This is a clear ninth plate ambrotype of a Civil War Union soldier, uncased, but with glass, frame and patriotic “The Union Now and Forever,” mat. Our man is posed seated next to a table in front of a plain backdrop and wears a regulation enlisted frock coat with shoulder scales attached. He looks directly into the camera and rests on arm on a table next to him, holding what appears to be an Allen side-hammer rimfire revolver. He has posed with the revolver in his left hand so as to appear in his right from the reversal of the image in a tintype, which places the side-hammer away from camera, but the configuration seems clear. These were popular pocket pistols and are occasionally excavated in Civil War camps (see Phillips, supplement 1,) having likely been brought in by new recruits or sent by concerned relatives, but probably not long tolerated by officers concerned with non-regulation weapons and, needless to say, safety. The image is clear and would make a nice “go-with” for a display of such pistols. [sr] [ph:m]

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