Description
Very nice carte view of a member of the 95th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which was otherwise known as the Gosline’s Zouaves. The regiment would be organized in Philadelphia during the late summer of 1861. They would serve with the Army of the Potomac through four years of war and were engaged in all of the campaigns in which that Army fought. The Peninsula, Second Manassas, Maryland Campaign, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville Campaigns, Gettysburg, Mine Run Operations, the Overland Campaign, Siege of Petersburg, the Valley Campaign of 1864, and the Appomattox Campaign. The subject here is shown dressed in the Zouave pattern jacket worn by the regiment. He also sports a civilian shirt under the jacket as well as civilian trousers. It is thought that this is very possibly Sergeant John B. Cooke of Company D. Cooke would be promoted to sergeant in December of 1864. The following April, he was be wounded during the Battle of Sayler’s Creek and would be convalescing in a Washington hospital at the time the regiment was mustered out of service. It is very plausible that this view dates to his time recovering from that wounding. This example has a late war back mark by William Rhoads of Philadelphia and there are other known examples of wounded men photographed by Rhoades around this time in this very studio. This would also account for his mostly civilian attire. Upon close inspection, the facial similarities between the two images are certainly apparent. This one does however need further research. Great image from a hard fought unit!
