Possible Confederate Photograph?

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Worthington Galleries

worthingtongalleries.com

Thoughts on this?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Awful lot of Union looking uniforms for Confederate soldiers....

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Thoughts on this?

It's an odd photograph. Someone better with uniforms would have to identify who-is-wearing-what but just the hats are all over the place? I can't say anyone seems to be Confederate?

Post war image?

 

[lupaglupa]

I had the same reaction @JPK Huson 1863 did - what's with the hats? Caps make sense but a lot of bowler style hats that don't look CW era to me. The whole attitude of the group is odd - they are in position as if to take a posed picture but clearly not posing. Are where are they? No background to speak of. It reminds me of pictures taken on cliff tops.

 

[DaveBrt]

I had the same reaction @JPK Huson 1863 did - what's with the hats? Caps make sense but a lot of bowler style hats that don't look CW era to me. The whole attitude of the group is odd - they are in position as if to take a posed picture but clearly not posing. Are where are they? No background to speak of. It reminds me of pictures taken on cliff tops.

It does look strange, but the men are positioned on a CW artillery piece -- complete with sponge rammer. Odd to have that on a non-operating gun.

 

[Rhea Cole]

The body language & variety of hats has a Western Theater look to it. Where did it come from? The image has been manipulated, there are no shadows on the ground or background. That is curious in and of itself. The officer leaning against the wheel has shoulder boards, so is Union.

 

[Will Carry]

No background? They must be POWs. Maybe Confederate soldiers after the Nashville battle?

 

[ucvrelics]

I don't see anything CS at all in this photo.

 

[Llewellyn]

. . . . . . .there are no shadows on the ground or background. That is curious in and of itself.

Maybe they're all vampires ?

 

[captaindrew]

Union, the men wearing jackets appear to be Federal Fatigue Blouses. Many Union men preferred civilian slouch hats over caps like their Southern counterparts particularly in the Western Theater.

 

[chubachus]

Union soldiers of the Keystone Battery: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2013648702/

 

[chubachus]

I sent Worthington a note about it. I will wait and see if they respond.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Union soldiers of the Keystone Battery: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2013648702/

Good find!

 

[John Hartwell]

Hasting's Keystone Battery, Pa. Militia Artillery served a year in the defenses of Washington, 1862-63; and was called out again for Old Jube's reception committee. 100 days service, organized at Philadelphia July 12, 1864. Mustered out October 25, 1864.

 

[Robert Gray]

The original negative for this image is in the National Archives collection (NARA - 524785).

 

[connecticut yankee]

Home run @chubachus......Nice work!

The LOC states that albumen image was photographed between 1861 and 1865 and printed between 1880 and 1889.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Ah ha, thank you! Those hats just looked so all over the place, seemed as if it couldn't be a unit of anything! Think the slouch hat to the left, man sitting bugged me because there's a ' Mounty ' shape, probably just got squished. Like @lupaglupa said, swear there's a bowler in there- were regulations less by 1864 or were 100 day units not as well outfitted?

Thanks very much for the ID!

 

[captaindrew]

Ah ha, thank you! Those hats just looked so all over the place, seemed as if it couldn't be a unit of anything! Think the slouch hat to the left, man sitting bugged me because there's a ' Mounty ' shape, probably just got squished. Like @lupaglupa said, swear there's a bowler in there- were regulations less by 1864 or were 100 day units not as well outfitted?

Thanks very much for the ID!

There were regulations but in the field comfort and practicality usually won out. A good fitting slouch hat is 1000 times more comfortable in the field. Caps offer 0 protection from the elements.

 

[lupaglupa]

I sent Worthington a note about it. I will wait and see if they respond.

Good for you. Once something gets on the internet with bad info it seems to hang around forever. Anytime something like that can get fixed it's a win for history.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Thanks for all your responses! It struck me as odd as well!