Albumen copy of an original full-length portrait of 3 soldiers, likely a tintype. With image case paper lining, likely from the original cased image. A pencil inscription on its front side reads: "F. F. Carpenter 2nd Lieut. / Co. F. 9th Regt. Ky Vols. / Was born April [illeg.] 1842 / Likeness Taken Nov. 10th 1862 / at Gallatin Tennessee". Verso reads: "Receive of  / Mary Mattin Carpenter...J.W. Carpenter / Franklin / KY". 

Three Kentucky infantrymen sit around a table with their sabers and attempt to relieve the horrors of war by indulging in simple pleasures - a few stogies and a round of drinks. Despite the revelries, their weary faces tell the toll of enlistment.

One of the soldiers is identified as Frederick F. Carpenter of Columbia, Kentucky. A merchant by trade, he enlisted as a Commissary Sergeant in the 9th Kentucky Infantry (Union) on 26 November 1861. After organization, the regiment moved south and saw heavy action at the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth. Carpenter was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of Company F on 9 June 1862. The regiment returned to Kentucky, where they engaged in the Battle of Perryville (Chaplin Hills). Shortly afterwards, this arresting image was taken in Gallatin, Tennessee.

Their enlistment was far from over, however, as they would go on to many other bloody engagements, including the Battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge, before embarking on the Atlanta Campaign with Sherman's Army. Carpenter would not re-enlist, mustering out on 15 December 1864.

[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]