CW image of Negro on horseback

[Ken Knopp]

Hmmmmm,

Never seen this before....

comments anyone?

Ken R Knopp

[Cumpston1862]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

Nice find Ken. That is a very rare image. Where did you find it?

Nice to hear from you btw.

[Ken Knopp]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

Thank you!

CW images of "anyone" on horseback are rare. Images of Confederates incredibly rare but this is likely the rarest of CW horseback image finds. The image was recently sold by a CW dealer. His accompanying information gave nothing extra to our knowledge of it. We can however, examine the image itself for clues.

Beyond the military coat, breast plate, bridle, crupper, hooded stirrups and holster pistols there is little military about it. No weapons or accoutrements. Just a negro on a horse but given the uniform and these military aspects it is almost certain to be a CW image and not post war. The saddle appears to be a horned pattern though it is difficult to see.

My thoughts are that this is a contraband negro riding a Federal (or perhaps Confederate) officer's horse. Ex slaves were commonly employed by officers as attendants to horses often riding an officer's extra horse (s) with the reg. wagons in the rear. Likely it is a union officer only because photos of CS officer's in the field are amazingly rare (lack of photographers, access and materials on the CS side) so it would be unlikely an image would be taken of a CS officer's negro. Not impossible just odd.

It is all speculation but beyond that I can think of no other explanation. Actually, now that I think of it I am kinda surprised an image like this has not already surfaced. Still, this is the first one of its kind that I have ever seen.

Just my thoughts on it....

Comments?

Ken R Knopp

https://www.confederatesaddles.com

[wavey1us]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

I will throw this out, maybe this image is of a Native American?

[rbruno]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

Oh No... a heart breast strap. Looks like he also has two saddle blankets. Is that a double rein bit? I can't tell what the other leather strap is attached to. I don't see a halter. Could it be a halter/bridle? Although, I don't see a nose band across the horses nose for a halter. He certainly didn't follow the manual for folding his horse blanket.

[Phil McBride]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

Today being Martin Luther King Day, I wrote my weekly blog post around the image of the young man on the horse. A fellow Texan and writer of good history books about Texas in the post-Civil War days wondered if this image might be a member of the Texas State Police, an organization that was formed during the hard times of reconstruction.

[agintomboy]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

Dear Ken:

What a fantastic photo! I would concur it's probably a civilian employee/contraband for a federal officer. The horse furniture looks more fed than confederate.
Where did you find the photo and do you own it?

Anita Henderson
13th VA Cavalry, Co. H., Light Sussex Dragoons, Bugler
Researching Maria Lewis, Black Female Trooper of the 8th NY Cavalry

[Paul L Muller]

Re: CW image of Negro on horseback

How timely, We just got a new recruit who is a 25 year old black man and this photo will excite him as it does me . Good job plm