Description
Full length portrait identified as Stephen Minot Weld, Jr. of both the 18th and 56th Massachusetts Infantry. Shortly after beginning law school at Harvard University in 1861, Weld was appointed a 2nd lieutenant in the 18th Massachusetts Infantry in January, 1862 and would serve on the staff of General Porter and General Reynolds. Reaching the rank of colonel, he would participate in the battles of Second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg before being honorably discharged on 25 December 1863. He was twice captured by Confederate forces, and twice exchanged. On June 2nd, 1864 he was commissioned as lieutenant colonel of the 56th Massachusetts Regiment, and was promoted to colonel in command of the regiment on 31 May 1864. In May of that year, Stephen wrote to his father in part, “So far I have been in three severe fights, and have come out without a scratch, except having the top of my boot torn by a bullet in the Wilderness fight. About all my friends have been killed or wounded, & a fellow’s chance of getting through seems pretty slim. I have had two color bearers shot & the color staff shattered, besides six or seven bullet holes through the colors. I have lost about 200 men in killed wounded & missing, about thirty being missing. One officer killed, six severely wounded, four slightly and several used up by sickness.”. Stephen would miraculously survive the war unscathed and would received his discharge in July, 1865. The following year, he would recieve a brevet to brigadier general. This one is signed in period ink on the reverse by Weld reading, “Lieut. S. M. Weld A.D.C., Brig. Gen. F.J. Porter’s Staff. Feb 24th, 1862″. No back mark and slightly trimmed along the bottom
