A Union infantryman strikes a pose that appears to catch him in mid-stride, his body angled forward as if about to advance against an unseen enemy. His furrowed brow and gaze away from the camera add an element of intensity that heightens the realism. The tin cup and its ingenious attachment by the handle to his cloth shoulder strap suggest he is ready to scoop water from a passing creek. His shell jacket is similar to those worn by New York troops. The illusion of movement is reinforced by the way he grips his Model 1816/22 smoothbore flintlock musket converted to percussion, his finger resting on the trigger with the hammer cocked. Although the Model 1849 Colt Pocket Model revolver tucked into his two-tongue-and-buckle waist belt is unlikely to have accompanied him into battle—or any enlisted man—it does little to diminish the convincing impression of a soldier moving toward combat.
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