Three-quarter length seated studio portrait albumen CDV. Photographer uncredited, [circa 1862-1863]. Period ink identification to mount verso reads: "F. C. / Co. K 5th Mich Cav." Research pencil identifications to mount verso read: "KIA Gettysburg / 7-3-1863 / Frederick Corcelius / 5th Mich Cav."

This handsome seated portrait captures Frederick Corcelius of the 5th Michigan Cavalry. Corcelius is posed against a highly detailed painted backdrop depicting a military encampment complete with tents and a fluttering American flag. He wears a standard cavalry shell jacket and forage cap, with his model 1860 light cavalry saber resting prominently across his lap. His belt rig includes a cap box and standard US buckle.  The reverse features a period ink inscription identifying his initials and company, alongside later pencil notations that confirm his tragic fate on the war's most famous battlefield.

The 5th Michigan Cavalry was a core component of the legendary Michigan Cavalry Brigade, commanded at Gettysburg by the newly promoted Boy General George Armstrong Custer. On July 3, 1863, while the climax of Pickett's Charge unfolded against the Union center, the Michigan Brigade was engaged in a desperate, swirling cavalry battle three miles to the east. In what became known as the East Cavalry Field, Custer's Wolverines clashed violently with J.E.B. Stuart's Confederate horsemen, successfully preventing them from striking the vulnerable Union rear. It was during this legendary and brutal melee that Frederick Corcelius was killed in action, making the ultimate sacrifice at the turning point of the war.

The Rick Carlile collection was legendary for its staggering depth and the discerning eye of its creator, who prioritized historical significance and visual impact above all else. Rick recognized that portraits of enlisted men killed at Gettysburg, particularly those fighting under Custer in the East Cavalry Field, are exceptionally rare and highly coveted. This is a rare opportunity for even the most advanced Civil War collector. 

[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, Stereographs] [Civil War, Union, Confederate]

The image is in very good condition, possessing a soft, warm tonality that beautifully captures the details of the painted backdrop and the soldier's uniform and weaponry. The albumen surface exhibits minor age-related fading and light surface wear consistent with period handling.