Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs
Originally published September-October 2024 · pp. 46–63
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
This early war view shows a Union cavalryman dressed in a shell jacket and a wide-brim forage cap. He holds a U.S. Model 1855 pistol carbine with the Maynard tape primer. The pistol’s removable buttstock is attached. The carbine is fastened to the regulation carbine sling by the swivel ring on the pistol’s butt. The cavalryman also holds a U.S. Model 1840 cavalry saber, affectionately called the “wrist-breaker.” There is an NCO eagle buckle and a percussion cap box on his U.S. Pattern 1851 sword belt. Pistol carbines were obsolete, but there are a few accounts of Union cavalry regiments using them during the early part of the conflict.
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Early war view of a Union cavalryman holding a U.S. Model 1855 pistol carbine. He is wearing a cavalry jacket and gauntlets. The cavalryman also holds a cavalry saber with a regulation leather saber knot attached to the hilt.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
An enlisted Union cavalryman posing at Point Lookout on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. The cavalryman is holding his saber with a Hardee hat by his side. The Linns left Ohio to photograph the Army of the Cumberland. In late 1863, after Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge battles, the pair set up a studio called “Gallery Point Lookout” near Point Lookout. Here, they photographed the Western Theater Union armies as they concentrated on an advance on Atlanta.
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This Union sergeant-major is in a 9-button, blue-trimmed frock coat with tinted chevrons. He is wearing the Model 1851 sword belt and cavalry saber. He is posed in front of a painted patriotic camp scene showing Sibley tents. Infantry NCOs were not regulated to carry anything besides the regulation NCO sword, but sergeant-majors were special, and he may have carried a real fighting weapon.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
This Union enlisted cavalryman poses with three Remington .44 caliber Model New Model Army revolvers and an imported cavalry saber. He is wearing a 9 button shell jacket with either cavalry, or possibly artillery, insignia on top of his forage cap. Copies of this image were obtained by Mrs. A.J. Blue, as noted on the verso of the CDV copy. Who was this relative of Mrs. Blue? A tentative possibility is Andrew Jackson Blue (1837–1872), who served with the 11th Illinois Cavalry from October 12, 1861, until August 21, 1862. Mr. Blue would’ve been 24 or 25 years old in this photograph, though this gentleman appears possibly older. Regardless, the soldier is decked out with multiple pistols, something cavalrymen of both sides often did.
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This African American cavalryman is wearing a shell jacket with tinted sergeant chevrons, a forage cap, a Model 1851 sword belt, and a U.S. Model 1860 cavalry saber.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
This Union cavalryman wears a shell jacket with shoulder scales and a sword belt. A small-frame ivory-gripped revolver is stuck in the belt opposite a regulation-sized holster for an army revolver. The soldier also displays his cavalry saber. This image is so sharp that blade polishing marks at the ricasso can still be discerned. His forage cap shows the stamped brass crossed sabers cavalry insignia. The painted backdrop has two American parade flags with “grand luminary” cantons.
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This early war, Union cavalryman is wielding a cavalry saber and a pair of Colt Model 1860 Army .44 caliber percussion revolvers. He is wearing a civilian, low brimmed hat and a 9 button coat.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
This Union cavalryman is armed with a .44 caliber Colt Army Model 1860 revolver and Model 1860 cavalry saber. His shell jacket buttons appear to be the ball type rather than the typical domed buttons. His forage cap appears to have a VI Corps, Army of the Potomac badge, or an H on it.
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This Union cavalryman is posed in a jacket and forage cap while wearing a sword belt and holding his cavalry saber in front of a painted patriotic backdrop showing a military camp scene.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
This Union cavalry sergeant is wearing a 9 button jacket and Hardee hat with crossed saber cavalry insignia. A sergeant, he holds a nonregulation, imported German saber and 12 mm Model 1854 Lefaucheux revolver. Lefaucheux pistols utilized pin-fire ignition and were popular in the North and South, even though the specialized metallic cartridges were sometimes difficult to obtain in the field.
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A dapper Union cavalryman in an early war shell jacket and forage cap with brass crossed saber cavalry insignia poses with a saber. A Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army .32 caliber rimfire revolver is stuck in his belt
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
Early war Union soldier decked out in photographer’s props. He wears not only a cavalryman’s 9 button jacket with shoulder scales, sword belt with saber scabbard, and kepi with cavalry insignia, but also has an infantryman’s cartridge box slung with its belt and eagle breastplate.
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Beautiful hand-tinted image of a Union first lieutenant wearing a forage cap and an officer’s shell jacket over a vest and striped shirt. The stripes of the shirt placket are at a 90 degree angle. The jacket has shoulder straps with his rank. He has leather gauntlets, sword belt, and sash and is leaning on his cavalry saber and scabbard. Note the regulation U.S. cavalry spurs attached to his boots.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
Union cavalryman wearing a regulation shell jacket with yellow trim and a sword belt with over the shoulder strap. He has two large Army revolvers and is holding his cavalry saber with attached regulation buff leather sword knot.
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Felix Thompson, Company H, 2nd Battalion, 1st Missouri Volunteer Cavalry (Union) entered service as a blacksmith and later transferred into Company G, 3rd Battalion. He is pictured here in a state issued shell jacket and a blackened buff leather sword belt brandishing two Colt Model 1860 Army revolvers and a cavalry saber.
Civil War Cavalry Photographs from the Liljenquiest Family Collection
A cavalier-looking Union cavalryman wearing a frock coat and Hardee hat with cavalry insignia. He has two Colt Model 1848 Dragoon revolvers stuck in his blackened buff leather sword belt with a U.S. Model 1840 cavalry saber, which was lovingly nicknamed the “wrist breaker.”
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A Union cavalryman posed in a shell jacket with shoulder scales, cavalry saber, sword belt with percussion cap box, .36 caliber Savage Navy Model revolver with its rarely seen military issue flap holster.
Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.