This is a nice image of three soldiers posed full-standing with muskets with bayonets fixed, apparently in the process of being made over into soldiers. All wear issue forage caps, but different garments, with the center figure having a regulation four-button fatigue blouse, the fellow on the left with his coat drawn back to show a military style vest, and the young man on right with a lighter color sack coat open to show a dark civilian style vest over a dark shirt. They don’t look like raw recruits, but new soldiers in the process of being issued uniforms; not yet equipped with accoutrements, but showing the folks back home that the first shipment of weapons has arrived. The arms seem to be 1816 pattern muskets converted to percussion, a common weapon of early-war volunteers. They apparently received them with bayonets, but gun slings and other gear have not yet been passed out.

There is some solarization around the perimeter, but it appears like a thin wash, not obscuring much detail. The image is a nice size with good clarity and is housed leatherette half case with nice open mat, and the frame and glass intact. This is an interesting image that would fit well in a display devoted to the early-war volunteer, illustrating, we think, the process of turning young men into soldiers. Since the image was obviously meant to be sent home, part of the message was, “things are getting serious.”  [sr] [ph:m]

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