
A Confederate trooper wearing a hat with A star attached to the brim is armed to the teeth. He grasps an 1840-style Dragoon saber and a double-barrel shotgun. The revolvers tucked into his waist belt with two-piece plate appear to be Model 1851 Colt Navies. This photograph came out of the Cooper family of Tennessee. His uniform and star badge are remarkably similar to another photo of a cavalryman who served in the Independent Rebel Rangers of Union City, which became Company G of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry (Duckworth’s). One man with the surname Cooper served in Company G of Duckworth’s regiment: Pvt. K. Cooper.

Brandishing a Whitney style revolver, this Confederate is partially identified as Allen of the 3rd Texas Cavalry. Several Texas units include the designation “third” and “cavalry,” and a number of men have the surname Allen. According to Brendan Synnamon of the Union Drummer Boy in Gettysburg, Pa., “This image was from the personal collection of Jules Silverman of Brielle, N.J.” Synnamon adds, “that the image was part of the ‘Southrons’ Display, a traveling museum.”

This Confederate, probably a Virginian in his mid-teens, poses with a U.S. Model 1795 smoothbore flintlock musket. According to MI Contributing Editor Phil Spaugy, “I can make out the “Springfield” marking on the bottom edge of the lock plate. It appears to be slightly curved. which is a unique style of stamping used on M1795 Type I muskets manufactured before 1805. There are also some details of the flintlock ‘battery’ mechanism that are unique to early 1795’s.”


A union corporal in the foreground and four pards recreate a scene, perhaps from a patrol or other detail that put them in harm’s way. The artful arrangement of the men and their muskets is perhaps at the direction of the photographer.
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