Paper and Sword
The rolled paper on the tabletop and sword pictured here are at the heart of a theory about the sitter in this ambrotype. The robust pommel of his sword indicates
The rolled paper on the tabletop and sword pictured here are at the heart of a theory about the sitter in this ambrotype. The robust pommel of his sword indicates
At first glance, the mammoth bearskin cap parked on the table next to this soldier is an attention-grabber. Though the name of its wearer is currently lost in time, the
The Irish population in the sprawling metropolis of Buffalo, N.Y., and its environs included many personalities. One of its most honorable members, shoemaker Michael G. Stapleton, enjoyed a sterling reputation
When it came to the question of borders, Col. James Duncan Graham was the military’s go-to engineer for answers. For the better part of the first half of the 19th
Wise. Calm. Self-poised. Steadfast. These words were used by a comrade and biographer of George Henry Thomas to describe the venerable soldier long after he had been christened with the
Daniel D. Tompkins arrived at the U.S. Military Academy in 1814 with an aptitude for learning and a well-known namesake—his uncle, the governor of New York, who would soon serve
This Brooklynite in the 14th Regiment, New York State Militia, is dressed in a newly designed uniform that had unexpected consequences. A brigade inspector reported on Oct. 18, 1858: “This
A thin-bearded volunteer poses with all the trappings of a militiaman. He is a private—don’t be tricked by the officer’s shoulder straps on his uniform, which are purely decorative. His
The first real indication that Micah Jenkins was destined for military greatness came not on the battlefield, but inside the classroom. As a Citadel cadet, the South Carolinian rose to
At first glance, the rank insignia worn by this soldier seems at odds. The elongated chevrons appear to indicate his rank as corporal. Yet, his epaulettes suggest that he