Interesting CW Photos from the Library of Congress

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Todd
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Here is a fun one - a Private Levi Hocker, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
17PvtHocker17PaCav.JPG
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Couvi
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What is that log chain attached to?
Todd
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Couvi wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:16 am What is that log chain attached to?
I believe it's a trace chain from a qm/army wagon - it's snapped into the halter ring, and a close-up looks like the other end is that quick-connect piece you see in wagon pics. Looks like it's tucked in the top of that thing he's got his Remington stuck in - 3/4" iron buckle from the looks of it, so might be a cut-down carbine socket, mashed down and moulded to the pistol? Really weird.

Just as weird is the hashed up breastcollar, made with surcingle material, and sporting a cartridge box sling plate!

But a really important piece of gear, like the bridle headstall - cheap issue 3-buckle.

The horse looks embarrassed.

That super-long snap near the halter looks like it was taken from a wagon harness jockey stick... #4 in this diagram:
1875wagon11.gif
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Kurt Hughes
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Great photo Todd thanks for sharing it.

I am not sure what the chain is attached to but perhaps it is hooked on the front ring on his saddle, it would make it easily accessible?
He is displaying his pistol in his carbine thimble probably done just for the camera, in the same way he has moved his sabre over for the photo.
I have reversed the photo which helps makes sense when looking at the guard on his sabre.
Kurt
17PvtHocker17PaCav a.jpg
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Todd
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Ah - this is a length of 'bearing chain' - there is the ring intersecting the links...
1875wagon9.gif
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Pat Holscher
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The thing I can't help but notice is that he's carrying his saber and his holster on the same side. Something is the reverse of the normal pattern. I think the second photo has the correct orientation, in which case he's basically carrying his saber backwards.

And he has a revolver jammed into something on the saddle itself.
Kurt Hughes
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Hi Pat

I think he has just slung the sabre over from the left for the photo, it looks to still be attached to longer lower strap and possibly the shorter top strap normally also attached on the left of the belt, but now possibly attached next to the holster to keep the sabre in place. The revolver is probably in the standard carbine socket. All done for the camera.
I flipped the photo in the one I posted as that is how he would have appeared in life.
If not the sabre guard appears wrong, the groove for capping the pistol should be on the right not the left of the revolver and the holster appeared wrong.
Kurt.
Trooper
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I think Kurt has analysed this interesting photograph correctly.
The only thing I might add is that it looks to me as if the trooper has used his sabre belt shoulder strap to attach his sabre scabbard on the wrong side of the belt - I think I can see loops of what seems likely to be it wound around where the upper scabbard ring would be, just below the tip of the holster??
Kurt Hughes
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Just add the bar on the end of the chain that Todd showed in the drawing is visible, it passes from behind the pistol just in front of the trigger guard and shows again at the top of the revolver.
Kurt
Pat Holscher
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Kurt Hughes wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2019 5:51 pm Hi Pat

I think he has just slung the sabre over from the left for the photo, it looks to still be attached to longer lower strap and possibly the shorter top strap normally also attached on the left of the belt, but now possibly attached next to the holster to keep the sabre in place. The revolver is probably in the standard carbine socket. All done for the camera.
I flipped the photo in the one I posted as that is how he would have appeared in life.
If not the sabre guard appears wrong, the groove for capping the pistol should be on the right not the left of the revolver and the holster appeared wrong.
Kurt.
Thanks! I noticed the groove for his revolver, but not the rest of the details that you did.
Todd
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Close-up of pommel area - click to get full size
33458u_pommel_closeup.png
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Todd
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Close-up of horse's head - click to get full size
33458u_horsehead_closeup.png
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Looks like that snap was actually a piece of heavy wire - which means it really is just an adapted wagon bearing chain.

Am I seeing a curb chain safe?
browerpatch
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I've been looking through the LoC website, and I can't locate this image. Is there some additional identifier that I'm missing?
Todd
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browerpatch wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2019 2:10 pm I've been looking through the LoC website, and I can't locate this image. Is there some additional identifier that I'm missing?
Title: [Private Levi F. Hocker of Co. F, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, in uniform with pistol and sword, on horseback]
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/ ... 012648271/
browerpatch
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Thanks!
I love browsing that collection, but just wasn't able to find this particular image. Got it now.
Todd
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browerpatch wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:31 pm Thanks!
I love browsing that collection, but just wasn't able to find this particular image. Got it now.
I've had the same experience lately - I don't know if they changed it or not, but the collection as a whole seems to be continually expanding...slowly, but more there than there used to be.

I've found some excellent images of six-mule wagon saddles, and will be writing up a description of those and the harness involved.

I've found the standard spanish/attakapas type, more than a few McClellan cavalry saddles being used (in widely separated areas), and a very unusual late war specimen where the configuration is correct, but the tree is very different.

One of the tough things about old wagon saddles - teamsters more often than not had wooly sheepskins that they used to sit on, and it obscures the seat into an amorphous blob in a lot of photos.
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