Description
Superb sixth plate ambrotype of an unidentified member of the 1st South Carolina Sharpshooters known as “Orr’s Rifles”. Several years ago I sold another Orr’s Rifles image in which the subject was dressed in a identical jacket. This young sharp shooter sits dressed in grey trousers and a matching grey frock with the collar, cuff and facing of the jacket trimmed in green. The front of the jacket bears wooden buttons rather than your typical brass buttons as in a similar method employed by their adversary, Berdan’s Sharpshooters who wore rubber buttons. A green cap is worn matching the trim of the frock with his company letter “K” pinned to the top. “Orr’s Rifles“, consisted of ten companies. These companies were designated A through H, K, and L, with J and I skipped for an unknown reason. He is posed in this South Carolina studio holding a cdv album in his lap. I have handled several South Carolina images taken in this same studio in which all have been shown holding this album. The frock he wears has been worn for sometime. You can see that the green trim along the facing of the coat is completely frayed, torn and missing completely in places. It is documented that by the summer of 1862, the coats of the regiment had become considerably worn and the men were in a ragged condition. Assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia, the regiment would fight in almost every major conflict fought in the east. At Appomattox, the regiment would surrender a mere 9 officers and 148 men. Exceptionally rare image housed in a half case.
