1st Lt. Washington L. Watkins, Adjutant, 8th Missouri Cavalry, CSA

[MPDoughBoy153]

1st Lt. Washington L. Watkins, Adjutant, 8th MO Cavalry

Washington Watkins was captured on 20 November 1863 in New Madrid County, Missouri. He and 272 confederate officers (POWs) were transferred to Fort Delaware effective 25 March 1864.
This CDV was taken while Lt. Watkins was a prisoner of war at the fort. The image dates circa 29 April 1864. It is a rare occurrence to see an armed prisoner of war...


Photo by John L. Gihon, 1024 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA

[GreencoatCross]

Re: 1st Lt. Washington L. Watkins, Adjutant, 8th Missouri Cavalry, CSA

Very cool photograph! I love that jacket...the buttons look to be cloth covered but I guess there may be no good way of knowing for sure. When was the order forbidding the display of Confederate symbols enacted? Perhaps they were cloth-covered by the time his photograph was taken?

I think collector Rick Carlile has several similar CS prisoner cartes in his collection. I want to say they're also portraits of Fort Delaware inmates. I believe the table and tablecloth are the same as well. I don't remember if Rick's are identified but they show different officers in a variety of uniform, all wearing the same sash, Federal sword, and belt, some are displaying the exact same gold-trimmed kepi, and I want to say they're also wearing fresh gauntlets. I told Rick that my impression was that they were allowed to "dress up" for their portraits.

I'll get in touch with him and see if he can provide some scans....it would be great if they were taken at the same place (and my memory wasn't fried the last time he shared his collection with me).

[MPDoughBoy153]

Re: 1st Lt. Washington L. Watkins, Adjutant, 8th Missouri Cavalry, CSA

If you can get scans that would be awesome! I've seen some bad scans from the same lot, but I'd love to see more detail. There are actually two different swords used during the course of the photo shot. One appears to be a sabre and the other a regular sword. I did research on what officers at the fort had what swords, as well as the federal officers that had access to the prison pen. Diary accounts place the photographer inside the actual prison pen while taking all the CDVs you mention. There were only a handful of union officers who were allowed to grant permission as well as access.

The majority of the images done by Gihon (photographer) are of Morgan's Raiders and other western rebels. I'd love to see more of these... PM me if you get in touch with your friend...

[MO-Pard]

Re: 1st Lt. Washington L. Watkins, Adjutant, 8th Missouri Cavalry, CSA

...Without digging too deeply, it would appear Watkins was under General Marmaduke and may have been captured as a result of Marmaduke's Raid. The 8th was in Marmaduke's division....

Great image of a skinny Missoura boy....