Description
Very nice carte view identified as Peter W. Smith of the 144th New York Volunteer Infantry. Peter would be commissioned captain of Company H in late September, 1862. They would assist in defending Suffolk during Longstreet’s siege during the spring of 1862. Later that year they would move to Charleston Harbor where they were engaged at Folly and Morris Islands and would take part in the Siege of Fort Wagner as well as the bombardment of Fort Sumter and Charleston. In February of 1864 the regiment was briefly ordered to Florida, where they carried out various expeditions and operations. Peter’s service would end while the regiment was serving in Jacksonville, Florida when his term expired in April of that year. He is shown here dressed in his frock and wearing his captains rank on his breast rather than typical shoulder boards. Two small brass bars are pinned onto a field of blue and surrounded by a brass border. This identical photo of Peter can be found in the regimental history. Beautiful rich tones to this view. Back marked out of New York.
