Do These Look Like Civil War Photos to You?

Gary Morgan

First Sergeant
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Joined
Aug 2, 2019
I picked up a bunch of old military photos at an auction, but I'm not very good at identifying Civil War ones. Are these two from the Civil War? I'm pretty sure the first one is (what's the best way to preserve it? It's in rough shape). I'm not too sure about the second. The first is a tin type, the second is mounted on cardboard. Do these look like Civil War photos to you?

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I picked up a bunch of old military photos at an auction, but I'm not very good at identifying Civil War ones. Are these two from the Civil War? I'm pretty sure the first one is (what's the best way to preserve it? It's in rough shape). I'm not too sure about the second. The first is a tin type, the second is mounted on cardboard. Do these look like Civil War photos to you?

View attachment 332555
I couldn't get the attachment to open.
 
Gack! Let me try that again...

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Agreed the 1st one might be Civil War. The 2nd one is post Civil War. In the 2nd one the sack coats are post Civil War (5 buttons), the forage caps are of the post Civil War model cap insignia is post Civil War, rank straps are post Civil War, pants leg stripes are post Civil War.
 
Some other ways to ID Indian Wars period...well, and others. Hair. The late 1860-1880 period is easy to identify--hair is much shorter, sideburns are gone, and moustaches tend to be a bit better-groomed or nonexistent. Collars--smaller, more rounded, and the shirt collars show white and are the newer style. Add that to Major Bill's explanation, and it's not hard. If you look at styles on this timeline for men's fashions, you can see what I'm referring to...put together the hair and collars and you have post-war. Hope this helps!
 
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