Horizontal group studio portrait albumen CDV. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: J. C. Lesher, Zug's Building, S. E. Corner of Market Square, [ca. 1866-70s]. Photographer's imprint to mount verso. Faded period pencil inscription to mount verso, which appears in part to read "corps." 

This exceptional carte-de-visite captures seven youths forming a patriotic drum and fife corps. The boys are dressed in matching military-style uniforms, consisting of dark sack coats and forage caps, proudly posing with their instruments, including fifes and drums. They stand arrayed in front of a large American flag featuring the boldly printed words WHITE HALL, identifying them as students of the White Hall Soldiers' Orphan School. The image is a spectacular composition capturing the solemn pride of these children. The reverse of the mount features the ornate backmark of J. C. Lesher, operating out of Zug's Building in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, located just a short distance from the school in Cumberland County.

Following the immense human cost of the Civil War, Pennsylvania Gov. Andrew Curtin championed the creation of a statewide system of orphan schools to care for and educate the destitute children of deceased or disabled Union veterans. The White Hall Soldiers' Orphan School, located in nearby Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, opened its doors in 1866. The boys at White Hall were provided with an education, housed and given strict military training, which included wearing uniforms, marching in parades and forming their own musical corps. Images of soldiers' orphans in uniform are incredibly poignant representations of the war's enduring collateral toll and the nation's attempt to repay its debt to fallen heroes. We have never handled another copy of this image, nor have we been able to locate one. This may be the only surviving example. 

[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]

The image is in very good condition. The albumen surface exhibits a rich tonality with excellent contrast and clarity, making it easy to read the text on the flag. There is minor surface wear, primarily rounding of the corners, and light age-related fading typical of period photography.