Description
Splendid little carte view of William Cheever of the 10th New York Cavalry. Cheever would muster at Oxford, New York in August of 1862 with the rank of quartermaster sergeant with Company K. He wears that rank here while dressed in an infantry frock rather than a cavalry service jacket. A small shield id badge is pinned to the breast of the coat as well. During the spring and summer of 1862, the regiment would serve in the defenses of Washington where William would pose for this photo. The regiment would see it’s first active service during the Manassas Campaign of 1862 and served in Bayard’s brigade at Fredericksburg. It would also take part in the Stoneman Raid during the Chancellorsville Campaign during the spring of 1863. William would have his rank reduced to private on June 16, 1863. Four days earlier he had been admitted to the hospital at Elmira, New York for an undisclosed illness. He would remain there until late December of 1864 when he would transfer into the 49th Company, 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps. The following June, he would be discharged on a surgeons certificate. The reverse of the card bears a period ink signature reading “W. D. Cheever”. Back marked out of Washington where the regiment was serving during the middle part of 1862. Great view of that quartermaster sergeant’s rank!
