Civil War Tintype Union Soldier with 1855 Springfield Rifle and Frock Coat
Civil War Tintype - Union Soldier with 1855 Springfield Rifle and Frock Coat in a 1/6 plate thermoplastic case. Image shows slight indication of possibly having originally been in an oval metal frame.
The bearded solider wears a US Belt Buckle, cartridge box, frock coat, "forage cap" with cross on top, enlisted man's civil war brass scales on his shoulders, bayonet on his belt, and carrying an m1855 Springfield rifle. Based on historical research (below) and on the image itself, we believe the soldier is from the.
Corps possibly division 3 and that the image was taken early in the war, perhaps 1862. In addition, the evidence suggests other information as well. The soldier is wearing a forage cap, not a shorter and later war Kepi.
The cross on his hat indicates hes likely a member of the VI 6. Corps and if the cross is white, he is probably in division 3. The rifle appears to be an m1855 Springfield Rifle Musket. These firearms were produced at the Springfield armory until May 1861. The rifle does not have a rifle sling which would indicate thats a new issue.The leather belt and shoulder strap are shiny. Used leather equipment quickly dulls from use and weather exposure. Soldier is wearing an enlisted mans frock coat. The coat has piping which appears to be grey which would be a light blue thus indicating hes an infantry soldier.
Further, the coat appears to have enlisted mans shoulder scales. Shoulder scales were reserved for Infantry NCOs (and for Enlisted Cavalry - to protect their shoulders from saber cuts). Philip Kearny is credited with devising the first unit insignia patches.
When the American Civil War. Commanding the First New Jersey Brigade.He received command of the 3rd Division of the III Corps. In the summer of 1862, he issued an order that his officers should wear a patch of red cloth on the front of their caps to identify themselves as members of his unit. The enlisted men, with whom Kearny was quite popular, quickly followed suit voluntarily. Members of other units picked up on the idea, devising their own insignia, and these evolved over the years into the modern shoulder patch. Please ask any questions and enjoy!
The item "Civil War Tintype Union Soldier with 1855 Springfield Rifle and Frock Coat" is in sale since Monday, September 19, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Photographs". The seller is "mystic*moon" and is located in Burbank, California. This item can be shipped to United States, to Canada, to United Kingdom, DK, RO, SK, BG, CZ, FI, HU, LV, LT, MT, EE, to Australia, GR, PT, CY, SI, to Japan, to China, SE, KR, ID, to Taiwan, ZA, TH, to Belgium, to France, to Hong Kong, to Ireland, to Netherlands, PL, to Spain, to Italy, to Germany, to Austria, RU, IL, to Mexico, to New Zealand, SG, to Switzerland, NO, SA, AE, QA, KW, BH, HR, MY, BR, CL, CO, CR, PA, TT, GT, HN, JM.