Two studio and field albumen CDVs. Washington, D.C.: Mathew Brady’s National Photographic Galleries and unidentified photographer, [circa 1864-5]. Photographer’s imprint to mount verso of one example. Period and research ink and pencil identifications to mount versos read: "L. M. Bergen / Lieut 10th NYV / & Act. Sig. Off." and "Crow’s Nest Signal Tower."

This highly specialized 2-piece archive documents the high-stakes world of the Union Signal Corps during the Siege of Petersburg. The lot includes a premier Brady studio portrait of Lt. Louis M. Bergen of the 10th New York Infantry (National Zouaves), who served as an Acting Signal Officer. Paired with this portrait is a rare contemporary field view of the famous Crow’s Nest signal tower, the soaring lattice structure that allowed Federal observers to peer directly into the Confederate lines at Petersburg.

Louis Bergen was an officer of the 10th New York, but like many technically proficient officers, he was detailed for specialized duty with the Signal Corps. In his Brady portrait, Bergen is shown in full field attire, including high leather boots and gauntlets. Most significantly, he is shown with a large telescope or "spyglass" slung over his shoulder — the essential tool of his trade. These sittings of Acting Signal Officers with their specialized equipment are notoriously difficult to find. 

The accompanying field CDV captures the Crow’s Nest signal tower, an engineering marvel of the 1864 Virginia campaign. Rising nearly 125 feet above the Appomattox River near the Bermuda Hundred line, the tower provided a panoramic view of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad and the Confederate defensive works. The image shows the skeletal lattice of the tower with several signalmen positioned on the ascending platforms, offering a visceral sense of the scale and danger associated with these exposed observation posts.

[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 images are in generally excellent condition, featuring strong tonal contrast and sharp detail across both the studio portrait and the field view. The Bergen mount exhibits period-clipped corners and a clear, legible backmark. The Crow's Nest mount shows typical minor age-related toning and a faint horizontal crease that does not significantly impact the central subject.