Cased Flute and Watercolor, Co. D, 13th Mass. Reg.

[kanemono]

Here is a Civil War period watercolor of Samuel Stephen Carleton which was painted over a photograph printed on paper (you can tell because the "D" on his hat and the lock on his rifle are backwards) and his cased flute with 13th Mass engraved in the end cap. This is one of the horror stories of the Civil War.

Carleton enlisted in April, 1861 into the Fourth Battalion Massachusetts Rifles for three months immediately after hearing of the assault on the 6th Massachusetts Regiment, in Baltimore. The men of this battalion soon re-enlisted for three years, and were the nucleus of the 13th Massachusetts Regiment. Samuel Stephen Carleton was in Company D. He was wounded in the battle of Antietam, but not severely. Carleton was in the battle at Chancellorsville on the 4th of May, 1863, and in a skirmish with the enemy the following day. While helping a wounded man from the field, a minnie ball entered Carleton’s left hip, passed clear through and came out on the other side, causing a compound fracture of the right hip bone. He was taken prisoner and placed under a operating table out of doors where Confederate surgeons were amputating limbs of their wounded. Carleton was kept as a prisoner ten days and was given as good care as the doctors could give him. He was then paroled and placed in a Corps Hospital. Afterward he was sent to Washington, where he remained until February, 1864. From there he was returned to Boston, and placed in hospital. In June he was sent home to Claremont. His mother nursed him, however, his wound became infected by splinters of dead bone that could not work out of the wound. The wound never healed and discharged continually, averaging more than a pint every day. Here he lay on his back, suffering beyond description. For ten or twelve months hopes were entertained of his recovery when a diarrhea, from which he was suffering when he came home, returned, causing his death on January 23, 1867.

 

[skypilot6670]

The untold sufferings of that war ( or any war for that matter ) are often overlooked in our appreciation of the relics. It’s good that we remember. Kanemono thanks for posting these great relics an for telling Pvt. Carletons story.  

[USCapturephotos]

What a sad tale of suffering. They often did charcoal drawing copies in the 1880's and 1890's based off of much smaller images that were done in the war period. I bet that's what happened here. Thanks for sharing with us!

Paul

[M24 Chaffee]

A beautiful grouping. Sad to read how this soldier suffered. It’s pretty special to have an identified musical instrument from the ACW. Nice to have the case. It looks like it’s in great shape! I would love to add a drum or brass instrument to my small collection. I have a fife with characteristics of being from that era but no military markings. It’s great to view your amazing collection!

 

Frank

[scottiques]

Great grouping and a tragic story.

 

The "charcoal" is photographic. 

 

The enlargement of photographs was a huge source of revenue for photographers in the late 19th century and was heavily advertised.  Both "charcoal" and "pastels" (retouched with colors) are a photographic process and not hand drawings.  As the photographs were enlarged details were lost and studios employed artists to add the details back in to the photograph.

 

Scott

[kanemono]

Hi Scott, excellent explanation of the process. This is done in watercolor. I have a huge "charcoal" photograph of a mounted armed cavalryman. I was under the impression that these were also done during the civil war since as you said large photographs lost much of their detail.

 Dick