Golden Thread MOH recipients A-B

[James N.]

Thanks. I always learn something from your comments.

Once again, a little late - but I finally located a uniform plate I'd previously copied to my computer you should find relevant. The authority (other than the official U.S. Army Uniform Reg's. of course!) for uniforms of this period was historian, illustrator, and sometimes commercial artist Henry A. Ogden who was active until roughly the period the 1902 Regulations appeared. Many reproductions of individual uniform plates were made in the 1960's and 1970's along with a reprint of his classic study of U.S. uniforms from the Revolution on. His "historical" work - that is, of things occurring before his lifetime and personal observation - may in some cases be questionable but he was very careful documenting contemporary developments. In this particular case, pretty contemporary with the photo of Butterfield, it depicts General-in-Chief Phil Sheridan and his younger brother Michael who was his AAG (assistant adjutant general) at far right, and a set of fictional - that is, not based on any actual person like the Sheridans - staff members ca. the 1880's. (Phil Sheridan died while holding that position in 1888.) Note his very dark blue-black uniform, the yellow-buff sash, and very large epauletts, all attributes of a general officer. All others wear the dress uniforms of their branch reflecting recent changes like their M.1882 helmets.

 

[Mike Serpa]

View attachment 439560

Once again, a little late - but I finally located a uniform plate I'd previously copied to my computer you should find relevant. The authority (other than the official U.S. Army Uniform Reg's. of course!) for uniforms of this period was historian, illustrator, and sometimes commercial artist Henry A. Ogden who was active until roughly the period the 1902 Regulations appeared. Many reproductions of individual uniform plates were made in the 1960's and 1970's along with a reprint of his classic study of U.S. uniforms from the Revolution on. His "historical" work - that is, of things occurring before his lifetime and personal observation - may in some cases be questionable but he was very careful documenting contemporary developments. In this particular case, pretty contemporary with the photo of Butterfield, it depicts General-in-Chief Phil Sheridan and his younger brother Michael who was his AAG (assistant adjutant general) at far right, and a set of fictional - that is, not based on any actual person like the Sheridans - staff members ca. the 1880's. (Phil Sheridan died while holding that position in 1888.) Note his very dark blue-black uniform, the yellow-buff sash, and very large epauletts, all attributes of a general officer. All others wear the dress uniforms of their branch reflecting recent changes like their M.1882 helmets.

Thanks for this info. I'll look up Ogden in a few minutes. He's very good. (I'm jealous of people who can draw/paint.)
I got the Butterfield photo from "30th Reunion of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland, 1901."

 

[James N.]

Thanks for this info. I'll look up Ogden in a few minutes. He's very good. (I'm jealous of people who can draw/paint.)
I got the Butterfield photo from "30th Reunion of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland, 1901."

Ogden is especially good whenever you're trying to pin down the exact date of some otherwise obscure item of military uniform or headgear, especially here in the forums where everyone wants anything vaguely resembling the Civil War to be the authentic item. A case in point are all the relatively bizarre Prussian-inspired uniforms adopted following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 like those illustrated above. This was truly Ogden's heyday and he was a careful observer and recorder; however, I'm not quite as confident about some of his studies of earlier uniforms, particularly those around the time of the American Revolution and Federal periods. His Mexican War, antebellum, and Civil War uniforms look correct to me though, like those below.

Around the same time he commemorated to late war through his many magazine illustrations of famous commanders on both sides like the ones showing Hooker, Burnside, Lee, and Longstreet below at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Manassas Antietam, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and others all received similar treatment again like these Hooker and Lee at Chancellorsville prints above. His work was so well-known and liked he was also able to get commissions for historically-themed advertisements like the one below.

 

[Mike Serpa]

View attachment 439677

Ogden is especially good whenever you're trying to pin down the exact date of some otherwise obscure item of military uniform or headgear, especially here in the forums where everyone wants anything vaguely resembling the Civil War to be the authentic item. A case in point are all the relatively bizarre Prussian-inspired uniforms adopted following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 like those illustrated above. This was truly Ogden's heyday and he was a careful observer and recorder; however, I'm not quite as confident about some of his studies of earlier uniforms, particularly those around the time of the American Revolution and Federal periods. His Mexican War, antebellum, and Civil War uniforms look correct to me though, like those below.

View attachment 439679

Around the same time he commemorated to late war through his many magazine illustrations of famous commanders on both sides like the ones showing Hooker, Burnside, Lee, and Longstreet below at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

View attachment 439680
View attachment 439681

Manassas Antietam, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and others all received similar treatment again like these Hooker and Lee at Chancellorsville prints above. His work was so well-known and liked he was also able to get commissions for historically-themed advertisements like the one below.

View attachment 439676

He seems to have more detail with the subjects in front and less detail in the background. Wondering to myself if I can now recognize his works without looking at the signature...