Description
The soldier pictured here is identified in the case in period writing as Edward L. Hopkins. Hopkins enlisted at age 26 in the 16th Mississippi Infantry as a Second Lieutenant. He was in Company D, Captain Samuel E. Baker’s Company, Adams Light Guard. The 16th Mississippi Infantry was organized in June 1861 in Corinth, Mississippi of companies which had previously been in State service, and was mustered into Confederate service for twelve months. Their Colonel was future Confederate general Carnot Posey. The regiment was sent to Virginia and was attached to Trimble’s Brigade of Ewell’s Division. About May 1862, the regiment was reorganized for the war. Hopkins left the unit at that time, and returned to Mississippi. He joined the 31st Louisiana and stayed with that unit until the close of the war. Records of his service in the 16th Mississippi were available, but no records from the 31st Louisiana were identified. Hopkins died in 1910 and is buried in Natchez City Cemetery, Natchez, Adams County Mississippi.
Hopkins is pictured in this 6th plate melainotype in what was likely his state uniform prior to joining Confederate service. He is wearing a nice kepi and jacket with black trim at the placket and cuffs. His buttons are nicely gilded and his trousers have a light red tint. He has a very nice secession badge pinned to his jacket. The melainotype is likely a Neff’s patent, as there is a stamping on the edge of the iron plate consistent with the Neff’s patent information. I just could not read it to confirm. The image is crystal clear with no issues. The provenance is excellent. It is a superior early war view of a Mississippi soldier from a regiment that fought in many of the battles of the Army of Northern Virginia. Images of Mississippi soldiers are not common, and are infrequently encountered for sale.
