ID Help - Artillery or Cavalry?

[lelliott19]

Is this a cavalry uniform or artillery? Is this the right guy? The guy I have is Geo H Putnam as follows:
Born in Boston circa 1835. The following information from carded records at Fold3.com:

Enlisted as a Sergeant (edit according to @AndyHall he enlisted as a Private) in the 10th Independent Battery Massachusetts Light Artillery on Aug 16, 1862 at "South Boston" for 3 years. At the time of enlistment, he was 28 years of age.

He was appointed 1st Sergeant on July 30, 1863. On Dec 4 1863, he was reduced from 1st Sergeant to Sergeant at his own request and received transportation from Boston to Baltimore on December 28, 1863. He was reduced to ranks on April 11, 1864. There is a note on this card as follows: "Stop for 1 curry comb 26 and 1 Horse Brush 75. Total $1.01" There is a note in his file dated April 27, 1864 that explains that he was "reduced to ranks" as a result of Special Order No 8. Apparently, he and James S Bailey (also a Sergeant of the 10th Battery) both applied for a transfer to the Navy, and as a result, the Captain reduced them to ranks. (Needless to say they did not receive a transfer.)

Mustered out June 9, 1865 at Galloupes Isl.

"Admitted to the Soldiers Home at Chelsea MA on April 6, 1895. Died April 8, 1906 of heart disease; buried in Forest Dale Cemetery, Malden, Mass." - from "Annual Report of the Trustees of the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts at Chelsea, For the Year Ending June 30, 1906" page 25.

This picture is id'd as "Geo H Putnam South Boston" and the photographer backmark is "J W Black Washington St. Boston"

 

[TinCan]

I think he'd be cavalry just looking at his boots and short jacket.

 

[M.Warren]

Boots say Cav. Very interesting story and I'm also intrigued. I wish I could get a better look at the top of his cap and the color of his stripes.

 

[Shadow9216]

I'd say arty- the first sgt stripes have a slight reddish tinge, at least to my eye, and maybe I'm imagining it but it looks like a straight tube on the cap vs. a curve.

 

[lelliott19]

Does this help at all? I adjusted the brighness, contrast and midtones (slightly) I did NOT adjust the color at all.

 

[M.Warren]

I'd say arty- the first sgt stripes have a slight reddish tinge, at least to my eye, and maybe I'm imagining it but it looks like a straight tube on the cap vs. a curve.

Thats exactly what I looked at but Im seeing dirty yellow/Grey and either a bugle or crossed sabers on his cap and cuff ring, lol. Good eye anyway. Very interesting in the least.

 

[lelliott19]

Here's a crop and slight enlargement of his head and upper body.

 

[Shadow9216]

Thats exactly what I looked at but Im seeing dirty yellow/Grey and either a bugle or crossed sabers on his cap and cuff ring, lol. Good eye anyway. Very interesting in the least.

Blue dress, gold dress...

 

[Shadow9216]

Here's a crop and slight enlargement of his head and upper body.
View attachment 64914

So look at the curtains, especially that top panel, then down at his sleeve...to me that's pretty near the same color. The shoulder scales and buttons would be gold, which gives an approximate value for how the brighter yellow would appear on the blue background.

 

[lelliott19]

The stripes look the same color as the curtain and chair to me. I only adjusted the brightness, contrast and midtones (slightly) I did NOT adjust the color at all. What does that mean? Does that help determine if the uniform is cavalry or artillery?

 

[M.Warren]

I happen to have a couple of insignia on me. The cap pin seems to resemble the bugle to me personally.

 

[M.Warren]

The stripes look the same color as the curtain and chair to me. I only adjusted the brightness, contrast and midtones (slightly) I did NOT adjust the color at all. What does that mean? Does that help determine if the uniform is cavalry or artillery?

Red Arti, Yellow Cav. "generally".

 

[M.Warren]

Blue dress, gold dress...

Dont get me wrong. I know all too well about the brass on blue dress, but I swear If you look at the walls you can see the yellow in the stripes too. I'm not arguing at all, just interested. You've made great points. Dirty Yellow from mud, dirt, blood, and clay, looks Red. Where's the guys and gals that added color to the civil war? They'd be very helpful now. Just a note, If you look at the first pic the Red curtain's are faded and yellow in the middle. Its a thinker for sure.

 

[ole]

And I don't see stripes. Yellow would show; red wouldn't.

 

[lelliott19]

Are you color blind to reds @ole ? If so that could be really helpful in this particular situation.

 

[ole]

Are you color blind to reds @ole ? If so that could be really helpful in this particular situation.

No, Laura. I used to work in the printing business. At the time, in b&w photos blue came out gray, red came out black, yellow came out white.

 

[lelliott19]

Ok - for the following reasons, I'm gonna assume this is the guy and use the picture.
Here is my train of thought.....feel free to derail if you see flaws:
1) I cant imagine there would have been too many guys around South Boston in the 1860's who were named "George H. Putnam" ?
2) and who were also 1st Sergeants?
3) and because this guy is id'd as Geo H Putnam and is wearing what @Shadow9216 has identified as 1st Sgt stripes
4) and because the stripes seem to look 'reddish' to me (and to @ole who has more knowledge about printing and colors than I) ......And according to @M.Warren red stripes usually = artillery
5) And because the insignia on the hat looks to me like it could be the crossed cannon (see photo) which I assume indicates artillery
Considering all these factors, I think we have compelling evidence that this is indeed the George H Putnam that enlisted in the 10th Batt MA Lt Artillery

Note: For this comparison, I did not alter the original photo. I shrunk, rotated, 'blurred' and changed the transparency of the pin photo supplied by M Warren and overlayed it next to the guys cap.

 

[TinCan]

Compelling thoughts Laura....OK I'm with you, he's George Putnam, a cannon cocker, with a very nice pair of cavalry boots

 

[Frederick14Va]

Light Artillery uniform attire

 

[major bill]

Yellow often appears as black in period photographs. Usually one can tell if it is cavalry because the trim is darker than the blue jackets. Again the yellow can appear to be light, but yellow rarely appears as a medium shade. This uniform appears to be cavalry to me.