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. Online research of the style and the condition of his clothing and equipment leads us to feel this photograph was taken early in the war and likely indicates his unit. The soldier is wearing a forage cap, not a shorter and later war Kepi. The top of the cap has a white fabric in the shape of a cross. Crosses of this nature belonged to the VI (6th) Corps and were white, red or blue.
In tintypes, blue comes out gray, red comes out black, so the cross in likely white. This would indicate the soldier is a member of second division. 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.
Other information indicated by the photograph. Soldier is wearing an enlisted mans frock coat. The coat has piping, which appears to be light 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 later in the war 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 used in the U. He received command of the 3rd Division of the III Corps on April 30, 1862. 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 05, 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.