Is this chap a Cavalry Confed?

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?

A Confederate States Cavalry sergeant, 1863.jpg
 
One thing I learned from the very first Living History event I ever attended was that the color of the chevrons tells about the service branch:
Blue = Infantry
Red = Artillery
Yellow = Cavalry

The gentleman on the photo wears blue chevrons, so he must have belonged to the infantry. Little enough to know about uniforms, but as you can see, even that tiny bit of knowledge helps to decide he cannot be Cavalry.
 
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.
 
I just took another look, what does anyone make of the bow tie & ribbon on his right upper arm? I don’t ever recall seeing such a thing before. Could it be a token from a lady in honor of his promotion? The imagination could really run with that, but I haven’t a single bit of evidence to back any of it up.
 
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.
His complexion argues that? Take this photo in a black and white and depending on lighting I suppose one could say the same....
800px-Danny_Trejo_2009.jpg


Wouldn't change he is actually Mexican-American however......I don't see how the photo in questions facial features including the beard could exclude a Hispanic ancestry.

Nor is his complexion much different then Native American

 
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I was gonna say he definitely had some mixed raced in him. One of my great great aunts was mixed race black and white. He looks like half black and half Mexican.
 
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