Intriguing Photo

[roundshot]

Hmmmm, let's see. One working. Five watching. Did the Union Army have a Department of Highways? Note the extremely young faces and heavily altered blouse. From the LOC Collection (http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?ils:124:./temp/~pp_Tauk::displayType=1:m856sd=cwpb:m856sf=02022:@ @@mdb=ils).

[LibertyHallVols]

Nice shot.

Notice the 2nd and 3rd lads from the left both appear to be wearing dark colored shirts (the latter appears to have tucked his shirt tail into his drawers). Wool flannel contract shirts perhaps? No way to tell from the photo if they are red or navy.

All of the gents with hands in their pockets...
Trousers do not have side-seam pockets. Could these be post-issue modifications or...? (The 1st and 3rd from the left seem to be most likely modifications).

Can see clear evidence of ease/gathering of sleaves on the frock coat (2nd fr/ left).

I like the shelter halves visible as cabin roofing. Also, the detail of the (what looks like) mud-n-tin chimney.

[Annette Bethke]

Don't two of those men look more like boys? What would they have been doing there?

[lhsnj]

Don't two of those men look more like boys? What would they have been doing there?

Annette

It looks like the 4 on the left are quite young looking. The 2 who are working actually look the like adult men, while the other 4 have very young faces.

The one in the center looks like he has been up to something with the smirk on his face.

[BobbyHughes]

I think the sack on the feller with the two pails is interesting.. note the two slash pockets at the bottom hem. Dont reckon I've ever seen that before... field modification or private purchase?

[Rmhisteach]

Pards & Comrades,

This was an interesting photo to view. I noticed the dark shirt only on the one lad and a 8 or 9 button sack on the other fella. Also one of the fellas was wearing a vest.

RM

[DougCooper]

Note the soldier on top in the frock - are those stripes on his trousers ? No chevrons that I can see. Wonder if these boys are musicians?

The kid on the lower left looks like he had to have a specially tailored pair of trousers. Somebody needs to get him a new hat as well - only farbs wear those - ditto the man with the pails and the upturned brim on his cap ;)

Outstanding photo!!!

[paulcalloway]

From the LOC Collection.

Could you please provide a URL to that photo? Thanks.

[roundshot]

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?ils:124:./temp/~pp_Tauk::displayType=1:m856sd=cwpb:m856sf=02022:@ @@mdb=ils


And here's a companion view:http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?ils:125:./temp/~pp_O2uz::displayType=1:m856sd=cwpb:m856sf=02023:@ @@mdb=ils

[johnf1862]

Very interesting image, note the lad 3rd from left, that is exactly how my trowsers fit, can't even get into the pockets. Also note they seem to be of the lowrider variety...:eek:

[toptimlrd]

Check the shoes on the young man on the lower left, are those camp shoes or bootees that are about worn out? The soles seem extremely thin and the uppers rather unsubstantial.

[roundshot]

In the companion photo link mentioned in my post to Paul C. above, bucket-man and his distinctive sack coat can be seen again. The man to his right has a 5th Corps badge on his slouch hat and wears chasseur/zouave style trousers.

[boozie]

My question was answered, great pics though.

[Ken]

Looks like someone with some sewing ability simply added additional button holes between the four that already existed as well as adding the pockets. Perhaps the soldier who owns the coat or someone in the company who had the know how and talent who would be glad to do it for the right price?

[ohiofed]

The photo of the fella with the Corps badge on his hat...pleats in the trousers?

[Footslogger]

Seems the feller in the shirt could be the same in both pictures also, with different hats .

[FWL]

Great photo and good analysis by the responders. What I took away from this was the humorous observation that boys seem to have gotten the old man to do all of the work. Something I seem to do more often than I should when my son and his HS friends come over to help me on a project. Some of those kids in the photo look like my son's friends, wierd.

regards

[billyreb61]

Notice the one holding the two pails. It is a very unusaul jacket.

[billyreb61]

The soldier up top on the right appears to have a rain cover on his forage cap.

[C.R. Henderson]

That is a keck of a sharp axe to be blowing out chunks that big- especially with shoes that thin that close by. It looks as if the woodman has scuffed the outsides of his boots more than a few times and is nearing a blowout.

[Rob Weaver]

It really looks like a fatigue blouse with extra buttons, but is it possible it's a civilian sack with military buttons? Bucketman's caps seems to be missing the chinstrap. The soldier to his right ( the viewer's left) in the chausseur pants (no suspenders!) seems to be wearing one of those wool pull-over shirts, too. They're a hodge-podge of stuff, aren't they?

[Kevin Hall]

What about the posibility that the unusual tunic actually started out as a frock. Its kind of hard to see the colar. Cut the skirt off due to damage or personal campaign preference due to added heat. Then sew the buttom up and cut a couple of pocket slits. The location of the pockets would be below a waist belt for easy access while fully equiped.

Just a thought
Kevin Hall