This extremely clear sixth-plate tintype is nicely identified in the back of its leatherette case as “Uncle John Malin / Mothers Brother.” Malin is shown seated in an infantry frock coat with his waist belt and cartridge box in place. His sling plate and belt plate are visible and were lightly touched with gold like his buttons, but the U.S. oval plate is quite legible (though reversed by the tintype process.) His cap box shows, as does the side of his cartridge box. He wears a forage cap with its brim turned up for the camera. He holds his rifle up at his side with bayonet fixed and sling in place. It clearly an Austrian Lorenz, the most numerous imported arm by both north and south after the British Enfield. Malin has merely buttoned the top three buttons of his frock coat and the cuff of his raised arm steadying his rifle is open showing his shirt sleeve. The image has a lot of character. Malin looks unimpressed by the proceedings in the photographer’s studio and looks like army life has not done much for him either.

Research by a previous owner identified just three John Malins with infantry service, only one of whom was in a unit armed with the Lorenz according to Todd’s summaries in American Military Equipage. This was John Malin of Kentucky, who enlisted in the 25^th Kentucky Infantry (U.S.,) which was merged into the 17^th Kentucky in April 1862, a unit listed as having Lorenze rifles until 1863. Malin enlisted in Co. D of the 25^th at Calhoun, KY, on 11/7/1861. The regiment saw action at Fort Donelson, where it lost 84 men, and at Shiloh, where it lost 72 in killed and wounded. After Shiloh it was merged with the 17^th Kentucky, Malin officially becoming a member of that regiment’s Company E as of 4/13/62. The regiment served under Buell at Perryville and Rosecrans at Chickamauga, where it fought as part of Crittenden’s Corps, losing 126 officers and men killed, wounded, or missing.

It saw action at Missionary Ridge in late 1863 and in the 1864 Atlanta Campaign saw action as part of Howard’s 4^th Army Corps at Rocky Face Ridge, Cassville and the actions leading up to Dallas. Malin was listed as “killed in battle” by the acting regimental surgeon on May 27, 1864, “Nr. Dallas.” The specific location is sometimes given as Allatoona. This was an attempt to strike the Confederate right flank in fighting sometimes lumped in with Pickett’s Mill and New Hope Church. The regimental commander reported they attacked after two other brigades had been unable to carry the Confederate works and were repulsed in fighting that exhausted their ammunition. He remarked, “This was a very unsatisfactory fight to me,” and listed one private killed, presumably Malin, and forty-two others wounded.

This is a very strong portrait with good detail and room for some additional research to shore up the identification.  [sr] [ph:m]

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