Troops at Chattanooga Depot

Oh, I hate to bring up a stinky subject but take a look at the ditch in the 2nd photo of the Prisoners at Chattanooga. The Reb is standing on a levee of sorts. The rail line is to the right. So what is that ditch? Hmm. Could it be a latrine? Would they put a latrine that close to the rail line? I imagine there would be a need for one as the train entered the rail yard. The sides of the ditch does provide some privacy.

What do the Reenactors say about this? Does this fit with Army regulations?

Dare you zoom in on the bottom of that ditch?
 
The kepis are not a problem. I've seen requisition vouchers from the Dalton area for 1864 that ask for "caps." I'm assuming some cavalry companies preferred them. Along with the caps, they also asked for jackets. These vouchers usually show that the items were in stock and issued as requested. Macon was a busy place. In some cases you have the actual telegram on a company form, asking the ordnance officer at Macon for certain items needed in a pinch.
 
In this 1850s photo, a Philadelphia working man is wearing a shirt taped on the border of the placket and pocket. I always thought this was a style exclusive to Confederate "battle shirts".
man w patent office book 1850s.jpg
 
Battle shirts were so much used in the West that soldiers would write home with instructions on how they were to be sewn. But I had no idea they were similar to civilian shirts.
 
It would be interesting to know the significance of the rosette he is wearing on his shirt.
I'm guessing the occasion of the award of the rosette prompted this rather ordinary fellow to have his "likeness" made. The image is in the daguerreotype collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He is holding a Patent Office book.
 
Bumping this photo thread- fair warning you'll spend all your forum time here today once you get started.

@ami, sorry and do not mean to put you on the spot. Thread is from before you guys needed threads for FB, no photo before the text. If it's possible to put one first, I tagged it as sharable ( obviously your choice, just thought I'd point it out ). Goodness, but how would anyone choose a title shot? A zillion choices. What's wonderful is how many old threads should have ' sharable ' so they're visible- will try to get around to doing that.
 
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