This exceptional lot features two distinct sittings of Lieutenant (later Captain) Holman S. Melcher of the legendary 20th Maine Infantry. Both cartes are identified in later pencil notations on the verso and bear the backmark of William Pierce of Brunswick, Maine. The first image is a formal seated bust study showing Melcher in his officer's frock coat with prominent shoulder straps. The second image, taken in a similar seated pose, prominently features a Maltese Cross corps badge—the symbol of the Fifth Corps—affixed to his breast. 

Holman S. Melcher is a name synonymous with the most desperate fighting of the Civil War. As a lieutenant in Company B of the 20th Maine, Melcher played a pivotal role in the defense of Little Round Top at Gettysburg. When the regiment had exhausted its ammunition and faced a final Confederate surge, it was Melcher who famously stepped forward and asked Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain for permission to advance and retrieve his wounded men. This request acted as the spark for the entire regiment's bayonet charge, a tactical maneuver that saved the Union left flank and remains one of the most storied moments in American military history. Some sources insist that it was Melcher himself who led the famous bayonet charge. 

These images, produced in Brunswick—home to Bowdoin College and many of the 20th Maine's officers—capture Melcher with exceptional clarity. The second sitting is of particular importance to collectors, as the clear visibility of the Fifth Corps Maltese Cross serves as a direct visual link to his service in the Army of the Potomac. The detail in his expression and the crispness of his regulation uniform reflect the high-quality work of the Pierce studio, which documented many of Maine’s most distinguished volunteers.

Melcher’s war did not end at Gettysburg. He survived the chaos of the Wilderness only to be severely wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in May 1864. Despite his injuries, he returned to the regiment and rose to the rank of Captain. His post-war writings remain some of the most cited primary sources for the 20th Maine's actions. These two sittings represent a foundational archive for anyone with an interest in Gettysburg history. 

[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 collection is in generally excellent condition, featuring strong tonal contrast and sharp detail across both sittings with minimal fading. The mounts remain structurally sound and exhibit clear, legible period identifications and William Pierce backmarks, showing only typical minor age-related toning and a small moisture stain on the lower corner of the first mount.