Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

[IowaYank]

Hey Guys, I had asked about this image in the Civil War Images folder, but I figured I would put it here in case everyone hasn't seen it. This is one of my favorite CW images.

http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.00218/

Download the TIFF version and zoom in. There is some great detail in the photo. A couple things Zack and I noticed on this last night.
-of the five troopers present, three have 3 have forage caps, one a civilian slouch, and one appears to be potentially bare headed.

-you can clearing see the piping on he back of the MSJ on the trooper nearest to the wagon.

-one trooper appears to be in shirt sleeves

-doesn't the trooper with the haversack know it is farby to wear your cup on your haversack buckle!?!?!?!?!?!?

-either they are all wearing brogans or they have trousers over boots. Can't quite tell if they have boots or brogans.

-appear to be using watering bridles

-GREAT shot of a Conestoga Wagon

-interesting how neither of the infantrymen have weapons. I think they are not pickets, as pickets would not be unarmed. I think the just wanted to jump in the picture.

-The 3-4 woman have some pretty wild dresses in my opinion. I'm no expert of period dresses, but how common would a polka dotted dress be???

[rbruno]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Dan,
I was really looking for the watering bits too. I couldn't quite tell if they were using them or if it was just the lead line coming off the halter up over the neck. I do think the horses look in much better shape then the oxen and horse the young boy is sitting on. And, I think he might be sitting on a mule. You can also see the rolls at the bottom of the MSJ.

[IowaYank]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Snow day today here in Iowa. What better thing to do on my snow day than spend hours in the LOC??? Finding many great images!! I'll post some of the better ones I've been finding.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.00292/ - Cool image of a battery of artillery. Great shots of lots of horses.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010647706/ - great shot of a Mac

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.04318/ mounted men in front of a government shoeing shop

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.00085/ - check out the three guys riding mules on the right on the shot

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/cwp2003005953/PP/ - running martingale, roached hair, English saddle of some type (Ken???), and Shabraque.

[rbruno]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Great pictures Dan. I could stare at them all day. The first picture of artillery has so many details, that could be a long study in itself. The last picture with the dandy fellow and the civilian equipment. I would like to see an explanation of this saddle and the one on the horse in the thread I started. I am not a civilian/English saddle expert and probably would miss all the details that make the saddles different and also similar. Also, is that horse's mane cut? Almost looks like all his hair is standing straight up.

[IowaYank]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Rob, yup I think the horse has a roached mane.

[Mark Choate]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Dan,

I believe that the fifth saddle in your list of links above (english type) is another Sommerset. From this angle it has all of the trappings with the exception of no hoods on the stirrups.

Mark

[Andrew German]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Hello Dan et al.

That Rappahannock photo was taken early in August 1862, right about the time of the Battle of Cedar Mountain. I believe that's the railroad bridge at Rappahannock Station in the background.

I've attached a shot of a 1st Maine trooper with curb and watering bit. The photo probably dates to early 1863 and appears in the regimental history. It's a tintype, and he swung his saber to the off side to read right for the camera. I flopped the scan to put all but the saber in proper orientation.

There's lots to learn, or at least ponder, in studying in-the-field photos.

Andrew German

[Outrider]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

There was a disccusion here a while back all about the 'Gimlet" pic. I believe the concensus then was that the saddle is an English saddle not a Somerset.
His mane is indeed roached. Seems Gimlet was a highly thought of courier mount. I have a book around here somewhere with a very clear and large version of that photo. Babcock himself shows up in quite a few images for whatever reason.

[Mark Choate]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Paddy,

If you can find the large photo of that and could scan it in, I for one would like to see the detail better.

thanks,
Mark

[Outrider]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Unfortunately I dont have a scanner but here is the book online a better view and if you read a bit Babcock gives some interesting stories and info on Gimlet.

http://books.google.com/books?id=QMoLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=civil+war+horses+gimlet&source=bl&ots=QQCa4TjHR4&sig=0AQeMRRRjVKZ9HXQ17vH4D9qBCs&hl=en&ei=-uBJTYmSI4jGgAfOm8Eh&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

To me this is very clearly a plain English saddle, civilian bridle, and a running martingale but I especially like the plain ring snaffle w/lip guards that are still commonly used and the roached mane. I had someone "knowledgeable" try to tell me once that they never roached a horses mane in those days. I have always begged to differ.
I would suggest it has been done since Ancient times for various reasons as has clipping the fetlock and most other aesthetic , and otherwise, grooming practices we all would recognize today.

By the way, there are several shots of these two out there but from different camera angles. Another one is a full on near side view and very plainly shows the lip guards, large-ish plain ring snaffle etc and the roached main.

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Mark,
If you download the 44mb TIFF... You can blow it up huge and see very good detail. It took me a while to download all of these, but the detail is amazing when you blow them up. Z

[Mark Choate]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

Paddy

That larger photo really does help! Lots of detail comes to light and it really helps give a much better shot of the saddle and everything else for that matter.

As far as your friend who said that they "never" roached the mane of horses then, he needs to learn the "never say never" rule because when you start making absolute statements, you'd better have salt on them cause many times you're gonna eat them. Has he never seen the surviving art of the Greeks? They trimmed, cut, roached, etc. the manes and tails of horses thousands of years ago. I don't have it with me at the moment, but there is a statue of Bucephalus, the horse of Alexander the Great, with a roached mane. This was quite common at the time with horses of antiquity. Bucephalus was 29 years old when he died of wounds sustained in the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 B.C. So...............never say never.

Zack, good suggestion on the downloading. I need to become better versed with doing that.

Thanks, Gentlemen,

Mark

[kaelin]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

I would like to add a couple of details that are obvious when the image is blown up.

The soldier standing far left and closest to the camera is wearing what I believe to be William Deering mounted service trousers. W. Deering pattern trouser has certain details, one of which being overlapped vents at the cuff, also the spacing between the reinforcement and side seam.

Another detail is the US issue blanket on one of the horses. This is not your typical issue blanket for Cavalry, correct?

Another detail, is that a artillery gunners haversack on one of the mounted soldiers?

And last detail, notice the cut of the jacket on the mounted soldier next the tail of the wagon? This cut, looks to be artillery service jacket.

Could this be an artillery unit watering their horses/teams? What do you all think?

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

I'd agree with the observation on the trousers... The issue blanket could be a regular issue blanket gray or the so called emergency issue brown... It's been debated how many issue cavalry blankets actually made it to the field. The gunners haversack, could just be a regular issue haversack with a cup hanging from it.... It'd take more of an expert than I to tell... Isn't a Arty jacket and a Mtd jacket virtually the same except the trim color? Again I'm not an Arty. person... but I'd like to say cavalry, but it could explain one ridden one led. Off and near side horses?

[CJSchumacher]

Re: Federal Cavalry Watering in the Rappahanock River.

I posted these studies a long time ago. Hope they're helpful. First is the watering pic and the second is Babcock.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...?5314-Watering

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...ock-amp-Gimlet