Relics of the American West: 1850-1920
Lot 2139:
Description
This mid-19th-century sixth-plate tintype captures a poignant portrait of a young merchant sailor, dressed in a traditional period pea jacket and flat cap. As documented in the accompanying article from the May/June 2025 issue of Confederate Veteran magazine (page 15), such civilian mariners played a specialized role in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Specifically, these sailors were recruited in late September 1863 to form the Louisiana Steamboat Cavalry Battalion, a unit initially comprised of two companies plying the Red River at Shreveport. Under the direction of General E. Kirby Smith and General Richard Taylor, these men served as vital scouts and pickets along the river, earning them the moniker “Red River Scouts.” This lot includes the tintype and a copy of the C.E. Avery article providing this historical context. The image is housed in an ornate stamped brass mat and protected by a brass preserver and glass, though it is presented without a case. The tintype exhibits clear contrast with minor surface scuffing; there is a small area of emulsion loss on the reverse metal plate, and the brass preserver shows expected age patina and slight corner crimping. H 2.5″, W 2″, D 0.1″. Please see photos for condition.
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