The Sapper
By Ron Field Axe-wielding sappers were an invaluable asset to Napoleonic armies, and still prominent in many antebellum U.S. militia units. During the 1850s, sappers were the militia equivalent of
Category: Antebellum Warriors
An 1840s Selfie?
The braid, ornate collar and cuff embroidery, epaulettes and feathered chapeau worn by this mustachioed officer reminds one of “Old Fuss and Feathers”—Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott. But the identity of
Worth’s Wars
Behind this portrait of a West Pointer exists a tragic story of a military family divided by loyalties, and a lifetime of pain from war wounds. He is Henry Augustus
A Militia Soldier Posed with a Plumed Shako, Early 1850s
A militia soldier stands in a red-trimmed frock coat with matching epaulettes and a white buff belt fastened by a small Pattern 1839 US buckle. He holds a plumed bell
Hints of Antebellum Militia and Regular Army
The jacket worn by this clean-shaven soldier suggests a Mexican War era militiaman: high collar, tight-fitting sleeves and cuff trim. One would expect cloth epaulettes with short fringe for enlisted
A Militia Corporal with an Artillery Sword
Militia uniforms worn during the years preceding the Civil War are full of surprises. The militiaman in this ambrotype is no exception. Of particular interest is the corporal’s gold-tinted chevrons
Drum and Guidon
Using his drum as a stool, this boy served in a New York City militia organization, as evidenced by the pompon ornament at the top of his dress cap. It
Hussar Influence
A mounted trooper wears an early French dragoon-style helmet with a brass visor and scale chinstrap distinguished by an 1820-style federal eagle on the crest. The uniform suggests a Hussar
Rainy Day Wheel Cap
This Pattern 1839 “wheel” cap worn by an unidentified rifleman is unusual for an add-on not typically seen: The glazed linen rain cover and the accompanying cape which extends just
A Portrait Promised to a Sister?
Compared to most of the Union’s noted Civil War generals, John Fulton Reynolds rates high for skill and ability. West Point educated and a seasoned campaigner in Mexico and the