This sixth plate ambrotype shows two Confederate enlisted artillerymen, in a two-thirds length seated pose, both wearing caps and jackets trimmed red by the photographer. The soldier on the left has his hands in his lap, and wears his jacket partly unbuttoned. The photographer has gilded eight buttons on the front of his jacket, but there is likely a ninth concealed by a fold at his waist. His compatriot has his arms folded, concealing his lapel, but the jackets of both men have shoulder tabs. The photographer has colored the cuffs of both men a solid red, now slightly faded with losses, and on the right figure seems to have lightly touched with red one shoulder strap and also what seems to be sash hanging down at his side, indicating he might be a first sergeant, though we see no chevrons. Both men wear kepis with chinstraps and the photographer has touched them with red also, giving the impression of a solid-colored band around the base of each.

There is no question they are artillerymen and there is a good chance they are wearing Richmond Depot Type-I jackets. These early-war jackets had (usually) nine-button fronts, shoulder tabs, and welted branch of service color trim on collar, shoulder tabs, and cuffs. If so, the photographer has simply gone the extra step and colored in their cuffs entirely, though he has not attempted anything on their collars and only a hint of a try on one shoulder tab.

The image is housed in leatherette case separated at the hinge. The case is embossed with a floral display on a latticework and geometric background. The inner edges are gilt blindstamped. The facing pad is present and reddish orange with geometric and floral design. The plate shows some solarization and little over-exposure on the white shirt of the figure on left. The photographer lightly tinted the cheeks of both men. It would make a nice addition to a CS photography collection, but would also fit very nicely in a CS artillery display.  [sr] [ph:m]

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