Our Civil War Portraits series captures soldiers, sailors and civilians who visited a photographer to have their images taken.  While these photos are fascinating to see the actual people who lived through the Civil War, they were usually all done under very controlled conditions.  Especially in the case of soldiers and sailors appearances would have varied quite a bit when they were actually out on campaign fighting the enemy and the elements.  Today we’ll feature a sketch which shows a solder set up for cold, rainy conditions.

Above is a soldier at rest, or at least taking a break from activities like marching or picket duty.  The soldiers I wrapped in a blanket which could have either been a wool blanket for warmth or a rubber blanket to protect against rain or snow.  It looks like the blanket was tucked under the back of the soldier’s hat to keep the back of his neck and head warm, a common practice.  It may have been raining at the time this sketch was made because of the way the soldier is holding his musket.  'Secure Arms' was the position where the solder pointed the muzzle of the weapon towards the inside the barrel while the lock plate would be protected under the arm.  The soldier seems to be standing at some variation of 'Secure Arms' as he enjoyed a relatively restful moment smoking his pipe.