American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography

Sixth plate ruby ambrotype portrait of a southern soldier wearing a gray coat and chasseur-style kepi. (Some darkening to edges, scattered spotting throughout, great clarity; unsealed.) Housed in a leatherette case (surface wear throughout).

This exceptional vernacular portrait captures the intensity of the young soldier's penetrating gaze and grey eyes with its remarkable clarity. The coat he wears is likely a shell jacket, being a militia holdover or state issue piece of kit. The brass crossed cannon device affixed to his kepi indicate artillery, most certainly being early war insignia, rarely seen in Confederate photography. 

His cap appears to be extremely well made with a wide leather chin strap, brass side buttons, and a welt of light colored braid around the headband and over the crown.

We were not able to positively associate this uniform with a particular Southern artillery unit, though its most probable state of origin is either Georgia or Tennessee. There are several uniform examples similar to that worn by the unknown private featured here, including long frock coats with black collars and shorter shell jacket versions worn by early Georgia volunteers, including by an identified sergeant belonging to Company K, 17th Georgia, found in Field's The Confederate Army, p. 46. Early-war Tennessee troops were also issued short 10-button shell jacket with black trimmed collars and cuffs, including an enlisted soldier from the Tennessee Heavy Artillery also found in Field's TheConfederate Army (5), p. 16.