- Joined
- Sep 5, 2020
- Location
- New Zealand
Guys, can anyone tell me if this trooper is a Confed, if so, which regiment he was with?
Is their a way to tell from the uniform he is USCT? It identified him as a unidentified african american.......when I look at it I think it would hard to discount a possible Hispanic ancestryI believe you are looking at a Union soldier (link to original source)
Is that a mourning ribbon on his sleeve?
His complexion argues that? Take this photo in a black and white and depending on lighting I suppose one could say the same....I would say that it is 80% certain that this man is a newly promoted USCT Infantryman. His complexion argues for that. The first sergeant diamond & his chevrons are mounted on a material that is much darker than his coat. That would support a scenario where he is having his photo floated to commentate that event. The NCO sword is a purely ceremonial symbol of rank. It would not be carried on active duty. Having the NCO sword with him also argues for a special occasion. Photos were expensive, so a special event like a promotion would justify the expense.
There is no way to establish his identity or unit w/o other material. This is a very generic image.
It probably is a mourning ribbon, and could very well be honoring the late President Lincoln, but we'll never know.