Description
This sixth plate tintype depicts a classically posed New Hampshire soldier displaying his regiment and company insignia on the top of his kepi. The soldier is first sergeant John E. Cram of Co. B, 11th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry. His sergeant stripes and part of the lozenges representing a first sergeant are visible on his sleeves. He is also wearing a red sash representative of officer of the day. The buttons on his frock coat and the infantry horn on his kepi have been gilded. The rest of the insignia on his kepi have not been gilded and are very clear. I have flipped the closeup of the kepi so the letters and numbers are upright, although backward due to the photographic technique of the period.
Cram enlisted on August 13, 1862 as a first sergeant. On August 28, 1862 he mustered into Co. B, 11th New Hampshire Infantry. He was promoted to second lieutenant on March 2, 1864 and first lieutenant on July 25, 1864 (brevetted on December 2, 1864). He was wounded on May 12, 1864 at Spottsylvania Court House while carrying the regimental colors. This event is documented in “A History of the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment, Volunteer Infantry in the Rebellion War, 1861-1865” by Leander W. Cogswell. Cram was discharged for wounds on October 19, 1864. Cram was born on April 11, 1842 in Raymond New Hampshire. He died in 1921 and is buried in Old Pine Grove Cemetery, Raymond New Hampshire.
The 11th New Hampshire had a serious war record, serving in both theatres. Battles included Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Knoxville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomoy, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg (including the Crater). Cram was with the unit until his wounding at Spottsylvania.
This image has both great content and history. Cram is pictured seated with his rank and sash clearly visible. His kepi insignia are also quite clearly displayed. First sergeant images are not so common, either. Cram had a fine fighting record, with the exclamation point of being wounded while carrying the colors. This is a very fine New Hampshire image. There is no fuzziness, movement of the kepi or too much gilding to cloud the regimental number, as happened with some of the New Hampshire images. It is housed in a complete leatherette case with repaired spine.
