The complete issue

Vol. XII, No. 6
(32 pages)

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Inside

Cover image
A sixth-plate tintype from the Herb Peck Jr. collection pictures a Union trooper from the 2^nd Cavalry (Iowa or Missouri) posed in front of the well-known Benton Barracks backdrop.

Editor’s Desk (p. 1)
The editor announces that a professional indexer has offered to produce an index of the first twelve years of MI, and previews content for upcoming issues.

Mail Call (pp. 2-3)
The letters to the editor about the last issue include a question about the map used in the McClellan photo examination, a revelation that the Benjamin Prather letter is a forgery, a misidentified officer in the 61^st New York Infantry and an observation that the cover photo is a member of the 6^th Pennsylvania Cavalry, or Rush’s Lancers, and not an artilleryman as indicated in the caption.

Passing in Review (p. 5)
Seven publications are mentioned, including Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Louisiana in the Civil War (University of Arkansas Press) by Carl Moneyhon and Bobby Roberts, Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher (Harper Collins) by Rod Gragg, Sykes’ Regular Infantry Division, 1861-1864 (McFarland & Co.) by Timothy J. Reese, Financial Failure and Confederate Defeat (University of Illinois Press) by Douglas B. Ball and more.

The Tenth Cavalry at Fort Robinson, 1902-1907 by Tom Buecker (pp. 6-10)
The Indian Wars that dominated America had come to a close by the early part of the 10^th century, and with it many of the frontier U.S. army posts were abandoned. Fort Robinson, in northwestern Nebraska, was an exception. This story provides context through the lens of the 10^th U.S. Cavalry and its occupation of the fort. The text is illustrated with eight images of the regiment during this period.

Claimant No. 722998 and Other Tales of Civil War Soldiers (pp. 11-15)
Six profiles of Union and Confederate soldiers include William F. Hoch of the 4^th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, Otis Whitney Jr. of the 27^th Iowa Infantry, Andrew G. Walton of the 23^rd Virginia Infantry, French Stother McCabe of the 36^th Ohio Infantry, William A. MacNulty of the 10^th New York Infantry “National Guard Zouaves” and 16^th Veteran Reserve Corps and Gilbert H. Bates of the 1^st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery.

Backdrops, II: Another look at painted backdrops and studio props in 19^th century photography (pp. 16-25)
Following the first look at painted backdrop in the March/April 1990 issue, this second survey has considerably more images—36 total portraits taken from the Civil War to World War I. The vast majority was produced during the Civil War period. Perhaps the most unusual is a composite portrait of members of the 23^rd Illinois Infantry, which is the centerpiece of the opening spread.

Captain Bob’s Caveat Emptorium (p. 27)
This time, the Captain attempts to pass off portraits of modern re-enactors made by photographer Fritz Kirsch as original images.

A South Carolina Bouquet: Petals that fell from the flower of Southern manhood by John Mills Bigham (pp. 28-29)
Four Palmetto State portraits accompanied by capsule histories of the subject pictured include Pvt. George Clark of the 7^th Infantry, brothers Robert Charles Coleman and Henry Alexander Coleman of the 17^th Infantry, Lt. Angus Mclean McRae of the 23^rd Infantry and Lt. Robert S. Lewis of the 1^st Cavalry.

Uniforms & History by Michael J. McAfee (p. 31)
In “62^nd Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry ‘Anderson’s Zouaves,’” McAfee examines the uniform and Civil War experiences of this organization. A portrait of Pvt. Isaac Cooper of Company A illustrates the text.

Sutlers’ Row (p. 32)

Back cover
A quarter-plate tintype from the Steven Lister collection is a portrait of pipe-smoking John L.D. Lamar, circa 1856, as a cadet at the Georgia Military Institute in Marietta, Ga.