[CIVIL WAR]. MOSES & PIFFET, photographers. Autographed CDV of Confederate artillerist Thomas H. Fuqua, 3rd Company, Washington Artillery of New Orleans, wearing the unit's gold pin on his jacket. New Orleans, LA: ca 1864-1865.

2 1/8 x 3 3/4 in. CDV on cardstock mount (surface toning and spotting to print; some toning and corner/edge wear to mount). A shoulder-length portrait of Confederate artillerist Thomas H. Fuqua, signed on verso "T.H. Fuqua" (some fading to signature). Fuqua is shown wearing the Washington Artillery 2-part gold pin comprised of crossed cannon with the unit's motto, "Try Us," and a tiger, which represents the unit's mascot. Mount verso with imprint of "Moses & Piffet, Successors to E. Jacobs."

At the age of 21, Thomas Fuqua enlisted on 26 May 1861 in New Orleans, as a sergeant in Third Company, Washington Artillery. He was transferred to Second Company in July 1861 and was later promoted to corporal in November 1863. Fuqua is listed on the roll of prisoners paroled at Farmville, VA, 10 -21 April 1865.

The Washington Artillery, which was originally organized ca 1838-1840, mustered into Confederate service on 26 May 1861. The first four companies of the elite Louisiana gunners were assigned to the eastern theater and fought in every major battle of the Army of Northern Virginia until the very end of the war. A fifth company served with the Army of Tennessee. Armed mostly with cannons captured in 1861 from the Baton Rouge Arsenal, the five companies of the Washington Artillery participated in over 60 engagements, including Antietam, Perryville, Gettysburg, Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Fredericksburg, First Manassas, Nashville, and Cold Harbor.

Gustave A. Moses (1836-1915) was a photographer active in New Orleans from 1854-1861, and from 1864-1865. In August 1864, he and Eugene Piffet bought out the gallery of Edward Jacobs at 93 Camp Street. Moses and Piffet acquired Jacobs' cardstock and simply added their own imprint above Jacobs' backmark. Around the end of the Civil War, Moses operated a photographic gallery in St. Louis. Moses returned to New Orleans in 1866 and with his brother Bernard operated the B. & G. Moses Gallery at 1 Camp Street, New Orleans.

Property from the Civil War and Militaria Collection of George Sanders of Albuquerque, New Mexico