Description
Outstanding mammoth plate tintype of Captain Henry Dobyns of the 6th Kansas Cavalry. Henry would be commissioned a captain with “E” Company in September, 1861. Attached to the Department of Kansas, they would fight on the frontier, mainly in Kansas and Missouri. In total they would fight in 6 major engagements including Prairie Grove, Honey Springs and Massard Prairie. On the 5th of October, 1864, all the men of the regiment whose term of service would expire prior to October 31st, 1864, by order of Brigadier General Thayer, were sent, under command of Lieutenant Campbell, to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to be mustered out of service. On 23d of October, while the detachments were en route to Leavenworth, they were attacked at Cow Creek, Missouri, and a skirmish ensued, in which Captain Dobyns, company E, privates Lewis A. McGuire, company A, and Maxwell P. Johnson, company C, were killed, and a number of men were captured. “Captain Dobyns was a brave and good officer, of unexceptionable moral character; kind and generous, loved and respected by all his company, and by all who knew him. He had served his country faithfully for over three years, and was returning to Kansas to be mustered out, and to the enjoyment of the blessings of that Government he had fought so faithfully to transmit to future generations.”. This is incorrectly identified on the reverse in modern ink as Henry’s brother, Joseph. Joseph would enlist on the same day, serving in the same company as Henry, but would reach a rank no higher than corporal. Henry is shown here wearing the rank of captain and wearing this wonderful slouch cap. The tintype itself measures 11″ x 9″. Mounted in the original wood frame, overall it measures nearly 15″ x 12.5″. Exceptional image from a seldom seen state!
