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Post by bc on May 25, 2008 9:38:36 GMT -6
Just saw the new to me pic of Captain Custer in the lbha newsletter yesterday. It was hard to tell but it appeared to have long cheek whiskers. At first I thought it was someone else named custer. It was 1862, and looks like whiskers to me. Wonder how long he had them?
Couple other odd things, this is a pic with Lincoln, McCellland, and all the rest were either generals or coronels then it skips down to one captain. Was he already so high regarded that a lowly captain was allowed to hang with such a high ranking group?
The other thing is that other than lincoln with his hat, all the other officers were wearing field caps and then we have custer wearing black tall wide brim (10 gallon appearing) campaign hat. Was he so flamboyant that he had already adopted his own hat as a captain one year into the cw?
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Post by elisabeth on May 25, 2008 10:50:19 GMT -6
From those early pix of him, it looks as if he did a lot of experimenting with facial hair until he found the style he was happy with. Impossible to say whether he based his eventual choice on McClellan (known to be his hero), or on Keogh (for whom he had great regard -- he did twice try to get him into his CW command) or just on the current military fashions. As for this particular pic ... he's way out on the edge of it, not posed with the rest of the group. Looks a bit as if he's just sneaked in, don't you think?
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Post by doyle1876 on May 25, 2008 11:02:02 GMT -6
Bit of a Keogh look going on here... Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, the Peninsular Campaign, May-August 1862
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Post by doyle1876 on May 25, 2008 11:05:46 GMT -6
Speaking of facial hair..... The Peninsular, Va. May 1862 - Lts. George A. Custer, Nicolas Bowen, and William G. Jones
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Post by bc on May 25, 2008 20:11:45 GMT -6
Elisabeth said "Looks a bit as if he just sneaked in, don't you think?" referring to the picture in the LBHA newsletter. That really got me laughing. I can't image him sneaking in but then he wasn't buddy buddy with them either. Maybe he was guarding McClelland's tent.
Doyle, interesting 2 pix both around the same time. One with no cheek whiskers. Different uniforms, different hats, and different boots/shoes. The mustaches appear different also. The cheek whiskers makes him look older.
Are you sure the pic with the dog isn't from 1864 or 65? He looks older and hair may be parted differently. I can't see the detail on his shouldter tabs.
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Post by doyle1876 on May 26, 2008 3:19:26 GMT -6
I see your points BC, the pic of the three Lts is dated to May 1862. The other pic is May -August 1862 - may be a reference error. The website is found at memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/
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Post by rch on May 27, 2008 20:30:42 GMT -6
Re: The Lincoln/McClellan photo.
I don't believe there's anything special about the headgear, or the presence of a captain in the photo.
I think the photographer composed the picture so that the tree banches would be on the upper right and left and that the open tent would be visiible at the right.
The problem with Custer sneaking into the photo is how did he know where to sneak. I don't think you could in 1862 or today judge where the edge of the photo would be. If your inclined to sneak into a photo you would probably get in the back and middle of a group. It's likely the photographer knew Custer was there.
Re: The photo of Custer, Bowen and Jones.
That is a good print. You can see what is probably Custer's forage cap near his right foot. Like many enlisted men, he has removed his revolver from his holster for the photgraph and he may not even be wearing his pistol belt. You can see the shadows of the camera, tripod, and the photographer. Lt Jones appears to be seated on a spare camera. These three men where also photographed in the same clothes with a group of officers, including J. W. Forsyth.
rch
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Post by alfuso on May 27, 2008 22:07:32 GMT -6
Re: The Lincoln/McClellan photo. I don't believe there's anything special about the headgear, or the presence of a captain in the photo. I think the photographer composed the picture so that the tree banches would be on the upper right and left and that the open tent would be visiible at the right. The problem with Custer sneaking into the photo is how did he know where to sneak. I don't think you could in 1862 or today judge where the edge of the photo would be. If your inclined to sneak into a photo you would probably get in the back and middle of a group. It's likely the photographer knew Custer was there. rch I agree. The photographer was taking a photo of Lincoln and his "officers" and Custer was an Officer who was standing by the tent. Hell, the Photog may have even positioned him there. When photos were taken, the Photog was in Command! Still is. After all, the photo of Custer and friend and the Black boy was composed by the Photog, though IIRC the friend may have suggested the boy be put there. I believe Custer experimented with facial hair in an effort to look older. alfuso
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Post by Diane Merkel on Jun 13, 2008 23:09:07 GMT -6
I like this Brady photo because it seems more natural than most of GAC's portraits. I can't figure out his neck-wear though. Is that a cravat with a pin in it?
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Post by Tricia on Jun 14, 2008 6:45:19 GMT -6
Diane--
Are those things eyebrows, GAC's curly hair, or did a tarantula come to rest on his forehead? Yikes! Somebody needs an EZ-Trimmer! Or a visit to the Dharma Salon in Beverly Hills .... Custer really "ugged" up as he aged.
I do believe that's a cravat--I wonder if this is one of Tom's suits. The year would probably be within the realm of possibilities. I have always liked the one or two photos of GAC wearing an Oxford shirt with his tie in what would later be called a Windsor knot; very clean and modern--there's a timelessness to classic.
Do you think GAC could have won that tie pin in a card game? That would be an interesting tale!
Now as for the Custache ... ick. It's got tentacles! --t.
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Post by Diane Merkel on Jun 14, 2008 10:03:36 GMT -6
From the same session: The unruly eyebrow must have been that tuft of hair by his left ear, and his mustache is awful. Didn't these guys ever visit a barber?
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Post by crawdaddo on Jun 17, 2008 23:49:14 GMT -6
Well regarding hair its easy to see how thin his hair was in 1862 so by '76 it must have been alot worse I'm thinking about the fact he wasn't scalped maybe it wasn't worth it. .....cheers craw
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Post by Diane Merkel on Jun 18, 2008 23:37:51 GMT -6
;D ;D ;D
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Post by crzhrs on Jun 20, 2008 9:55:21 GMT -6
The 'stache woulda made a good trophy . . . a la Cooke.
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Post by crawdaddo on Jun 21, 2008 23:40:52 GMT -6
I've just reread my last post and would like to say I hope it wasn't too harsh on the great man. yes crz but wooden leg said he got,was it Cooke's mutton chops and carried it on a stick. Although his grandmother thought it was ugly and eventually threw it away so I don't think his 'stache would have been much good either....when it comes to trophys not any old hank o'hair will do .........craw
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