Comments on this Tennessee Confederate: or is it Post War?

[TerryB]

John W Gates of Jackson, Madison County, Tenn. Image is said to be from 1861. Gates originally enlisted in Tenn state service 15 May, 1861 in Capt William C. Penn's Co H, 6th Tenn Inf. Also was captured in north Mississippi in 1864 as a member of Henderson's Scouts and incarcerated at Fort Delaware.

 

[R. Porter]

What does "JCB" stand for?

 

[TerryB]

What does "JCB" stand for?

My guess is John C Brown, a Confederate general who became post-war governor of Tennessee. However, I can't document that Gates ever served under him.

 

[TerryB]

What I'm really digging for is that, to me, this image has a post-war look to it. I had a CDV of him taken (seemingly) after the war in civilian clothes, and the tie is identical in both images. I also think the kepi looks too post-war, so maybe it's from the late 1860s when John C Brown was running for governor.

 

[TerryB]

Here's an interesting bit of trivia; John C Brown's first wife, who died in 1858, is a distant relative of mine. Her name was Anne Eliza Pointer, whose parents were from Halifax, VA.

 

[TerryB]

If this picture really is from 1861, then the most likely solution to the JCB kepi badge is that Gates campaigned or voted for John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 presidential election.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Also got the impression from this image that he is wearing postwar fashion. But will focus on the 'JCB' badge shown on the kepi, as the sole clue.

If the choice is between whether 'JCB' stands for either 'John Cabell Breckinridge' or 'John Calvin Brown', would opt for it more likely being Breckinridge here.

Reasons: If Gates enlisted in '61 in the 6th TN aged 18 years (or older), he would have been aged around 30 years (or older) when Brown became TN Governor in 1871. But the young lad wearing the badge in this picture looks to be aged barely 20 years, if that. This would support the claim that the photograph was taken in '61, shortly after Breckinridge campaigned for the Presidency. (Further, prior to Gates being captured in '64, don't believe the 6th TN ever served in a brigade or division led by Brown so that any connection could be established on this basis).

 

[TerryB]

Also got the impression from this image that he is wearing postwar fashion. But will focus on the 'JCB' badge shown on the kepi, as the sole clue.

If the choice is between whether 'JCB' stands for either 'John Cabell Breckinridge' or 'John Calvin Brown', would opt for it more likely being Breckinridge here.

Reasons: If Gates enlisted in '61 in the 6th TN aged 18 years (or older), he would have been aged around 30 years (or older) when Brown became TN Governor in 1871. But the young lad wearing the badge in this picture looks to be aged barely 20 years, if that. This would support the claim that the photograph was taken in '61, shortly after Breckinridge campaigned for the Presidency. (Further, prior to Gates being captured in '64, don't believe the 6th TN ever served in a brigade or division led by Brown so that any connection could be established on this basis).

I tend to agree, and you've made some points I didn't consider much, such as his apparent age. I've been wondering what sort of "uniform" he's wearing. The jacket is close to his post-war jacket, and the ties are identical.

 

[TerryB]

Lapels and ties were all over the map in the 1860s. This jacket is said to be from that era, and the lapels are pretty darn close. Those and the buttons most closely match his post-war CDV in which he looks to be about 30.

 

[TerryB]

For comparison: