Apencil inscription on the back of this carte de visite tells the tale of a journey that crisscrossed the country. The individual who made the notation, identified only by the initials C.S., recorded 25 stops beginning and ending in Virginia. The list, the Rhode Island photographer’s imprint, and the subject suggest a Union soldier received this portrait of his wife, sister, or other person while stationed in Virginia. He carried her likeness through camp and campaign.
Image owner Mike Fitzpatrick observes that, “no Rhode Island regiment matched the soldier’s itinerary, but perhaps he served in a regiment from a neighboring state or served in some independent capacity.”
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