Nice CDV image of a Union soldier standing in front of a painted backdrop of a pastoral scene. The subject wears a dark frock coat with Corporal chevrons, light trousers and knee-high boots. Attached to his left chest is a two piece medal of a shield and circular disc. This is most likely an ID disc.

Image is clear with very good contrast. Mount corners are clipped.

The reverse of the image has a photographer’s imprint that is covered by a piece of paper on which is written the following in period pencil;

“M. V. B. PIPER MEMBER OF 21^ST REG. SHOT ON THE BATTLE FIELD THREE WEEKS BEFORE HIS TIME EXPIRED. A (unreadable) YOUNG MAN.” Due to age and stray marks it is difficult to tell if the first word in the inscription is the initial “M” or the word “ME.”

If it is the initial “M” there is one soldier named Martin V. B. Piper who was 19 years old and who enlisted in Company F, 82^nd Ohio Infantry as a Private on November 14, 1861 and discharged for disability on March 28, 1863. This man re-enlisted as a Private in Company G, 71^st Ohio Infantry and died of disease at Louisville on March 14, 1865.

There are three problems with this ID. This soldier was never a Corporal, he was not wounded and he was not in a 21^st regiment.

If the first word in the inscription is not an initial but the word “ME” then only one soldier comes close. That would be Volney Piper who enlisted as a Corporal in Company B, 4^th New Hampshire Infantry on September 16, 1861 and was discharged for disability on May 9, 1863 at Hilton Head, South Carolina.

The problems for this ID is that this soldier was not wounded and he was not in a 21^st regiment.

Lifting the label and getting a look at the photographer’s imprint might help but we will leave that to the next owner.

With or without the ID it is still a nice CDV.

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