Revolver ID

[SoupSandwich]

What pistol is this pictured on then-1st Sgt Victor Stevens: https://illinoisgenweb.org/civilwar/photos/stevensvictorfull.jpg

photo credit: illinoisgenweb.org

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Hard to see it real good, I can't expand the picture. It appears to be a double action, not a Colt or Remington. Is that a civil war uniform?

 

[SoupSandwich]

I think it is a musicians uniform, which is another perplexing question.

 

[Salterr]

Hard to see it real good, I can't expand the picture. It appears to be a double action, not a Colt or Remington. Is that a civil war uniform?

Very strange, musician coat and the chevrons aren't 1st sergeant either.

 

[scooter748driver]

If I had to guess (and it's a huge guess), it might be a Starr revolver.

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[SoupSandwich]

Later promoted to Captain, more details here

ILGenWeb - Civil War Photos - Victor H. Stevens

This photo seems a little more accurate, there is a paper trail that he was the Company H commander. Almost looks like a different person than the first photo.

Photo credit: illiinoisgenweb.org

 

[Dan Kohli]

Going from the size, my guess is that it's ether a Colt Walker or Dragoon.

 

[JackADriscoll]

I think it's a Whitney revolver. Maybe a studio prop?

 

[SoupSandwich]

Going from the size, my guess is that it's ether a Colt Walker or Dragoon.

I think it's a Whitney revolver. Maybe a studio prop?

Thanks. This is not my ancestor but my ancestor's predecessor at that rank. I don't have any period photos of my ancestor and this is the closest I've got to see what uniform might have been worn and so on, but indications are that the musician's uniform and pistol may be props.

 

[Old Soldier]

Very strange, musician coat and the chevrons aren't 1st sergeant either.

Drum Major? He would only have the musician's sword. The pistol may well be the dreaded 'studio prop', kept and used to prove he is a 'real' soldier.

 

[SoupSandwich]

He was killed in action in Raymond Mississippi.

Y'all can keep your site. Take care.

 

[Old Soldier]

There are a number of different rank insignia for musicians especially for buglers.

Cavalry 'Chief Bugler'

Many militias and 'raised' regiments also had a variety of different insignia until 'federalised'.

 

[JackADriscoll]

I've seen sgt major stripes be similar

 

[Story]

Y'all can keep your site. Take care.

 

[captaindrew]

He was killed in action in Raymond Mississippi.

Y'all can keep your site. Take care.

Have you taken offense to something? Nobody was questioning the service of your ancestor or the man in the photo. But it's pretty common knowledge that studio photos aren't always, maybe moreso than not, a great representation of what they actually wore/carried during their service. Guys would enlist then go right to the local photo shop and have their picture taken for their loved ones, long before they were issued anything. They wanted to look military and ready for a fight and studios were happy to make that happen. You see infantry guys armed with knives, pistols, and sometimes swords, even uniforms that they never would've had in reality. To get a real idea of your ancestors experience you need to dig deeper and many knowledgeable people here are happy to help if you choose to stick around.

 

[Salterr]

Drum Major? He would only have the musician's sword. The pistol may well be the dreaded 'studio prop', kept and used to prove he is a 'real' soldier.

That's what threw me too. It looks like it could have been a drum major insignia because the 1st sergeant doesn't have the arch above the chevron but sergeant major does. I couldn't make out a bugle but maybe he left his 1st sergeant lozenge stitched on????

 

[Salterr]

Have you taken offense to something? Nobody was questioning the service of your ancestor or the man in the photo. But it's pretty common knowledge that studio photos aren't always, maybe moreso than not, a great representation of what they actually wore/carried during their service. Guys would enlist then go right to the local photo shop and have their picture taken for their loved ones, long before they were issued anything. They wanted to look military and ready for a fight and studios were happy to make that happen. You see infantry guys armed with knives, pistols, and sometimes swords, even uniforms they hey never would've had in reality. To get a real idea of your ancestors experience you need to dig deeper and many knowledgeable people here are happy to help if you choose to stick around.

I was confused by that statement too, trying to find if we said anything wrong. I wasn't questioning the validity of the image or ancestry but knowing how I talk about insignia, I had just never seen such a chevron with a sergeant major rank with a lozenge. It didn't look like a bugle to me on the sleeve. I agree that the pistol might actually be a prop as was common in so many photos of soldiers armed to the teeth with knives and guns

 

[captaindrew]

I was confused by that statement too, trying to find if we said anything wrong. I wasn't questioning the validity of the image or ancestry but knowing how I talk about insignia, I had just never seen such a chevron with a sergeant major rank with a lozenge. It didn't look like a bugle to me on the sleeve. I agree that the pistol might actually be a prop as was common in so many photos of soldiers armed to the teeth with knives and guns

We know that or maybe the "real soldier comment" Something was taken out of context I'm afraid.

 

[bayonet]