Very young officer!

[Matt Caldwell]

Found this on the LOC site and I just cant get over how young the officer of the day looks. If I were to guess, I would have to say 14-15. Just something I found neat.

Arlington, Va. Officers of Company F, 2d New York Artillery at Fort C. F. Smith].

Smith, William Morris, photographer.


CREATED/PUBLISHED
1865 August.

SUMMARY
Photograph of Washington, 1862-1865, view of the defenses of Washington.

NOTES
Reference: Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0763

Title from Milhollen and Mugridge.

Forms part of Selected Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 (Library of Congress)

[paulcalloway]

Note the ring-finger. Probably just jewelry and not a wedding band. I'd guess 17 at most - and yet to put a razor to his chin. Great photo, Matt.

[JACKSONVC]

Cool picture!
He certianly looks like a young lad, appears he is wearing a wedding ring on left hand. I can't make it out, but his cap badge looks as if he is an artillery officer. He is definately in officer country, look at the desk behind him, wiskey bottles. It looks as if he is wearing a private purchase coat, the hip pocket is flapped. Really nice picture..

[Vuhginyuh]

Ring on finger and Officer of the Day. Poor guy...

[RyanBWeddle]

I found him again in another photo, farthest on the right:

TITLE: District of Columbia. Company F, 2d Regiment New York Artillery at Fort C.F. Smith
CALL NUMBER: LC-B817- 7283 <P&P>[P&P]
REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-DIG-cwpb-03948 (b&w copy scan)
No known restrictions on publication.
MEDIUM: 1 negative : glass, wet collodion.
CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1865 June.

<img src="http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/03900/03948r.jpg">

Sure enough, he is awful young looking. But then again, I did too at 16.

For some reason there is something strange about the two-piece sword belt he is wearing... I can't seem to ID the buckle, but it doesn't look regulation or US. Maybe a Virginia Seal??? Does anyone see that? Look at my attachment.

[Matt Caldwell]

Thanks Paul, the LOC is a great resource and if anyone has DSL or Cable, I urge you to have a look for yourself. Here is another on that I found, which this one looks a slight bit older, but not much.

[District of Columbia. White officers of 4th U.S. Colored Infantry at leisure, Fort Slocum].

CREATED/PUBLISHED
1865 April.

SUMMARY
Photograph of Washington, 1862-1865, view of the defenses of Washington.

NOTES
Reference: Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0771

Title from Milhollen and Mugridge.

Forms part of Selected Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 (Library of Congress)

[Jayhawk102]

I think the belt insigna is Militia maybe from 1850s? I found what looks like might match the one he is wearing.

[huntdaw]

Actually it's Dick Clark's great-grandfather. He's really 42 in that photo. :wink_smil

[paulcalloway]

Ryan, I would guess it'd be more like this 2 piece original buckle:

http://www.civilwarpreservations.com/images/sale/BBK210.jpg

http://www.civilwarpreservations.com/images/sale/BBK210det2.jpg

More photos:
http://www.civilwarpreservations.com/catdet.asp?TargetItem=BBK210&CategoryType=relics

[Matt Caldwell]

I found him again in another photo, farthest on the right:

For some reason there is something strange about the two-piece sword belt he is wearing... I can't seem to ID the buckle, but it doesn't look regulation or US. Maybe a Virginia Seal??? Does anyone see that? Look at my attachment.

Ryan,
Good eye, I saw it as well, but couldnt place it. I have attached about the best resolution at the closest distance that the image can handle. It looks close to VA, but I cant tell if it is identical.

[RyanBWeddle]

Ryan,
Good eye, I saw it as well, but couldnt place it. I have attached about the best resolution at the closest distance that the image can handle. It looks close to VA, but I cant tell if it is identical.

Wow, sure as heck looks like a Virginia crest to me. It's clear that there is no "U.S." or "Eagle", but a figure in the center that 90% resembles a VA plate.

[paulcalloway]

Ryan,
Good eye, I saw it as well, but couldnt place it. I have attached about the best resolution at the closest distance that the image can handle. It looks close to VA, but I cant tell if it is identical.
Here's another possibility:

http://www.relicman.com/images/P1048.jpg

[CJSchumacher]

That is clearly not a "U.S." or an eagle plate. It is definitely a figure...very possibly "Lady Virginia". You can even see the raised right elbow of her "conquered" lying on the ground as in the VA two-piece. Very interesting.

A great part about the original photo posted is a clear shot of typical boot soles of the mid-19th century. If you notice the foot coming into view on the young Lt.'s left side, notice the boot with two-piece vamp, narrow sole, probably half-sole, going into a SLIGHTY larger heal. This is very exemplary of a 19th century shoe or boot sole, yet you don't see many reproductions like that made.

His boots, on the other hand are clearly too big and leave a bit to be desired... :wink_smil

[hireddutchcutthroat]

I think he could be between 18 and 21, he shure is short at anyrate.

[Michigander]

I'm sure you gents also noted the corps badge on the kepi. It is a new variation for me though I haven't seen that type of "cut-out" style before. Thanks for posting this interesting photo.
Richard Jones
Flagstaff, AZ

[yankee659]

Gentlemen,

I have been looking at a range of belts, both us and cs, and I came across the virginia militia officer's belt (EOG confederate page 189) which the woman is different from the virginia officers belt in which both her arms are raised. If you look at matt's enlarged picture on the right there appears to be a raised arm, which in the origional photo would be backwards so what would be her left is actualy the right arm. on the regular virginia belt here right arm isn't raised. This may be a virgina militia belt buckle(I think that's what it is, maybe just another version). Just my opinion, check it out and prove me wrong please!!!

yours obediantly,

Jeremy Mohr

[yankee659]

Here is a link I found that matches so close it is definatley scary!!

http://www.civilwardealers.com/bucklesandplates.htm

check it out. go to the 10th triangle link on the left, 'civil war relicman-csa' it is the first picture P1172

-Jeremy Mohr

[Possum Skinner]

I fooled around with it a bit more. Athough I cannot make it out either, I do not think it is the US belt plate, but rather some kind of picture.

[ewtaylor]

I fooled around with it a bit more. Athough I cannot make it out either, I do not think it is the US belt plate, but rather some kind of picture.
Virginia had different versions of their state emblem. This appears to be the 1850's "swords up" version. Common item on buttons and plates of the pre-War era.
ewtaylor
bluegrass rifles

[ThehosGendar]

I fooled around with it a bit more. Athough I cannot make it out either, I do not think it is the US belt plate, but rather some kind of picture.

This is going to end up as the Civil War equivalent of the Rorschach ink blot test.

[PogueMahone]

Who will be the first to wear a Virginia buckle with their Fed kit?

[Jayhawk102]

I say this is a moment we have to be there to see it.

[billwatson]

Who will be the first to wear a Virginia buckle with their Fed kit?


Let's back up a minute. Do we have other instances of seeing federal officers wearing their militia belts -- like Ohio militia, New York, etc.?

Backing up again: There were a number of "Loyal Virginia" folks recruited into the federal ranks, one of which we re-created at McDowell a couple of years ago. Most of these units subsequently became "West Virginia" units. What would be the problem wearing a Virginia belt buckle under those circumstances?
To take it a step farther, in the early war period there were attempts to recruit up to as many as 12 Virginia units into the US forces, and some of them failed for lack of numbers. The unsuccessful attempts were then amalgamated into other units -- the 7th New Jersey, which left Trenton a bit short in the fall of 1861, was augmented by what had been an attempt to create the 12th Virginia, Loyal. The regiment was reorganized and those Virginians formed, for a time, Company B of the 7th NJVI.

I also wonder what the protocol might be for captured swords, that is, an officer surrendering his sword to an enemy officer. What would the recipient do with it? Turn it over to the reclamation unit? Send it home? Wear it as a trophy? I mean, now he's got two swords, presumably.

There's lots we don't know, huh? :-)

[FC Barlow]

Matt:

If anyone cares, Fort C.F. Smith is currently a park protected by Arlington County. A few of the buildings associated with the fort, officer quarters, magazine have been preserved and restored. Its a great place to visit or do a living history. I think the 3rd US Regulars do living histories at the park.

Also - the sash across his chest - that means he is Officer of the Day, correct? What does this responsibility entail? You hear it mentioned all the time in diaries. In some cases, these officers made good targets for Rebel sharpshooters.

Todd Berkoff

[Dignann]

In all likelihood, the young man in the photo is 16 year-old 2nd Lieutenant Edmund L. Zalinski.

This was found in the listing of officers for Co. F, 2nd New York Heavy Artillery on page 1264 of Frederick Phisterer's New York in the War of the Rebellion 1861 to 1865 , Vol. II (Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon Company, 1912).

Zalinski, Edmund L. -- age 16 years; enrolled near Petersburg, Va., to serve three years, and mustered in as Second Lieutenant, Company F, February 23, 1865; mustererd out with company, September 29, 1865, at Washington, D.C.; commissioned Second Lieutenant, January 28, 1865, with rank from January 18, 1865.

Eric

[paulcalloway]

Officer of the Day, in general terms, his responsibilities include Security, Order and Supervision of the Guard. He's on duty for 24 hours and while he is allowed to sleep, he must be available at a moments notice.

[justthemiller]

Hello All,

I just wished to throw my 2 cents in about the youngster who seemingly is wearing an officers belt with a Virginia seal plate. Eric brought up an interesting point about him in that the youngster was commissioned in Jan/65 and that the photo was, in all likelyhood, taken in June/65. The 2nd NYHA did serve as infantry in the 2nd Corps and as such were present in quite a few actions in the last months of the war. Could it be that this fellow is sporting a belt that was; taken from a Confederate officer (dead, alive, POW or deserter), a battlefield pickup (along with the sword), or even perhaps presented to him from others who had picked it up from someone else or the battlefield. There is a lot of scenarios to consider but I would add that I would hate to see folks sporting their "captured" Virginia belts around at events. But it seems that, at least in this case, the photo shows a federal sporting a Confederate item & not vice versa.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Could it be that this fellow is sporting a belt that was; taken from a Confederate officer (dead, alive, POW or deserter), a battlefield pickup (along with the sword), or even perhaps presented to him from others who had picked it up from someone else or the battlefield. There is a lot of scenarios to consider but I would add that I would hate to see folks sporting their "captured" Virginia belts around at events. But it seems that, at least in this case, the photo shows a federal sporting a Confederate item & not vice versa.


It wasnt totally unheard of for Federals to grab souveniers from the battlefield. There are quite a few instances were Federal troops would pick up wooden canteens, belts and sometimes even knapsacks. Just think of more modern times US troops wearing captured German belts and pistols.

Personally I cannot really tell one way or the other what that belt plate is, so I am not even going to geuss.

As a side note the beltplate that Paul posted was very popular in the California Goldfields

[roundshot]

The sword and belt of Lewis Armistead with a similar VA seal plate was taken at Gettysburg by Sgt. Michael Specht of the 72nd PA. Upon his promotion to LT, Specht reportedly wore both for the remainder of the war. It resides now in the MOC, after it was returned by the veterans of the Philadelphia Brigade to Pickett's Division at a 1906 reunion.

BobWilliams

[roundshot]

If the young officer is indeed Zalinski, he's the fellow that later invented the dynamite gun. More biographical info can be found here: http://www.famousamericans.net/edmundlouisgrayzalinski/

Bob Williams

[FC Barlow]

I think this is our man! His age and his dates of service and promotion match up with Eric Mink's bio of him. And his association with Nelson Miles makes sense because the 2nd NYHA was part of Miles's brigade in 1864.

The bio doesn't list a date of death or burial.

Regards,

Todd

[FC Barlow]

Zalinski died in 1909 and is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY.

He was the military attache to Russia while he was working with the Dynamite Gun Company, which he owned and operated. He was forced to resign from the Army as a Captain in 1894 and died of a lingering illness in 1909.

Also - it seems our young officer was friends with painter Winslow Homer during the CW and Homer donated many of his works to Zalinski after the war. Zalinski's grandson donated these paintings to the National Gallery of Art in DC in 1996. There is also a good chance that the Zalinski family has the infamous belt that we are all so interested in - maybe more!

http://www.heliograph.com/trmgs/trmgs1/dynamite.shtml

http://www.tfaoi.com/newsmu/nmus38b.htm

[Bill Cross]

What all of you have failed to notice in your eagerness to have a Federal officer wearing a VA sword belt is the danged butterknife itself. This is not your great-grandfather's foot officer sword, but a style from an earlier era. I am posting a close-up of the hilt from the photo of the young officer (the one in B&W) and a close-up of a militia sword (in color to the right). Notice the s-shaped curve of the hilt, which echoes Rev War and Napoleonic War sword and sabre hilts. The 1850 foot officer sword had evolved to a rounded guard (3rd photo), while the 1860 staff officer sword is almost a baton and not a weapon (last photo on the right).

It should be pointed out that the demand for swords on both sides once the conflict got beyond the initial call-ups far out-stripped the supply of domestic-made models, so that imports (especially from France) were very popular. I carry a French import model that is generic and not identified to any person, which I purchased at a reasonable price from the dealer of the militia model (the 1850 and 1860 models are borrowed from Eric Heller's shop's web site and are intended only to illustrate my point).

This doesn't tell us whether the young man was wearing a militia sword or a captured CSA battlefield trophy, but it does indicate to me that the belt and the sword are both pre-war in origin, so that it's likely militia. That doesn't mean it's not VA issue, but the sword and the belt should not be judged separate of one another.

[theknapsack]

Zalinski died in 1909 and is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY.

He was the military attache to Russia while he was working with the Dynamite Gun Company, which he owned and operated. He was forced to resign from the Army as a Captain in 1894 and died of a lingering illness in 1909.
http://www.heliograph.com/trmgs/trmgs1/dynamite.shtml

http://www.tfaoi.com/newsmu/nmus38b.htm

You said he resigned as captain. The Website that Bob Williams posted said he resigned as captain. Out of your two websites the former said he resigned as captain. But, the National Gallery of Art museum said he was a Major.
Any thoughts? Perhaps the Museum messed that up? I'm not sure. Just confused me. The Sword indeed does look like a Napoleonic Sword - or around that era.
Thanks for the good post, Bill.

[FC Barlow]

I'm sure the museum messed it up on the press release. Everything else matches perfectly.

[dusty27]

Todd, pure conjecture here but, I work at the National Gallery of Art and my guess is that the "Major" in the following exerpt from your referenced website could be explained by either Homer making a mistake in the letter of conveyance or maybe there was a demotion or a brevet in Zalinski's career? I don't know, just offering up some possibilities.

Major Edmund L. G. Zalinski, met Homer during the early days of the Civil War and was the recipient of these sketches in 1904, along with a handwritten letter of conveyance, which was also given to the Gallery.

I have the catalogue at home, maybe it has the letter included. I will check and post results this evening.

[FC Barlow]

Mike:

I work at The George Washington University, just down Pennsylvania Avenue. We're practically neighbors!

Todd

[Dignann]

From page 1068 of Francis B. Heitman's Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army , Vol. I (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903):

Zalinski, Edmund Louis. Poland. NY. 2 lt 2NY art 23 Feb 1865; hon must out 29 Sept 1865; 2 lt 5 art 23 Feb 1866; 1 lt 1 Jan 1867; capt 9 Dec 1887; retd 3 Feb 1894.


From pages 655-654 of John Grant Wilson and John Fiske, eds. Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography , Vol. VI (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1889)

Zalinski, Edmund Louis Gray, soldier, b. in Kurnick, Prussian Poland, 13 Dec., 1849. He came to the United States in 1853, attended school at Seneca Falls, N.Y., until 1861, and subsequently was at the high-school in Syracuse, N.Y., until 1863. At the age of fifteen he entered the army, serving at first as a volunteer aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Nelson A. Miles from October 1864, till February 1865. He was commissioned 2d lieutenant in the 2d New York heavy artillery in February, 1865, having been recommended for the appointment by his superior officers for gallant and meritorious conduct at the battle of Hatcher's Run, Va. After being commissioned he continued on Gen. Miles's staff until after the surrender Gen. Robert E. Lee, participating in all of the engagements up to that date. He was mustered out of the volunteer service in September, 1865, and recommended for an appointment in the regular army, where he was commissioned a 2d lieutenant in the 5th U.S. artillery, 23 Feb., 1866, and by regular promotion became 1st lieutenant in January, 1867, and captain, 9 Dec., 1887. From 1872 till 1876 he was on duty at the Massachusetts institute of technology as professor of military science. He was graduated at the Artillery school, Fort Monroe, Va., 1 May, 1880, and at the school of submarine mining, Willet's point, N.Y., in July of the same year. Capt. Zalinski's name is widely known in connection with the development of the pneumatic dynamite torpedo-gun. He has invented the electrical fuse and other devises for the practical application of the weapon, and has also devised a method for exact sight-allowance to be made for deviation due to wind in the use of rifled artillery and small-arms. His other inventions include an intrenching-tool, a ramrod-bayonet, and a telescopic sight for artillery.

Eric

[marine05]

Sometimes officers were advanced on the retired list to the next higher rank. It was a fairly common practice up to the early stages of WWII.

Also OOD was the CO in time of absence of that officer, especially after normal duty hours.

As far as the origin of the sword, there is a paragraph in the new book, A Glorious Fourth, that states after Pickett's Charge that some Federal Officers were giving away swords that had been surrendered to them as the practice was for officers to surrender their sword to and equal or senior officer. In fact there is one accurately displayed scene toward the end of the film Gettysburg that shows a Federal Field Grade Officer clutching about a 1/2 dozen swords. In some cases officers were allowed to retain their side arms even while being marched back to the rear as POWs!!

YOS,

DJM


I'm sure the museum messed it up on the press release. Everything else matches perfectly.

[hardtack1864]

Well, what I want to know is how this 16 year old became an officer and stayed one? :sarcastic

[79th N.Y.S.M.]

Did become an officer and stay one? I heard talk of "officer of the day"?

[FC Barlow]

He was promoted to Second Lt. in February 1865, dated to January 1865. See previous post and bio. Officer of the Day is not a rank, its a position, usually assigned to specific officers.

[Vuhginyuh]

The Officer of the Day rotated on a schedule,a duty roster,and was based on the health and availabilty of that officer. ie, alive and able to serve. I think it was relegated to junior officers...a pecking order thing. If that is so then it fits with the character in this thread.

[marine05]

I would imagine that at the time he would not admit to being 16 or underage for service. Even now there are service personnel that are underage, getting fewer due to the technology available. Many that were underage admitted to it after completion of active duty.

Did this young man admit to being underage at the time? If that's the case then his unit must have worked some magic with his records.

s/f

DJM

[Dignann]

I have no doubt that his superiors were aware of his age. The info found in Phisterer is taken directly from the N.Y. Adjutant General's files, which are in turn taken from from the service records. The fact that Zalinski served first as a volunteer aid and proved his mettle at Hatcher's Run obviously led to his commission. Of course, hitching his wagon to a rising star like Miles I'm sure helped with the unusual promotion.

Eric

[hardtack61]

He looks like hes about the ripe age of 5.

[markmason]

I may have found the buckle our young officer is wearing. I hope I am not beating a dead issue. Take a look at the buckle I found on Ebay. A Virginia state buckle, she is standing with outreached arms, with one foot upon her foe. I find this one interesting because she is not holding anything as commonly seen.

You decide....take a look and tell me what youu think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2234936639&category=36035#ebayphotohosting

[markmason]

I'm stepping ou on the limb and saying I have definately found a match. :wink_smil

I hope I don't eat crow on this one :tounge_sm