Pvt. Thomas G. Sheppard, Co. L, 1st South Carolina Infantry

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Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Honored Fallen Comrade
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Location
Laurinburg NC
Expired Image Removed


"A SOUTH CAROLINIAN FALLS AT SECOND MANASSAS.—Thomas G. Sheppard, an 18-year-old clerk in Charleston, enlisted as a private in the Carolina Light Infantry Volunteers in the summer of 1861. He and his comrades mustered into Confederate service as Company L of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Gregg’s). Sheppard went on to Virginia and survived disease-ridden encampments and fighting through the engagements of the Seven Days,’ only to be mortally wounded at the Battle of Second Manassas on Aug. 29, 1862. He lingered for 19 days before he succumbed to his wounds at a hospital in Warrenton, Va. He was unmarried. Sheppard likely posed for this portrait shortly after enlistment. The Model 1842 musket he holds was standard issue and his waist belt plate was intentionally worn upside down to compensate for the reversed effect of the ambrotype process."

This sixth-plate ambrotype by an anonymous photographer is part of the Paul Reeder collection. It appeared in the Autumn 2015 issue of Military Images as part of "Palmetto Faces," a collection of South Carolinians at war.
 
Thanks for posting, CSA. The 1st South Carolina Infantry was part of Maxcy Gregg's SC Brigade; they would've been fighting in the Railroad Cut at Second Manassas.

Edit: The photo in the OP went down.
palmetto20-1441497754-95.jpg
 
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Great photo and story. I recently saw what appeared to be a daguerreotype of a Confederate soldier sell on ebay, where the soldier appeared to have his right hand over his heart (meaning it was actually his left), indicting a readiness for death. For a long time I tried to figure out what 'left hand over the heart' signified, then finally realized that the soldier was quite aware, as in your example above, of the reverse-image property of daguerreotypes.
 
Official Records; Series I, Chapter XXIV, Part II, pages 684 - 690.
Report of Lieutenant Colonel Edward McCrady, Jr., First South Carolina Infantry, of operations August 28-30.

SEPTEMBER --, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I beg leave to make the following report of so much of the part taken by the First Regiment South Carolina Volunteers in the engagements of August 28, 29, and 30 last upon the plains of Manassas as took place while this regiment was under my command:
..........
While doubtless there were many other non-commissioned officers and privates who deserve to be reported to you for gallantry and good conduct during the day, I can only mention those whose conduct came directly under my own observation or whose names have been mentioned to me by their officers. I regret that my absence from the regiment in consequence of my wound prevents my including in this report the names of such others as the captains or commanding officers may wish reported. Should such names not be handed in before my return I will endeavor to obtain and forward them to you.

At present I beg leave to report Sergeants Kelly, Company L, and Mathews, Company K; Color-Sergeant Spellman, Company K; Sergeants Gore, Company F; and Miller, Company H; Color-Corporal Owens, Company E; Corporals Wigg and Larkin, Company H, and Privates Ruff, Company C, Holloran and Carroll, Company K, and Atwell, Steedman, Martin, and Shepperd, Company L, for gallant and meritorious conduct. Lieutenant Thomas McCrady, commanding, reports Sergeant Ragin, Company L; Corporal Brereton, Company K; Privates Lyles, Company B;----, Company F, and Duffy, Company K, for gallant and efficient service in removing the wounded.
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I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

EDWARD McCRADY, JR.,

Major, First Regiment South Carolina Volunteers.
 
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