Thank You , that is the image of the Prussian Photographer Louis de Planque reading the Daily Ranchero in 1865. This was a staged view taken in his studio by his wife Eugenia. Photography throughout the South suffered from want of chemicals. De Planque apparantely had a good supply from Mexico.
Fascinating. I just released an adventure novel, Matamoros, set in Brownsville and Matamoros in 1863, and the Daily Ranchero's publisher is one of the minor characters. Here's a summary of the novel, if you're interested - available on Amazon.
By 1862 the Union had blockaded all Confederate ports. Just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas, Matamoros – a foreign port – was the only harbor where the South could ship its cotton to Europe, and smuggle in arms for the rebellion. So it became a haven for Yankee and Rebel spies, gunrunners and cotton smugglers, runaway slaves, Mexican
guerreros, Texas Rangers and rogues of every stripe.
But Matamoros was also full of French Foreign Legionnaires and Austrian footsoldiers – because that same year, Napoleon III had invaded Mexico, to install Archduke Maximilian of Austria as Emperor. Makes me wonder if your Prussian photographer came in with Napoleon's army.
Set against the backdrop of two wars, this is the story of Clay – an expatriate Southern gentleman running a gambling hall – and Allie, his ex-con artist partner, bringing her cotton train to market – in a star-crossed affair that may or may not survive their conflicted allegiances amidst the tides of battle.
You can get it on Kindle or paperback at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082C1QHST/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
Or I'm happy just to talk about the history here.