This exceptional 3-piece lot features photographs of a highly distinguished Regular Army officer and West Point graduate, Captain James P. Drouillard of the 6th United States Infantry. The lot includes:

1. Lieutenant James P. Drouillard (Left Profile Study): Vignette bust portrait albumen CDV. Washington, D.C.: R. W. Addis, McClees Gallery, 308 Penna. Avenue, [ca. 1861-2]. A striking and unusual true left-profile view capturing Drouillard in a single-breasted lieutenant's frock coat with early-war shoulder straps and a distinct chin tuft. The reverse bears a crisp R. W. Addis/McClees Gallery backmark, and an early pencil identification reading "Lt James Pier[r]e Drouillard / 6th U.S. Infantry."

2. Captain James P. Drouillard (Three-Quarter View): Vignette bust portrait albumen CDV. St. Louis, MO: Hoelke & Benecke, S.E. Cor. 4th and Market Sts., [ca. 1862-3]. A fine, crisp study showing Drouillard facing three-quarter right, now attired in a double-breasted captain's frock coat with visible single-bar shoulder straps. The reverse features a beautiful central Hoelke & Benecke backmark, heavily enhanced by deep collector research tracking his military academy lineage: "Capt. James P. Drouillard / ACD [sic] 6th US Inf / USMA 1861" above a matching graphite notation, "James P. Drouillard / Capt., ADC / 1st Lt 6 US Inf / USM[A] 1861."

3. Captain James P. Drouillard (Signed Autographed Presentation View): Half-length studio portrait albumen CDV. [ca. 1863]. A commanding, high-contrast portrait capturing Drouillard facing right in full captain's uniform with crisp double-bordered shoulder straps, housed on a mount with a distinct red border rule. The lower front margin features a bold, period autograph presentation signature reading: "Very Truly Yours / J.P. Drouillard U.S.A." The reverse is clean, carrying later pencil verification reading "James P. Drouillard / Graduate West Point / 6th U.S. Inf."

James Pierre Drouillard boasts a stellar operational record as a highly educated professional soldier in the Regular Army. Graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in the celebrated Class of May 1861 - just weeks after the firing on Fort Sumter - he was immediately commissioned into the 6th U.S. Infantry.

While many of his classmates were assigned to raw volunteer regiments, Drouillard remained heavily relied upon by the high command for his administrative and engineering capabilities. He was elevated to vital staff duty as an Aide-de-Camp (A.D.C.) to Major General William S. Rosecrans, steering complex tactical communications through the high-stakes Western Theater operations of the Army of the Cumberland. In this capacity, Captain Drouillard was right in the thick of the battles of Stone's River (Murfreesboro), Tullahoma, and the desperate fighting at Chickamauga.

Same-officer photographic sequences that track a professional West Pointer's rank evolution from an early-war Washington subaltern to a seasoned Western Theater staff captain are scarce in the marketplace. This lot likely represents the most complete Drouillard archive in existence. 

[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]

All three images remain in excellent condition, with superb tone and clarity. The Hoelke example is slightly trimmed along the bottom edge.