Description
Sixth plate tintype of a member of the famed 9th New York Infantry, otherwise known as the “Hawkin’s Zouaves”. I would suspect this early war image was taken at Camp Hawkin’s which was located on Riker’s Island. It was there that the regiment would receive their Zouave uniforms and finish their training before moving to Virginia in early June, 1861. Named after the regiments colonel, Rush Christopher Hawkin’s, the regiment would fight during Burnside’s North Carolina Expedition of 1862. They would see further action at such places as Antietam, Fredericksburg, Suffolk and the New York City Draft Riots. This subject is shown dressed in the Zouave uniform worn by the regiment sporting pantaloons, the classic Zouave style jacket and fez. Posed holding a small American flag, he wears a holstered revolver on the belt as well as a large side knife. The belt plate is gilded over but is almost certainly a SNY plate. Nice view of this famous regiment. Housed in a half case with a brass ring at top for wall mounting.
