Some portraits of CS Cavalrymen....

[tmdreb]

Re: Some portraits of CS Cavalrymen....

My ancestors on my father's side came to Austin County, Texas just after 1848. This isn't in the Hill Country, but western Austin County Germans were quite Unionist. The best I know, my ancestors sided with the rest of Texas and the South. The Pflugers (think Pflugerville) in my ancestral line arrived here as 6 brothers. Family records show that all of them, as well as others in the family, either served in the Confederate Army or performed other services for the Confederacy's war effort.

Larry is quite right in stating that the terms "German" and "Unionist" in Texas were very much associated.

[rbruno]

Re: Some portraits of CS Cavalrymen....

Ken,
That is a great picture. I have two comments/questions. That sword knot looks very long. Is there any standard length to sword knots that were around or was it whatever a person decided to make.
The lanyard on the Colt looks very fancy with the tassels. I see the laynard was attached around the handle of the revolver and not on the very butt of the gun that usually has an eye for a lanyard. Do you think this practice was done becuase he didn't have a holster to put he revolver in. I have not seen one attached just around the handle.
Just some thoughts.

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Some portraits of CS Cavalrymen....

Rob, In answer to your questions, I can only speculate. My belief would be that efforts by the CS Ordnance Bur. to provide sword knots would replicate the Federal (and later CS) Ordnance Manual where possible and practical. Contract variations or personal models would likely be numerous and would widely vary according to the information available, materials and preferences. Like carbine slings where one can find reference to the use of leather, rope, webbing and lots of hardware variations (or no sling at all) I think there might also be some whide variations in sword knots. As for the pistol lanyard, I think you are correct regrading the lack of holster- (at least in his case). The pistol he has does not contain an eyelet and so he simply "made-do".
One thing for certain about Confederate equipment: While there were official guidelines emanating from Richmond (Circulars, correspondence and the Ordnance Manual) in reality, there was little central oversight and even less in the way of rigid standards. The further you were from Richmond the less oversight and, the later in the war the more flexible the Ordnance Bureau was about manufacturing. For the most part, it is true that the only thing constant about Confederate "anything" was its inconsistency.
Sorry, I could not be of more help here.


Ken R Knopp

[rbruno]

Re: Some portraits of CS Cavalrymen....

For the most part, it is true that the only thing constant about Confederate "anything" was its inconsistency.


That is a great qoute. And so true.
Thanks, Ken

[Sut Lovingood]

Re: Some portraits of CS Cavalrymen....

Ken,

I am (like many others on this post) intrigued by the Texas German from New Braunfels. But for a reason not yet addressed.
On Sibley's jaunt into the deserts of New Mexico Territory, there were a number of Germans from New Braunfels that rode with him and wrote back to the Zeitung about their travels. These were published for the community to read. I found that interesting since I too had grown up with the idea about strong German Unionist sentiment, which I still think was the majority. But there was at least some public forum in New Braunfels for German Confederates.
Do you have a date, name, or anything about this man? Could this photo be a Sibley man? And if taken in 1861-62 this is a great find indeed.