Description
– This fine, war period albumen depicts Captain Jerome B. House, Co. C of the 7th New Hampshire Infantry. House enlisted, at age 38, in November of 1861. The 7th NH was initially on duty in Florida and South Carolina, engaged in non-combat related activities, until the summer of 1863 when the regiment was ordered to the Charleston and Morris Island, SC area. During mid-July of 1863, the 7th NH would be engaged in its first significant combat; the following description is taken from a regimental history of the 7th NH:
“… On the morning of July 10 these batteries opened at daylight, surprising the enemy completely and covering the landing of a force under General Strong, who carried the fortifications on the south end of Morris Island, and which was followed by the crossing over to Morris Island of the whole remaining force, and the Seventh went on picket at night within a mile of Fort Wagner and commenced the entrenchments afterwards known as the first parallel in the siege of Fort Wagner. On the morning of the 11th a portion of General Strong’s column made an unsuccessful assault upon Fort Wagner, in which the Seventh was ordered in for support, and in the evening the regiment was advanced nearer the enemy’s pickets and commenced the line of entrenchments afterwards known as the second parallel. On the 12th the regiment was relieved from the picket line, and Colonel Putnam was assigned to the command of the second brigade of Seymour’s division, and left the regiment, never to resume the position of regimental commander. From the 12th to the 18th the regiment was actively engaged in the trenches and on fatigue duty in preparation for the second assault on Fort Wagner. About sunset on the 18th the First Brigade under General Strong, supported by the Second Brigade under Colonel Putnam, were ordered to make an assault on Fort Wagner, and during the hour and a half that the engagement lasted the Seventh lost two hundred and eighteen killed, wounded, and missing, and of this number eighteen were officers, eleven of whom- including our beloved colonel–were either slain outright, or mortally wounded and left in the enemy’s hands, and on the following morning only nine officers and two hundred and fifty-three men were in line. In this engagement the Seventh suffered the loss of more officers than were lost by any other regiment in any one engagement during the war.”
During the assault on Battery Wagner, on July 18, 1863, Captain House was severely wounded; hospitalized, he survived yet ultimately died, as a result of his wounds, at his home, in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
The albumen remains in superior condition; it depicts Captain House in his officer’s frock coat, with his officer’s Hardee hat resting on the photographer’s prop table – note that in the crook of the embroidered, infantry horn insignia, at the front of the hat, is the number “7” ; House is wearing his officer’s sash, belt and holding his M1850 Foot Officer’s Sword. The albumen is housed in an original period frame, with period glass.
Measurements (approx.): Frame size – H: 14”; W: 12”; Image size – H: 4.5”; W – 3.5”
Note that a CDV of Captain House is with his soldier history at Historical Data Systems (civilwardata.com). The CDV image is a head and shoulder view from the albumen. House is also pictured in his Findagrave memorial.
