Civil War TinType ID Help? Name on back

spudnutt

Cadet
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Can anyone tell me what uniform is in this picture? I believe it's an officers coat he is wearing but is it union or confederate? Any other info you can give is appreciated!

On the back of the tintype it states M F Wheeler Eva's father
Thanks!
 

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Could be Moses F. Wheeler of the 6th Mass Inf. But the uniform looks more like an early war New York militia uniform. Lots of yanks wore gray early in the war, and many rebs wore blue.
 
Could be Moses F. Wheeler of the 6th Mass Inf. But the uniform looks more like an early war New York militia uniform. Lots of yanks wore gray early in the war, and many rebs wore blue.

Correction... I put it under blacklight and the back actually reads Mr Wheeler. Not MF Wheeler. I also thought it could be Moses F. Wheeler but checking his geneology, it doesnt appear he had a daughter named Eva or anything that could have been shortened to Eva.

I'll check for Wheelers in the New York Militia. Thanks for the tip!
 
I'll go through my genealogy records and see if I can find a Wheeler with an Eva daughter. Interesting photo. Where did you find it? Im a Wheeler and one thing I can tell you is there are TONS of them.
 
I noticed the collar insignia in the picture. Did the Union wear these on their collars or just the shoulders? It appears it could be a captain, 2nd lieutenant or 1st lieutenant collar badge.

Could this possibly confirm he was confederate? I checked the 7th NY militia who had very similar uniforms but the medal on the strap is in the opposite direction in the photo I have. Would that matter? Also the badge he is wearing is a ribbon attached to a diamond shaped medal. I haven't been able to track any medals down that are shaped like diamonds though....
 
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