Please Help Me Identify this Ancestor?

Discipulus

Sergeant
Joined
Mar 30, 2015
Location
DuPage Cnty, IL
This is either a gg-grandfather or gg-uncle on my father's side of the family. He is almost certainly from an Illinois Regiment. But Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are possible long shots.

Answers that can help me solve the identity --
  • Rank? Is it possible he is still a cadet (not yet a Private)?
  • Regiment and Company?
  • Year of Enlistment (assuming uniform is new)?
  • Cavalry or Infantry?
  • Age of soldier?
  • Anything else!
I cannot tell you how grateful I will be for any information on this gentleman. Thank you so much for your help.

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Im certainly not a uniform expert, but I'm going to guess cavalry. Can you make out any detail on his breastplate? And what is the insignia on his cap? an "8" or a "3"?
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and reversed
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Im certainly not a uniform expert, but I'm going to guess cavalry. Can you make out any detail on his breastplate? And what is the insignia on his cap? an "8" or a "3"?
Honest question, I am ignorant, what makes you suspect cavalry?

There is a good chance he is cavalry.
 
puffy NY buttons though.

I love it when someone else uses words like ' puffy ' for those buttons! Thank goodness. I have buttons from NY uniforms that are both, though? At least I always assumed they were all NY-JPK's niece had a ton of this stuff and Mom had them. Possible some are Illinois- brother was in an Illinois regiment.

James N. ( pest again, sorry ), it's your fault for having THAT eye. And @major bill please? Could swear someone had a discusion on that cap badge not long ago, too?
 
Im certainly not a uniform expert, but I'm going to guess cavalry. Can you make out any detail on his breastplate? And what is the insignia on his cap? an "8" or a "3"?
View attachment 368611
and reversed
View attachment 368615
Honest question, I am ignorant, what makes you suspect cavalry?

There is a good chance he is cavalry.
Then you both LOSE - there is NO way this guy is a cavalryman! In addition to the (likely) New York or New York-style infantry jacket he's wearing, his accouterments are all infantry, as is the rifle he's holding. As for the cap insignia, these tended to be the brass letters and numbers made to go on the Hardee or dress hat; most commonly, it was a letter indicating his company that was positioned (unofficially) on the front of the kepi or forage cap. However, this looks like it could be a 9 so it's hard to be sure. The object on his cap pouch is merely another breastplate eagle like the one on his cartridge box strap; while certainly another deviation from regulations, this sort of tomfoolery was not unknown.
 
Silly question--but, if you know the relationship (more or less), you must have a name?
He is one of the following. This is a list of my grandfathers and granduncles on my father's side of the family tree who fought in the ACW --

(the names of gg-grandfathers have been bolded; the names of those who died in service have been italicized) --

RANK NAME REGIMENT STATE COMPANY
Henry M. Walker, Sr. 33rd Illinois A
Capt Harvey J. Dutton 33rd Illinois A
Horace S. Dutton 108th Illinois E
Charles H. Chesley 8th Cavalry Illinois K
John P. Chesley 13th Illinois G
Leonard Chesley 13th Illinois G
Sgt Luman F. Ward 98th New York D
David Ward 2nd Artillery Ohio C
Corp Arthur H. Needham 2nd Cavalry Iowa E
John H. Needham 155th Ohio A
Horatio E. Needham 29th Iowa E
Sgt George E. Needham 177th Ohio A
Benjamin E. Needham 41st Ohio D
Samuel R. Porter 17th Illinois I
Lt Col Dr. Frank G. Porter -- Surgeon --
Alexander W. Porter 39th Pennsylvania B
Sgt John W. Porter 39th Pennsylvania B


-- The two most likely candidates are Arthur Needham and Charles Chesley, based on the bulk of family heirlooms being passed down from them.

I wish the piping on the uniform told us something?
 
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