Great Photographs #2

This page is dedicated to great Spanish-American War and Indian War photographs. Items appropriate for this page are: battle pictures, close-ups of soldiers with accouterments such as belts, canteens, satchels, saddles, carbine boots, encampments, tents, parades, etc. If you have a photograph appropriate for this page, contact: afrasca@erinet.com. Please leave an e-mail address or telephone number so that interested people will be able to contact you.
  1. At the base of the photograph is written Rasmussen (photographer)/1725 Seventh Avenue/Rock Island, Illinois. Please note that the cartouche on the rifle is clearly visible, and the M1879 rear sight is easily identified. The photo appears to have been taken outside with the soldier resting one arm on a tree stump and grass at his feet. However, a painted back drop was used. The photo was supplied by Dorothy Wiener. She says the name Wiener is written on the back of the photo, and she thinks this image is of her Uncle Edward Wiener. She would appreciate any input from veiwers that would date or help her identify something on the soldier. Also, the soldier had a brother named John, who lived in Hollywood, CA. Any information on him would also be valuable. Tom Trevor looked at the photo and made the following comments: Mr. Wiener has a sharpshooters cross, rifle with bayonet, spike helmet,leather looped bayonet scabbard, and white facings on the uniform, so he is in the infantry. The sharpsooter's cross on Mr. Wiener is the same as the one on Sgt. Coons in GREAT PHOTOS #4. Doug McChristian believes the uniform, circa 1885-1900, is that of an Ordnance Corporal which would be consistent with the photo being from the Rock Island area. Photograph from Dorothy Wiener at dodowenr@dotnet.com. Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.

  2. The photograph is of Ba-Cluth (Roaming Coyote) an Indian scout under Generals Crook and Miles and a member of Chattos Band. Note the trapdoor rifle with a M79 rear sight along with the belt buckle. The buckle appears to be from a carbine sling. On page 281 of Book I, the middle sling has been reported as issued to Indian scouts. Possibly this is how they used them??? The second image is the selection of Indian Photographs available through the company known as Baker & Johnston Photographers in Evanston, Wyoming. Photograph and Image List from Tom Trevor at t405govt@aol.com. Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.

  3. The photo of the District of Columbia Cadets have DCC in their cap emblems, and are armed with either M73 or M84 cadet rifles and short cadet bayonets. Please note that the rifles have sling swivels. At this time it is too early to conclude that sling swivels were on cadet guns prior to 1888, but the photo seems to say that it is possible. However, a pre 1888 dated cadet photograph would be a much better way of making a case for slings on early cadet rifles. Photograph from Russell Willmon at rwillmon@cats.ucsc.edu. Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.

  4. On the back of the photo is written, "Photo of myself and Herb McCarthy at Bismarck, D.T., Fort Lincoln." The intereting features of this photograph are the cartridge boxes on the belts, and the center troopers belt looks like a carbine sling (wide) turned into a belt., note the metal tip on the tongue. Photograph from Tom Trevor at t405govt@aol.com. Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.

  5. The photo is of a soldier holding a Model 1873 rifle with a Model 1879 rear sight. The back of the photo has the photographer's name and address: W. Ireland, West Side Square, Walton, Mass. Photograph from Bill Chachula at usmilcol@adelphia.net Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.
  6. The three cavalry men are armed with trapdoor rifles and have prairie belts around their waists. It is not clear if the bandoliers are cartridge belts or actually bandoliers. The cartridge loops on a bandolier are longer than those on a prairie belt. Also, the bandoliers have a very complicated three wire attachment system. I do not believe they were issued to the U.S. Army. Photograph from Don Harpold at Dwharpold@yahoo.com Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.
  7. Written on the back of this photograph of four nation guard cavalrymen is (in pencil),"#1 is Baker, I Troop, #2 is Dandas of I Troop, #3 is Vezenia of I Troop, #4..." The name associated with Number 4 is too badly faded to read. The trooper in the back (left) has a big Bowie knife on his left side, a beaded and fringed leather pouch on his right and some kind of string (watch fob leather??) coming out of his pocket and apparently attached to one of the buttons on his shirt. Each trooper has a trapdoor carbine at his side with Model 1884 rear sights and Model 1890 rear sight protectors. Two carbines have snap-on front sight protectors and two have M83 front sight protectors. One has a metal pistol grip. The trooper in the right rear has a Type 3 Prairie belt and a pistol with a very large set of grips. The trooper in the left front has a pistol with very light grips, possibly ivory?? Photograph supplied by Bob Fredericks at bfreder926@aol.com Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.

  8. Infantryman J.H. Hall. On the back of the photograph is written in ink, "J.H. Hall, of the standing army." The photograph was taken by L.A. Huffman, Photographer, Ft. Keogh, Mt. Huffman's name is black inked under John H. Fouch's crossed-out name. Evidently Huffman bought the business from Fouch, and altered the old cards. Soldier Hall was photographed around 1880, and has a Model 1873 rifle in hand having a Model 1879 rear sight. He is wearing the first type 1876 prairie belt or commonly named "narrow" belt. Also, there is a Model 1870 combination rifle tool poking out of an empty cartridge loop which is in the shadow of his arm. Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.
  9. Field Photograph of Captain William Wallace Wotherspoon, 12th U.S. Infantry. He was the Commander of the Indian Troops circa 1898. Photo from the U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle, PA. For a complete military history and large oil painting of the officer, go to www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/cg&csa/CG-TOC.htm and scroll down to Chiefs of Staff and click on Wotherspoon, p102. Click on Image to enlarge. Click on the BACK button to return to this page. Please ask permission before using this photo in publications.

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