Civil War era photos

[maint1517]

One thing that always amazes me is the number of photos with not just one but multiple revolvers just tucked in their belts. I can only imagine the pain in the neck it must have been to keep them all in place. And keeping them from falling out.

 

[ClemBert]

View attachment 785115

Savage 1861 Navy

 

[Panzerschwein]

Good to see some negro soldiers included in the mix. I like the one where he is standing in front of a mural.

 

[expat_alaska]

One thing that always amazes me is the number of photos with not just one but multiple revolvers just tucked in their belts. I can only imagine the pain in the neck it must have been to keep them all in place. And keeping them from falling out.

Just be reminded that almost all of these were studio photos with studio prop guns. Matthew Brady and his like photographers made quite a bit of money selling photos.

One would almost never see infantry or dismounted cavalry armed like that.

Mounted cavalry, especially guerilla cavalry like Bloody Bill Anderson, James-Younger, Quantrill, et al, would be likely to have loaded pistols on their person and/or in saddle pommel holsters. Due to the scarcity of Union-made pistols in the Confederacy, most would be 1851 .36 Navies or 1848 .44 Dragoons because of the quantity of them produced before the War.

1860 .44 Colt Armies, 1861 .36 Colt Navies, and 1863 .44 Remington New Model Armies (the ubiquitous replica Remington 1858) had not much of an impact for the Confederate forces, and really, the Griswold &Gunnison, Schneider & Glassick, Augusta Machine Works, Columbus Firearms Company, Leech & Rigdon, Charles Rigdon, and Rigdon & Ansley made very little impact. Many pistols procured by Confederate forces were captured Union guns, especially early in the ACW when they were winning many of the battles.

I have rattled on too long.

Jim

 

[kBob]

Jim (expat Alaska)

Your comment about the Southern made revolvers reminds me (yet again) how sad I am that no one makes a Kerr repro as more Kerr revolvers from London Armory where imported by the CSA than the total number of ALL revolvers made in The South. Also the north did purchase some Kerrs despite the deal the CSA had with the London Armory.

It might be interesting if someone could somehow ID the various photographers and studios and then compare the firearms in each studio's prints.

I am enjoying seeing some of the odd ball revolvers in these photos. I suppose if someone were to catalog photos by the arms in them and then for instance look for flaws in the actual photographs that might indicate a specific camera being used that might be a means of determining if a specific firearm got used by a specific photographer.

-kBob

 

[mokin]

These are all very cool. Thanks for sharing. These are images from the dawn of photographic technology. Having become roughly aware of the work involved in producing these I am amazed.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I think some of those pistols belonged to the photographer.

 

[WestKentucky]

Those savage navy revolvers are an absolute must-have for me. Seldom do I see a mechanical device and instantly get the giggles with excitement. What's not to love, it's a lever action AND a revolver.

And was that pocket pistol in the zoave pic a S&W No.1?

 

[Jeb Stuart]

FYI, If you like collecting Civil War Photo's you can download the Civil War series on Netflix which is full of old Photo's and then just pause and then use snipping tool to capture the photo. I just did this one of Wyatt Earp from Youtube and saved to Imgur and easy to post.

 

[Bagheera]

No guns in this one,just the symbol

This last one can be found in stereograph


If I'm correct Rem63(58)/colt60/49(young kid)
/51(in
31cal in the last one?)

...
Hard Times

 

[kBob]

Last picture includes a pepper box and what appears to be a Colt 1849 .31 or one of its near copies. It is also interesting that the two guys in the foreground are playing with cav sabers though the NCO appears to have an foot NCO straight sword on his far side (you can see the grip and guard) yet the soldiers in the back ground have infantry long guns. I did not say rifles because the one turned so we can see it best seems to have no rear sights, so may well be a smooth bore musket. Looks like all four soldiers are wearing slightly different jackets as well and one seems to be wearing gaiters while the others do not. The guy with the pepper box seems to be wearing a different belt buckle (much like a Union Officer's) than the others as well.

Still trying to figure out what symbol I am supposed to see in the next to last photo.

-kBob

 

[Bagheera]

Didn't find anything written next to the picture.
U tell me.
Is it Union Yankee suit or a confederate suit?
Btw are u sure it's a 1849 ?

 

[Snidely70431]

This is a photo of John W. (Old Jack) Hinson (1807-1874), who fought a solitary sniper war against the Union after two of his sons were murdered by Union forces.

He had a 14 pound .50 caliber cap lock rifle with a 41 inch barrel made, and with it he killed the lieutenant and sergeant who killed his sons,and then another 100 or so Union men.



One interesting thing, Jack Hinson had tried to stay neutral until the deaths of his sons.

 

[Snidely70431]

This is a picture of William T "Bloody Bill" Anderson. He rode with Quantrill's Raiders, had a falling out with him, then led his own group.

 

[maint1517]

View attachment 785297 View attachment 785298 View attachment 785299
No guns in this one,just the symbol
View attachment 785300
This last one can be found in stereograph
View attachment 785301

If I'm correct Rem63(58)/colt60/49(young kid)
/51(in
31cal in the last one?)

...
Hard Times

Are those tepees in the background of the last picture?

 

[JeffG]

I would think some of these pictures, the soldier got all his buddy's weapons to pose with too.

 

[Bagheera]

Yeah maint seems like..
Compared to the usual campment it looks like teepees yes.not sure tho..

 

[Bagheera]

Sorry maint, it's not the subject.
Does anybody knows what kind of musket this could be?

 

[Sistema1927]

Let's post more ACW photos with revolvers:

 

[WestKentucky]

Let's post more ACW photos with revolvers:
View attachment 785531

Another S&W?

 

[maint1517]

[QUE="Bagheera, post: 10812081, member: 249638"]Sorry maint, it's not the subject.
Does anybody knows what kind of musket this could be?View attachment 785520[/QUOTE]
No problem. I would like to know what it is also. Looks different from what I have seen before.

 

[kBob]

I believe the tents are Shelby Tents such as may have a Shelby Stove for a center post.

The revolvers in Systema 1927s post are a pair of 1863 Remington .31 cal percussion pocket pistols.

I believe the only thing throwing folks off about that last musket are that it has a socket bayonet attached and the ram rod is sticking far forward.

On uniforms Keep in mind that in reality there were no "uniforms" of North or South. While we like to use the terms "Blue and Grey" today one might remember that most units ON BOTH SIDES of the ACW were state Militia units. Cadet Grey was merely the suggested color for state Militias and as a result many Union troops went to war wearing Grey. SOme Confederates supplied by themselves, their counties, their states or fund raisiers back home ended up with blue uniforms.

In the South even the relatively dirt poor state of Florida had at least three recognized uniforms and a host of folk wearing what they brung.

The Chassier style from france was popular as were zouave out fits.

There are entire books on uniforms alone.

Also keep in mind that the pictures are black and white or grey scale to us.

Take a look at the guys dueling with sabers again. Look at the lengths, collars, and hem of each coat. Are any even wearing the same coat?

Still waiting to hear what the symbol was in the "no guns in this one, just the symbol" I honestly can not figure it out.

-kBob

 

[WestKentucky]

I believe the tents are Shelby Tents such as may have a Shelby Stove for a center post.

The revolvers in Systema 1927s post are a pair of 1863 Remington .31 cal percussion pocket pistols.

I believe the only thing throwing folks off about that last musket are that it has a socket bayonet attached and the ram rod is sticking far forward.

On uniforms Keep in mind that in reality there were no "uniforms" of North or South. While we like to use the terms "Blue and Grey" today one might remember that most units ON BOTH SIDES of the ACW were state Militia units. Cadet Grey was merely the suggested color for state Militias and as a result many Union troops went to war wearing Grey. SOme Confederates supplied by themselves, their counties, their states or fund raisiers back home ended up with blue uniforms.

In the South even the relatively dirt poor state of Florida had at least three recognized uniforms and a host of folk wearing what they brung.

The Chassier style from france was popular as were zouave out fits.

There are entire books on uniforms alone.

Also keep in mind that the pictures are black and white or grey scale to us.

Take a look at the guys dueling with sabers again. Look at the lengths, collars, and hem of each coat. Are any even wearing the same coat?

Still waiting to hear what the symbol was in the "no guns in this one, just the symbol" I honestly can not figure it out.

-kBob

Nary a mention of butternut brown?

 

[kBob]

Didn't see the point, thought about it.

Also did not mention Terry's boys from Texas with jaguar chaps/trousers. Artillerist in basically Jeans and plaid or checkered shirts and what have you (both sides). Like I said whole books have been written.

What part of CIVIL WAR is hard to understand. It was not actually two great nations fighting one another, the Congress of the US gave as the official name for the event "WAR BETWEEN THE STATES" So one might have expected even if each state had one standard uniform 27 variations. Individual units bought their own gear in some states, North and South, and either had it cut to choice from materials of choice or frequently just took what they could get a fair amount of.

The the photo I keep asking about, I can not determing if the guy in riding boots is a Confederate or Union man from his uniform alone. Makes quite a difference in the story the picture might tell. Is that a confederate with one of his household slaves from back home? Is that a Union Officer with a "Contraband" ( a freed and there for homeless former slave) that is trying to live by being a virtual slave to the liberators? Given the non uniformity of "uniforms" on both sides we can not know without some sort of material from the original photograph.

The picture with the dueling guys with sabers seems to be Union, but I can not make out the belt buckles which may have state letters on them and some CSA troops did where dark blue jackets. The 13 or 14 year old black youth in the rear is not dressed quite like them and in those days certainly not an enrolled member of their unit. Is he a Contraband they picked up along the way? A house hold servant of one of the men that came to war to continue looking after him? A free Northern black child that has become a drummer boy? With out some sort of providence for the picture we can not know.

It is not like folks had cell phones in their pockets and could take pictures when ever and where ever. Not even like when I was kid and had my instamatic in my pocket even in the service and had 24 chances to take a likely poor quality picture between trips to the rear. (Carried a 8mm "movie" camera on training in Europe in an ammo pouch and got maybe 30 seconds worth of bad shaky film that has since died)

Photography in those days was a big deal. Photographers frequently carried props, not just guns but even uniforms so that a photo mailed to the folks back home looked "nice" with Johnny or Billy well turned out and well armed. As a results it is difficult to actually tell anything but "Here is a picture" and often not even be sure it was actually of anyone even in the American Civil War. Be honest, with modern photo shopping can you be certain when any of these pictures was taken or where?

-kBob

 

[J-Bar]

It was not actually two great nations fighting one another, the Congress of the US gave as the official name for the event "WAR BETWEEN THE STATES" So one might have expected even if each state had one standard uniform 27 variations.

-kBob

This is an important point. Ask most Americans when the Civil War ended and they will respond with Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox, on April 9, 1865. But Lee commanded only the Army of Northern Virginia. Other Confederate units continued to fight. The last to surrender was the Confederate ship Shenandoah in November, 1865, but the Texas Insurrection continued. It was not until August 20,1866, nearly a year and a half after Appomattox, that the war was proclaimed over by President Johnson.

Details here:

https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2015/spring/cw-surrenders.html