An original albumen carte-de-visite full-length studio portrait of an armed trooper standing before a painted military camp backdrop featuring a row of tents. The soldier is outfitted in a standard cavalry shell jacket with piping, light-colored trousers, a cross-belt and a slouch hat with a small, light insignia on the front. He holds a cavalry carbine vertically in his right hand, muzzle up, with a pocket watch chain visible at his waist. The mount features distinctively clipped corners from period placement in an album.

The reverse features a blank mount backdrop bearing clean, authentic period fountain pen inscriptions at the upper margin reading: "Carlos A. West / Camp Dennison / Ohio." 

This exceptional carte offers a highly desirable look at an armed western trooper during his training at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio. The subject is Carlos A. West, whose military record highlights the high fluid nature of mid-war recruitment in the Buckeye State.

West originally entered the service as an infantryman, mustering into Company F of the 124th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in late 1862. The 124th Ohio performed heavy service in the Western Theater, bleeding extensively through the Chattanooga Campaign and the horrific fighting at Chickamauga. Following his infantry service, West transferred into the mounted service, joining the newly organized 12th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. The 12th Ohio Cavalry went on to play a critical role in major mounted raids across Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, participating in the destruction of vital Confederate saltworks at Saltville and hunting down guerrilla bands. The specific period inscription placing West at Camp Dennison indicates this portrait was captured right as he was being outfitted with his mounted gear, capturing a crisp, rare view of an Ohio trooper proudly displaying his newly issued carbine before heading to the frontlines.

Rick prized images of cavalrymen posed with their carbines above all else. This genre remains one of the most desirable in all of Civil War photo collecting. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards]

Very good. The print exhibits strong clarity and warm tones. The mount is structurally sound, with standard period corner clips for insertion into an album.