Description
Beautiful sixth plate ruby ambrotype of Sergeant Alfred G. Sanborn of Co. G, 12th New Hampshire Infantry, wearing a sack coat and posed standing with a musket. The image is identified by a period inscription inside the case on the back of the image. A picture of the inscription is shown on a product gallery image. It says “Sergt Alfred G. Sanborn Co. G. Brookline Mass No. 8.” Sanborn was born on October 21, 1840 in Tuftonborough, NH. He was the son of Thomas Sanborn and Ann Leavitt. Sanborn enlisted on August 13, 1862 as a private and mustered into Co. G, 12th New Hampshire Infantry on September 9, 1862. He was promoted to corporal on April 17, 1863 and Sergeant on July 1, 1864.
Sanborn was a fighter, wounded in the left shoulder at Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863. His regiment was posted near the edge of the woods below the Chancellor house. Maintaining its position as other regiments were pushed back or withdrew, it was surrounded. Fighting its way back to Union lines, it was reported by General Sickles to be the last regiment of his command to leave the field. Nine officers and 69 men were killed and 250 wounded out of about 580 men engaged.
Sanborn evidently recovered sufficiently to be with his unit at Gettysburg, because he was again wounded on July 2, 1863. The regiment was engaged in the fighting north of the Peach Orchard, and held its ground north of the Klingel Farm while attacked by Wilcox’s Alabama Brigade. It was ordered to retreat by General Birney. Only 50 men mustered for duty the next day.
Sanborn was with his regiment until the end of the war, mustering out on June 21, 1865 at Richmond, VA. After the war he lived in Somerville, Mass., and was a member of GAR Post 143 in Brookline, Mass. The period ID includes a reference to Brookline, Mass, so his image may have been on display there. His wife was Mora Phippen, and he had three children: Mary, George and Alice. Sanborn died on October 2, 1922. He is buried in Lee Cemetery, Moultonborough, Carroll County, New Hampshire.
This is a superb identified Union image. It was likely taken by a New Hampshire photographer who posed soldiers in a similar manner, standing while holding the top of the musket near the bayonet. The ID is impeccable, and the history is superb. The Gettysburg history makes it special. If I collected Union images, I would keep this one. The image is housed in a very good Union case with a chip on one corner. It comes with a copy of Sanborn’s service record, his Findagrave information (his picture is there!) and a brief history of the 12th New Hampshire Regiment.
