Seeking Possible Identification? : Graphic!

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the famous photo of dead Confederates who were photographed along the Hagerstown Pike at Sharpsburg.

These men were members of Starke's Louisiana Brigade who were made up of the following units.

10th Louisiana Infantry
15th Louisiana Infantry
1st Louisiana (Zouaves) Infantry Battalion
1st Louisiana Volunteer Infantry
2nd Louisiana Infantry
9th Louisiana Infantry

In the photograph there is the body of a Confederate sergeant. So I did some research and narrowed it down to the following men.

Antietam: Sgt A. B. C. Davis

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt Samuel Kearney

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Pvt Philip Georges

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt George F. Richardson

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt John Ryan

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt Charles Henry Clay Trabue

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt William T. Clack

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt Alexander Feuga

antietam.aotw.org

Any thoughts on which soldier the unfortunate could be?

 

[gbeardsley]

@gbeardsley It is possible that "Wolf Lichtenstein" could have been a nom de plume or pseudonym, particularly if the name does not appear in historical records of the 2nd Louisiana Infantry Regiment.

I know nothing about this dude other than his memoir

 

[Old Soldier]

A lot of folk wonder why many of the 'starving Rebs' looked well fed in these photos. They certainly were bloated, but not fatty or well-fed, just one of the biological stages of decomposition. as I said earlier, the clean-up happened a long time after the battle.

 

[repman66]

A lot of folk wonder why many of the 'starving Rebs' looked well fed in these photos. They certainly were bloated, but not fatty or well-fed, just one of the biological stages of decomposition. as I said earlier, the clean-up happened a long time after the battle.

Anyone who has experienced death left to natural decomposition knows that, as bad and as gruesome it is to look at the images these photos depict, being there would have been abhorrent to the senses - smell, and yes taste, in particular.

 

[JohnnyReb421745]

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the famous photo of dead Confederates who were photographed along the Hagerstown Pike at Sharpsburg.

View attachment 533468

These men were members of Starke's Louisiana Brigade who were made up of the following units.

View attachment 533470

10th Louisiana Infantry
15th Louisiana Infantry
1st Louisiana (Zouaves) Infantry Battalion
1st Louisiana Volunteer Infantry
2nd Louisiana Infantry
9th Louisiana Infantry

View attachment 533469

In the photograph there is the body of a Confederate sergeant. So I did some research and narrowed it down to the following men.

Antietam: Sgt A. B. C. Davis

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt Samuel Kearney

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Pvt Philip Georges

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt George F. Richardson

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt John Ryan

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt Charles Henry Clay Trabue

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt William T. Clack

antietam.aotw.org

Antietam: Sgt Alexander Feuga

antietam.aotw.org

Any thoughts on which soldier the unfortunate could be?

Just a legit question. How do you know that the unfortunate Confederate is a sergeant?? I am looking on my phone BTW so maybe there is some detail I am unable to pick up on.

 

[repman66]

Just a legit question. How do you know that the unfortunate Confederate is a sergeant?? I am looking on my phone BTW so maybe there is some detail I am unable to pick up on.

You can make out his chevrons denoting rank

 

[JohnnyReb421745]

You can make out his chevrons denoting rank

Trying to pick out the chevrons on his jacket but still having a hard time seeing them. On his right arm, there is what looks to possibly chevrons. It could easily just be tufts of weeds or folds in his jacket from my vantage point.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Trying to pick out the chevrons on his jacket but still having a hard time seeing them. On his right arm, there is what looks to possibly chevrons. It could easily just be tufts of weeds or folds in his jacket from my vantage point.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Furthermore, the dead sergeant in the foreground - I always thought that looks like an entry/exit wound and a handkerchief pressed in as a makeshift bandage.

That's what I was thinking. It certainly ties into the account of Sgt. Joyce being wounded and having to be left by his friend.

 

[repman66]

Trying to pick out the chevrons on his jacket but still having a hard time seeing them. On his right arm, there is what looks to possibly chevrons. It could easily just be tufts of weeds or folds in his jacket from my vantage point.

 

[JohnnyReb421745]

View attachment 539888

View attachment 539888

Good eye. Thanks guys. I noticed those on his jacket but honestly thought they were just folds in his jacket.
Welp! Off to see the optometrist to update my prescription.

 

[gbeardsley]

Starting to lean toward the possibility of it being Joyce. Will have to take a look at the battlefield library for access to Claffey's recollection though.

 

[gbeardsley]

I think first things first we should try and figure out the estimated age of the Sergeant in the photo.

 

[repman66]

Btw, you can really see how bloated the corpses were when you contrast this photo of confederate dead in the west taken I think mere hours after they expired.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

With regards to uniforms, Starke's brigade was very well provided for. For instance, in July 1862 the 1st La. received 280 pairs of shoes , followed by 177 jackets, 207 pairs of pants, 217 shirts, 213 pairs of drawers and 118 caps and covers on August 14th 1862. The uniforms were products of the Richmond Facility, with the jackets being 'Type IIs' in heavy gray jeans, priced at $7.50. The 9th La. were even better provided for, receiving 1,042 full uniforms in early April 1862, along with shoes, shirts and gray caps. These gray uniforms were Louisiana State issue items. The regiment received more clothing in July and August 1862, comprising 101 'uniform' jackets, 156 pairs of 'uniform' pants, as well as shoes, shirts, drawers and caps.

How does one find out that kind of information?

 

[tullock]

How does one find out that kind of information?

Hi. I have sent you a PM.

 

[gbeardsley]

Btw, you can really see how bloated the corpses were when you contrast this photo of confederate dead in the west taken I think mere hours after they expired.

View attachment 542089

I believe this photo has been discovered to be staged. I can try and find the original article if you'd like.

 

[Trooper "D"]

A lot of these old photos were taken some time after the battle. The 'cleanup' was not done for days afterwards. Note that there are no rifles or swords anywhere and there is a distinct lack of equipment or ammunition - removed by those taking over the position. They would have been stacked locally and then removed. (Many of the rifles seen in some photos are, yes, props brought in by the photographer) and, whether you like the idea or not, seaching for gold or hidden items - souvenirs even. Medics would also have been checking for signs of life too.

If there is no blood/darkening on clothing ripped or cut, it was probably done after death. The bodies will have been searched at some point as equipment has been removed too. Trouser flies are undone and pockets often seen turned inside out.

Rigor mortis is setting in - or leaving - so it is at least 12 hours after death and possibly as much as 36 hours after. Just to make the point, it is unlikely the photographer was right behind the front line - or even near the battlefield.

** I looked up the other photos of this scene and all are similar - no weapons anywhere and signs of rigor mortis.

I thought trouser flies are undone because the soldier was searching for a wound down there which is usually fatal. I don't know why a treasure seeker would unbutton the fly of a corpse.

 

[Old Soldier]

I thought trouser flies are undone because the soldier was searching for a wound down there which is usually fatal. I don't know why a treasure seeker would unbutton the fly of a corpse.

Bodies swell and the buttons are not often opened but 'popped' - undone or pulled off - by that swelling. In any case, all these bodies will have been searched for anything of interest to the military, to the soldier - or gold, etc. 'Down the trousers' is a good place to hide things, often with an internal pocket added to avoid loss in a quick search.

The 'first search' done by the first line troops will have been to identify and evacuate wounded - those who were showing signs of life - and disarm prisoners and pile arms from those not moving. There will have been no detailed search for unconscious, still, seriously wounded.

Most will have been cold and blood darkened when searched since it will have been done by the 'clean-up parties' - 2nd Line troops. It was their job to collect arms and ammunition first - note that there are no rifles or equipment around the bodies. Many photographers carried or collected a few rifles to lay beside bodies they photographed - the studio on the battlefield!

Next were the 'useful' reuseable personal items, including boots and shoes, although it would seem the rebel forces had more need to do that since their footware was dire and many were noted barefoot. Finally, often days afterwards, the burial parties - often prisoners or local civilians - would dig mass graves and put - throw - dump - the bodies in them as they would now be starting to smell. Not a nice job. It was not the winning side's job to account for dead or wounded enemy and no real 'dog tags' yet. That was for roll-call. often done by the defeated units officers.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Btw, you can really see how bloated the corpses were when you contrast this photo of confederate dead in the west taken I think mere hours after they expired.

View attachment 542089

Woah! I've never seen this one before!

 

[on again]

You're absolutely right.

This photo is a clue to the exact location of the bodies.

"On the west side of the Hagerstown Road"

View in the field, on the west side of the Hagerstown Road, after the Battle of Antietam

1 photograph : albumen silver print on card mount ; 11.5 x 15 cm (mount) | Photograph shows three dead Confederate soldiers by a rail fence on the Hagerstown Road on September 17, 1862.

www.loc.gov

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be another photo of the Sergeant from another angle. Yet there is this second image of the three bodies near him. Which would place him on the right of these three. Unless of course the plate is flipped.

View attachment 538590

I took the liberty of making another diagram of sorts to give a better idea of the general layout of the area. This one is better and more accurate I think.





View attachment 538598










Here are he other photos I could find.

View attachment 538593
View attachment 538592

View attachment 538594

Possibly another picture from this series possibly the left handed picture of the 2nd photograph bases for this drawing

File:Drawing of Dead Soldiers on Antietam battlefield.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

for comparison the other right handed [?] picture

File:Antietam, Maryland. Confederate soldiers 1862.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org