Looking For Clues

[Carter1120]

Found this among my parents' things after their death. Any help identifying the uniform or weapons (or props?) might help identify the presumed family member. Photo is a glass plate, with touches of color added

 

[RedRover]

Would appear to be a cavalryman. Has a saber, pistol, and his carbine worn on a sling.

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy. Everything looks to be new. Might be props or newly enlisted

 

[Sheltowee]

Excellent photo.

 

[James Brenner]

The red, white, and blue, double buckle belt is interesting. I don't know what it does and I'm not sure what the ring on it is for. The carbine appears to have a patch box and the sling is quite narrow. I can't tell if there is a holster peaking out by the elbow of his non/sword arm. I am not a sword guy, but I don't believe that's a regulation saber. My guess, based upon the above as well as his federal style uniform, is that he is a militia soldier, probably early war.

 

[R. Porter]

The sword looks weird. The blade looks thin. The quillon sticks out like a Model 1833 Dragoon saber but the blade is wrong. The guard seems basket-like but it is hard to tell what it should look like because of the gold over-painting. It seems European, but I can almost see a Model 1840 or Model 1860 hilt buried under all that excess gold. The blade sides look flat and without fullers but that may just be effects of lighting and exposure.

 

[on again]

Did your family come from North or south? Is so what state...could narrow it down to what unit this was...

 

[Carter1120]

Thanks for the interest! Unfortunately, don't even know which side of family, but both were southern. Paternal line in Arkansas/Texas, and maternal line southside Virginia. I'll give away my wishful thinking.... would love to connect to maternal relative, William E Green, who enrolled as a captain with the Charlotte (County) Grays, which were incorporated into Virginia 56th Infantry. He was rather quickly promoted to major and then Colonel, before capture at Battle of Five Forks. This would have been a pre-combat photo

 

[on again]

Col Green died 1891 Confederate veteran Magazine began publihing in 1893
Found 2 books on 56th Virginia regiment
56th Virginia Regiment by William A Young
56th Virginia Regiment by JAmes Keir Baughman

possibly this is helpful?

 

[R. Porter]

A combination cavalry style sword and carbine-looking thing hanging off a shoulder belt screams "cavalry" to me. Just the sword could be an officer since they provided their own swords and so many photos from the war show infantry, artillery, and staff officers dragging cavalry swords around. This guy is carrying a long arm hanging off a shoulder belt. That's something I wouldn't expect an officer to do unless he was in the cavalry. So you're probably looking for someone who was in the cavalry.

Next, the gun might help. It would need to be carbine length if possible, so a carbine or cut down rifle. It appears to have a stock with a high, sharp comb. It looks like it has a patch box. I couldn't find anything that seemed to match it. It looks like it has a wide strip of metal going from the breach, along the top of the neck to the beginning of the comb. I couldn't find anything to match it. The lock appears to be a regular percussion lock and not a back action lock. You might see more if you take the image out of the frame. I don't know much about guns, but if these characteristics identify a rare firearm you might be able to narrow it down to eastern or western theater. That would get you closer to an identity and maybe the uniform might get you the rest of the way.

 

[Robert Gray]

The patch box seems similar to the Sharps "coffee mill" carbine.

 

[R. Porter]

The patch box seems similar to the Sharps "coffee mill" carbine.

View attachment 546329

That could be it but the lock plate doesn't look right.

 

[R. Porter]

It would appear that if the carbine in the image of the op is a "coffee mill" carbine, and this image is an actual Civil War image, the individual in the image almost or absolutely has to be a Union soldier and the image is incredibly rare and valuable.

Breechldrs - Sharps Carbine Coffee Grinder | Small Arms & Ammunition

Pulled from the website, Kitchensisters: Andrew Smith, author of “Starving the South: How the North Won the Civil War”. When there was not a battle going on, Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers met in the middle of fields and exchanged goods.” Smith says. The Confederates had access to...

civilwartalk.com

 

[R. Porter]

The "coffee mill" Sharps dates from no earlier than 1864.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=945350755868979