Rare CDV Image of a Confederate Officer in the Famed Washington Artillery

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Rare CDV Image of a Confederate Officer in the Famed Washington Artillery – This rare CDV depicts a distinguished looking officer, a member of the famed Washington Artillery of New Orleans. The officer depicted is wearing a Confederate officer’s frock coat, with a sword belt that is buckled with a tongue and wreath belt plate; suspended from the officer’s belt is an officer’s artillery saber. On either side of both, stand-up coat collars are a pair of crossed cannons insignia – this type of insignia on the collar, is seemingly unique and worn only by Confederate officers in the Washington Artillery. The quatrefoil on both sleeves of the frock coat are indicative of a high ranking officer. The officer depicted is wearing a chausseur type of kepi cap, also exhibiting gold lacings representative of an officer of higher rank. This is the only CDV of a Washington Artillery officer we have been able to obtain. The image is in overall good condition, exhibiting a slight loss of the image, at the right foot area of the officer; there is a slight crease in the upper left corner. The back of the image is blank. The cardstock and image measure as follows: Height – 3.5”; Width – 2.5”.

Washington Battalion, Louisiana Artillery

Washington Artillery Battalion was organized in 1838 and fought in the Mexican War. It then was known as the “Native American” Battery. Reogranized in 1852 as the Washington Artillery, it was mustered into Confederate service on May 26, 1861 with five companies. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Companies fought at First Manassas and in the difficult campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Seven Pines to Gettysburg. They were involved at Drewry’s Bluff and Cold Harbor, then participated in the Petersburg siege south and north of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign. The battalion lost 4 killed and 26 wounded during the Maryland Campaign, had 3 killed and 22 wounded at Fredericksburg, and of the 329 engaged at Gettysburg, eighteen percent were disabled. On April 9, 1865, only 3 officers and 22 men were present. The 5th Company fought at Shiloh, was active in the Kentucky Campaign and the Battle of Murfreesboro, then moved to Mississippi. Later it participated in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Nashville and in 1865 shared in the defense of Mobile. The company lost 1 killed and 4 wounded at Murfreesboro, had 5 officers and 132 men fit for duty in January, 1863, and reported 10 killed and 20 wounded at Chickamauga. It totalled 118 men in December, 1863, and 116 in April, 1864. Most of the unit was captured when Mobile fell, but a small number surrendered at West Point, Georgia, in mid-April, 1865. The field officers were Colonel James B. Walton, Lieutenant Colonels Benjamin F. Eshlman and William M. Owen, and Major Merrit B. Miller.