Attributed 1/6th Plate Ambrotype: Frederick William Stowe –May 1861

This is a compelling 1/6th plate relievo ambrotype (ca. 1861), believed to depict Frederick William Stowe (1840–ca. 1871), fourth child of Harriet Beecher Stowe (author of Uncle Tom's Cabin) and Calvin Stowe. Acquired unidentified at the Franklin show in 2022 and held in your personal collection since, the case inscription "F. W. Stowe May" aligns with his enlistment as Sergeant in Company A, 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, on May 23, 1861, in Andover, MA.
 
The early-war portrait shows a youthful Union soldier (age ~21) in regulation uniform with visible sergeant's chevrons, dark frock coat/shell jacket a direct, resolute gaze. Known surviving portraits of Frederick (mostly from ca. 1862 onward, e.g., as Lt. in the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery) show him in later uniforms after promotions and transfers—no confirmed early 1861 Sergeant views appear in public archives or biographies, supporting why definitive confirmation is elusive despite strong circumstantial evidence.
 
Frederick's life was tragic, marked by family separations, early alcoholism (starting in his teens despite treatments like "water cure" and family interventions), interrupted Harvard Medical School studies, and Civil War service. He fought at First Bull Run (Manassas), transferred to heavy artillery, was promoted to Captain (via his mother's connections to shield him from combat), but was severely wounded by shrapnel to the head/ear at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, ending his frontline duty after honorable discharge.
 
Post-war, he struggled with alcoholism relapse despite efforts like managing a Florida citrus farm or treatment centers. In 1870–1871, he sailed to San Francisco (possibly via Spain for health), intending to become a sailor, but vanished mysteriously—never heard from again despite family investigations. His fate remains unknown, often seen as a casualty of fame's shadow, personal demons, and war trauma.