Inspection Of Troops, VA, 1862

[C.G. Williams]

This picture is labled as: Inspection of troops, Cumberland Landing,
Pamunkey, VA May 1862, Photographers: Wood & Gibson .

Just check out the immense column of companies...

Gardner describes the men in the middle with stacked arms and laying down as a guard, I am assuming he would be referring to the relief??

Also, note below the forge the thrown knapsack and blanket...

http://www.wildwestweb.net/cwp/cwp70.jpg

[Vuhginyuh]

I have always been fond of this image. There is a ''ghost'' of a figure just to the right of the forge wheels.

I tinted him to show up a bit better.

[ThehosGendar]

I love this image, especially the mud splattered wheels and forge. Mmm... mud covered wheels... you'll never see that at a reenactment!

[ferraius]

Notice the anvil which appears to be a basic English blacksmithing pattern about 100 lbs. maybe plus a quarter-weight. It is set up on a possibly a nail keg or any other common keg of that size. Note the traditional round horn of the anvil which is the basic tool used in turning horseshoes. I just love these anvil/forge-horseshoeing photographs... It must be the farrier inside.

Jon O'Harra

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Hey Jon

Would forges such as this be limited to Artillery or would Cav have forges as well? I would imagine all those Cav horses would keep the farrier pretty busy.


Nah go play dat banja!

[SCTiger]

Notice also that all the troops are wearing knapsacks, also notice the rubberized shelter-halves and the ratio of troops to A-frame. I can also guess that the piled branches were going to be used for shelter as well. Looks like they were going to be there for more than a day, maybe awaiting the roads to dry out. Look in the upper left hand corner.

[ferraius]

No Bayonet Bob,
Federal cavalry would have had forge carts in tow especially behind a brigade just to keep up with horses needing reshoeing. Troopers out away from any forges would have to do their own repairs for lost shoes in the field. Southern regiments didn't have as many traveling forges with them. They were more dependent upon civilian farrier shops that were in most towns of the day. When either army went through a town, they looked for any blacksmiths and farriers around and pressed them into service for shoeing horses to repairing wagons and wheels.

Jon O'Harra

[hireddutchcutthroat]

It is not vey noticable in this photo, but the troops in the backgraound have a definite uniformity to their knapsacks (duh there on dress parade.). Every man has his blanket rolled on top, and the knapsacks themselves are well "squared".


Dilbert!

[roundshot]

The camp beyond these troops is the camp of the 5th New York Zouaves. Not only have I seen it labled as such, under magnification you can see their distinctive uniform with leggings, and a couple of zoo-zoos ambling up to the column. Since the 5th NY was in Sykes regular division, I've always conjectured that the guys in line are US regulars. Note the dark blue trousers, too.

Bob Williams
Reilly's NC Battery

[johnfrost]

Hey austin. Its John Petty, the 14th NJ drummer
thats a really nice pic. where did u find that?
-John

[1stMaine]

Comrades,

Yup, that's one regiment on parade, formed in column of companies at full distance. Think about that for a minute. This is the formation that would be often used for maneuvering on the field, as it allows trained troops to either wheel or oblique into line. When a column marching by the right flank is given the command, "by company into line", this is what the result should look like.
If nothing else, it gives you an idea of the size of the army. This is one regiment. There is another in the background. That's half a brigade or so. CW armies at this stage of the war were immense.
Anyway, that's my 2-cents for the moment. A great shot. Thanks for posting it.
Respects,