the street, for no other reason than that he could.

It's a great photo, regardless, and I'm curious what people who know about uniforms and such have to say.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Tom Craig]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

Thanks for sharing this really cool photo! Is there any way to get a better/bigger scan of this image? Or is there someone on here that can blow it up some?

I have to say that this is one of the coolest cavalry photos that I have seen in a very long time. Perhaps the neatest thing to me is the fact that the guy is clearly wearing his canteen. It is understood to be the way it was done, but I have never seen photo documented proof of it actually done in the cavalry.

The image is too fuzzy to glean much detail out of, but I think the headware one both guys is pretty cool too. Really it's a great candid shot.

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[markj]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

Very intriguing. I presume this image has not be heretofore published? It certainly deserves to be. Further examination with the appropriate software may well bring out further interesting details.

Next question: has there been any (careful) attempt to open up the case to see if there is an inscription on the inside? This could possibly provide individual and unit ID, location, date, etc. Neosho MO, of course, is located in the southwest corner of Missouri, about 20-odd miles south of Joplin and about 25 miles north of where the Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma borders link up. Research will likely give you some idea of what Federal cavalry units spent time in the area. Another possibility is that these men were Missouri Enrolled Militia Cavalry troops.

Thanks for sharing it,

Mark Jaeger

[1stMo Drummer]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

Many thanks to the three of you!
I would have to agree with Hank about the possibility of it being a "just because he could" photograph. Hadn't thought of that before.

As far as I know, this is a previously unknown photograph, as it is the original and was donated to the museum some time ago and nothing ever done with it. I will be headed there this weekend to check some stuff out. Ive opened up multiple old images and I'll throw some gloves on and open it up and check it out.

On a side note, I recently was looking at a glass plate my mom purchased in an antique store. Very small 1/9th plate. When I looked close I realized it is actually an image on an image of an older man with a thick beard wearing something like a smoking jacket. When I opened it it had a note inside from the 19-teens that said who it was etc...I think its from around the 50s ill post it up later and see what everyone thinks.
Thanks again and keep the info coming!

[Michael Comer]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

Neat photo. Elliptical corporal chevrons. Looks like he has a cup tied to his canteen strap? Frock coat it appears. Something on the hat - perhaps yellow cord since it shows up so well?

Fellow on the other horse doesn't seem to have any military gear. A civilian perhaps?

Could be MO militia. They were equipped by the US government which was an unusual thing in itself. But there were US volunteer forces that were active in the Neosho area too - 3rd Wisconsin immediately comes to mind.

Great photo - it would be good to know just who they are.

[1stMo Drummer]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

If you look close I believe there is only one military man. There are two men down on the ground in the foreground and if you look real close I think there might be a guy on foot in between the horses, all appear to be civilians.

[1stMo Drummer]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

oops..The two in the foreground appear to be civilians, the guy between the horses appears to have a forage cap or some other issue headgear on.

[ScottCross]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

With the severe damage to this image and discoloration it is difficult to tell, but the corporal's chevrons appear to be tinted sky blue. If he is a mounted infantryman, this would explain the Infantry Uniform Coat he is wearing, or is he a Missouri Guerrilla with Quantill or Bloody Bill Anderson?

[English Doc]

Re: Interesting Mounted Photo

[QUOTE=ScottCross;157396]With the severe damage to this image and discoloration it is difficult to tell, but the corporal's chevrons appear to be tinted sky blue. If he is a mounted infantryman, this would explain the Infantry Uniform Coat he is wearing, or is he a Missouri Guerrilla with Quantill or Bloody Bill Anderson?[/QUOTE]

Now THAT would be something!