Sedalia Dave Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 Picture of Union Officer Lt William D. Mathews. (1827 - 1906) https://www.civilwarvirtualmuseum.org/1861-1862/african-americans-in-the-war/william-matthews.php https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/204528 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 Looks real comfy for horse ridin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tequila Shooter Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 That must make for a strange feeling draw with those long barrels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Aggie Rifleman, SASS#55213 Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 Could be worse he could be dragging a Buntline around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 I'd say they were staged for the photo. More likely the holsters were worn butt forward on opposite side shown and much further back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 Ah Cummon Warden, Don’t rain on a perfectly good hypothesis. Just ‘cause you can’t ride a horse with ‘‘em that way. Looks perfectly fine from the freeway after all Just read the rest of the story. An Artillery office could wear ‘‘em that way just fine. Makes a fine “Speed Loader”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 I seen a feller at a match with holsters just like that, maybe a little closer together. I know I'm pickin' on him; of course he did have tiny fists! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 5 hours ago, Warden Callaway said: I'd say they were staged for the photo. More likely the holsters were worn butt forward on opposite side shown and much further back. Quite possibly. But note that the holsters are not regulation ones with a full flap, but slim jims with the finger cutouts in the tops! The ends appear to be plugged. Interesting also is the light color of the pistol grips. Ivory or just an artifact of the photographic image? Interesting, whatever the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 5, 2021 Author Share Posted November 5, 2021 3 hours ago, Trailrider #896 said: Quite possibly. But note that the holsters are not regulation ones with a full flap, but slim jims with the finger cutouts in the tops! The ends appear to be plugged. Interesting also is the light color of the pistol grips. Ivory or just an artifact of the photographic image? Interesting, whatever the details. From his bio. Quote ....he enlisted in the Union army on February 27, 1862. Between August 17 and November 25, 1862, Matthews recruited a company of 81 men for the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry. Because the state of Kansas had not officially authorized the recruitment of Colored troops, they could not be mustered into service, and therefore received no pay. In January 1863, the regiment was officially reorganized and mustered into service at Fort Scott, Kansas. I suspect the because they were initially unpaid volunteers regulation issue of equipment was not a priority of the Union Army. Those Ivory handled Colts are definitely not regulation. He owned a business and likely had more money than most, so it stands to reason he could afford those side arms. Enlarge the picture and look at his face. He looks to me like a man not to be trifled with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patagonia Pete Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 My guy can beat your guy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said: Enlarge the picture and look at his face. He looks to me like a man not to be trifled with. I wonder if the photographer said something to elicit that expression or if the fellow is just naturally angry. Or psycho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 2 hours ago, Dantankerous said: I wonder if the photographer said something to elicit that expression or if the fellow is just naturally angry. Or psycho. He told him no one wears their holsters that way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxahachie Kid #17017 L Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 Like as not, he has that expression, because, back in those days, you had to be still for a while, as a photograph was being taken. He may have come to a point that he needed to move...for a variety of reasons. Besides, most of us can say the pictures, on our drivers' license, looks like the worst photograph ever taken of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 24 minutes ago, Waxahachie Kid #17017 L said: Like as not, he has that expression, because, back in those days, you had to be still for a while, as a photograph was being taken. He may have come to a point that he needed to move...for a variety of reasons. Besides, most of us can say the pictures, on our drivers' license, looks like the worst photograph ever taken of us. And maybe he just had to pee. Really bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Pete SASS #42168 Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 During the Civil War officers could pretty much do what they wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 He's really got a great big smile, but the whiskers are hiding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 On 11/5/2021 at 6:08 PM, Dantankerous said: I wonder if the photographer said something to elicit that expression or if the fellow is just naturally angry. Or psycho. Given the era in which he lived, I’ll bet he had plenty to be pissed off about and had to be one tough hombre to get where he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isom Dart, SASS#8096 Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Don't know why , but,,,,,,,, you don't take smiling formal pictures in the military ,,, then or now ! Isom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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