Ordnance Sergeant, 1864

[GELongstreet]

The picture description says Tintype of an unknown Ordnance Sergeant in 1864 who had served for at least thirty years in the Army when the picture was taken.

This Union Army veteran appears to wear cavalry colors, if there is no strange color distortion, which would make it most logical for him to be the Ordnance Sergeant of a cavalry regiment.

I have seen this picture before but can´t remember where and I can´t find it anywhere else on the net.

Source: http://genealogy.cadesign.org/Report_OrdnanceSergeants.php

 

[GELongstreet]

So it probably is here on CWT I´ve seen it before. @Robert Gray had posted it in this thread.

 

[Pat Young]

Cool beard.

 

[mrounds]

This Union Army veteran appears to wear cavalry colors, if there is no strange color distortion, which would make it most logical for him to be the Ordnance Sergeant of a cavalry regiment.

Source: http://genealogy.cadesign.org/Report_OrdnanceSergeants.php

Oh wow, that's my site. I found that photo in 2007 in an old Horse Soldier auction brochure. The description in the brochure was:

This veteran non-commissioned officer (NCO) is seated at a small table and wears his uniform of a dark blue Union frock coat adorned with the distinct, brass buttons of the Ordnance branch, over a sky-blue vest accompanied with dark blue trousers. The soldier's rank is clearly indicated by three chevrons of silk or worsted binding 1 /2" wide with a large silk star sewn above the elbow on both sleeves of his uniform coat. The sergeant is a professional soldier who served continuously for more than thirty years in the military as indicated by the six, diagonal, half-chevrons sewn to both his sleeves. In addition, the artilleryman has a 1 /8" wide stripe on each side of the chevrons that indicated wartime service. All NCOs, musicians and privates who served faithfully for a term of five years wore a single, diagonal, half chevron, 1 /2" wide that extended from seam to seam with the front end nearest the cuff. For every subsequent five-year term of service, the soldier was allowed to add a half-chevron above and parallel to the first. This seated, unidentified Ordnance NCO exhibits six such marks of distinction for service. He looks out at the camera and his eyes project a hard, but almost melancholy expression as one soldier who has 'seen the elephant'. The NCO has a large forehead that is balanced with a dark, full chin beard. On the table at his side rests his left elbow as well as his chasseur-type kepi. On the backside of the tintype is affixed a green, two-cent Internal Revenue stamp that is hand-canceled in black ink and dated 1864.

An Ordnance Sergeant does not belong to the Ordnance Department, but to the non-commissioned staff, unattached, of the regiment or post. So the uniform would be Infantry, not Cavalry.

I created that site to try and identify the Ordnance Sergeant in the picture. So far I have only identified three Ordnance Sergeants with at least 30 years but less than 35 years of service in 1864. One of those three is my great-great-great grandfather. He fought in four named wars: Texas Revolution, Second Seminole War, Mexican American War and the US Civil War.

 

[GELongstreet]

Welcome from Germany ... seems sooner or later everybody finds the way to this board. I found that list you made quite impressive work.

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[John W Laking]

I thought ordanace sergeants were part of the ordnance corps and attached to army posts ?

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Photo. 30 years and only a Sgt?

 

[PrivateBrooke]

After 30 in, I'd think he'd at least be a commissioned officer... curious.

 

[TerryB]

Oh wow, that's my site. I found that photo in 2007 in an old Horse Soldier auction brochure. The description in the brochure was:

This veteran non-commissioned officer (NCO) is seated at a small table and wears his uniform of a dark blue Union frock coat adorned with the distinct, brass buttons of the Ordnance branch, over a sky-blue vest accompanied with dark blue trousers. The soldier's rank is clearly indicated by three chevrons of silk or worsted binding 1 /2" wide with a large silk star sewn above the elbow on both sleeves of his uniform coat. The sergeant is a professional soldier who served continuously for more than thirty years in the military as indicated by the six, diagonal, half-chevrons sewn to both his sleeves. In addition, the artilleryman has a 1 /8" wide stripe on each side of the chevrons that indicated wartime service. All NCOs, musicians and privates who served faithfully for a term of five years wore a single, diagonal, half chevron, 1 /2" wide that extended from seam to seam with the front end nearest the cuff. For every subsequent five-year term of service, the soldier was allowed to add a half-chevron above and parallel to the first. This seated, unidentified Ordnance NCO exhibits six such marks of distinction for service. He looks out at the camera and his eyes project a hard, but almost melancholy expression as one soldier who has 'seen the elephant'. The NCO has a large forehead that is balanced with a dark, full chin beard. On the table at his side rests his left elbow as well as his chasseur-type kepi. On the backside of the tintype is affixed a green, two-cent Internal Revenue stamp that is hand-canceled in black ink and dated 1864.

An Ordnance Sergeant does not belong to the Ordnance Department, but to the non-commissioned staff, unattached, of the regiment or post. So the uniform would be Infantry, not Cavalry.

I created that site to try and identify the Ordnance Sergeant in the picture. So far I have only identified three Ordnance Sergeants with at least 30 years but less than 35 years of service in 1864. One of those three is my great-great-great grandfather. He fought in four named wars: Texas Revolution, Second Seminole War, Mexican American War and the US Civil War.

View attachment 323128

Wow!

 

[TerryB]

The case is identical to one I have that was dated Feb 1860, according to a clipping under the velvet.

 

[Lubliner]

@mrounds, welcome from Southeast Tennessee. On the list you provided for appointments and enlistments, the very last soldier identified is William L. Allison. He had originally enlisted on June 26 of 1881, and then appointed to sergeant on May of 1885. He held the position for a little over a year and was discharged June 26, 1886 due to expiration of service. It looks as though he reenlisted the same day, June 26, 1886. If so, would it have been to a different rank, or could he possibly have served again as the sergeant?
Thanks,
Lubliner.