Provenance: Marshall D. Krolick Collection.

A signed CDV and etched portrait of Elon J. Farnsworth, who died tragically at the Battle of Gettysburg. Items include: 

1. Vignetted bust-length albumen CDV studio portrait of Elon J. Farnsworth in uniform. Washington & New York: Brady, ca 1861- early 1863. Brady imprint to mount recto & verso. SIGNED BY FARNSWORTH to image lower margin: "Yours Truly / E J Farnsworth." 

2. Bust-length portrait of Elon Farnsworth. Etching. New York: Charles B. Hall, n.d. Facsimile signature. 4 5/8 x 6 5/8 in. on 6 3/16 x 9 in. mount. 

Elon J. Farnsworth (1837 - 1863) served in the Army before the war. Joining in 1857 as a civilian forage master, he served on the staff of Albert Sidney Johnston during the Utah War. At the outbreak of hostilities in the Civil War, Elon's uncle, John F. Farnsworth, raised the 8th Illinois Cavalry and secured his nephew the rank of First Lieutenant. Known as "Farnsworth's Abolitionist Regiment" by President Lincoln, the 8th Illinois Cavalry was the only Illinois cavalry regiment to serve the entirety of the war in the Army of the Potomac. Elon was promoted to captain by the end of 1861 and later served as the Assistant Chief Quartermaster of the IV Corps. 

In early 1863, Elon was promoted as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Alfred Pleasonton during the Battle of Chancellorsville and the early Gettysburg Campaign. Once Pleasonton was given command of the Army of the Potomac's Cavalry Corps, he gave Farnsworth command of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division under him. 

After the failure of Pickett's Charge, General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick, commander of the 3rd Division, ordered Farnsworth to make a charge with his brigade against positions held by the Confederates between Devil's Den and Little Round Top. Farnsworth, recognizing the low chance of success, initially refused, but ultimately accepted the mission when accused of cowardice by Kilpatrick. True to his assessment, Farnsworth's charge was disastrous, with heavy losses. Farnsworth himself was shot in the chest five times and died on the battlefield. 

Two days before Gettysburg, President Lincoln nominated Farnsworth to the rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers. The appointment, however, was never confirmed by the Senate before his demise. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Manuscripts, Documents, Letters, Ephemera, Signatures, Autographs] [Gettysburg, Little Round Top, Culp's Hill, Pickett's Charge, Devil’s Den] [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] [Art, Folk Art, Military Art, Etching, Engraving, Lithographs, Prints, Ephemera]