“United States Army Infantry Soldier”
/Hugh S. Anderson’s Portrait Photograph of a “United States army infantry soldier”
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
HUGH S. ANDERSON was born in 1826 in Scotland and died in 1900 in San Francisco, California. He was active in Petaluma as early as January 1872, and he departed Petaluma in December 1873. His Sunbeam Gallery was located, “At the Old Stand, Opposite H. C. Taft & Co.’s”. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Unidentified, United States Army Infantry Soldier
Description: This is a carte de visite portrait of an unidentified soldier dressed in a United States Army Infantry uniform conforming to the Army’s uniform system adopted in 1872.
In this full frontal view, the man wears an Army dress cap also referred to as a shako. It is embellished with a brass hunting horn, often referred to as a bugle horn, an insignia identifying the soldier as member of the infantry. Hovering above the horn is an eagle with a shield, the United States national coat-of-arms insignia. The Army replaced the infantry’s hunting horn insignia in favor of crossed rifles in 1875. This coincides with the date the portrait was taken which was sometime between January 1872 and December 1873. A number is inscribed inside the loop of the hunting horn that would have identified the soldier’s regiment; however, it cannot be determined due to the resolution of the photograph.
The soldier’s nine-button, dark frock coat is embellished with trim details of a lighter-color: a stiff short collar, placket piping, flat epaulets, three-buttoned French cuffs, and downward-pointing chevrons on each sleeve directly above the elbow. The color of these trim details designated the soldier’s branch of service. This soldier’s cap insignia identifies him as a member of the infantry; consequently, the color of his coat trim would have been sky blue. It is difficult to determine whether there are two or three chevrons on the soldier’s sleeves. If there are two, he would have held the rank of corporal; if there are three, he would have held the rank of sergeant. The coat’s belt loops are visible, but the uniform’s belt and bayonet scabbard are missing. The soldier also wears white gloves, which were mandatory for formal occasions.
Biographical Note:
Family Affiliation:
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: carte de visite
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: Behind the standing soldier is an architectural backdrop depicting two doric columns, and a view of a distant interior on the right. On either side of the soldier’s feet can be seen the bottom of a posing stand, a piece of studio equipment used to maintain the subject motionless during exposure. The classical setting and formal posture confers a respectability appropriate for the subject.
Description, back: Hugh Anderson’s imprint is on the center of the back of this carte de visite. Anderson created several versions of his Petaluma imprint. A simpler, possibly earlier, version appears here. It is printed in black ink and includes only three lines of text, each in a different font. Horizontally flipped, elaborate flourishes surround the text.
Date: January 1872 - December 1873
Condition: There are large blotches of foxing throughout this carte de visite.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1994-633-47
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