Gettysburg, 5th NH Infantry CDV of 1st Lt. Charles F. Liscomb Died of Disease

Gettysburg-Related CDV of 1st Lt. Charles F. Liscomb, 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry – Died of Disease at Point Lookout, Maryland
 
Charles Francis Liscomb (1842–1864), a native of Lebanon, New Hampshire, enlisted at age 18 as a corporal on August 21, 1861, and mustered into Company C, 5th New Hampshire Infantry, on October 12, 1861. During his service, he received successive promotions: to sergeant major on September 11, 1862; to second lieutenant on October 1, 1862; and to first lieutenant on December 19, 1862.
The 5th New Hampshire Infantry stands among the most storied regiments of the Civil War, renowned for its heavy combat losses and participation in nearly every major engagement of the Army of the Potomac's Eastern Theater campaigns. These included the Siege of Yorktown, Antietam (where Liscomb sustained a leg wound), Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, the Siege of Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign.
 
Tragically, Liscomb did not survive to witness the war's conclusion. He succumbed to disease (pneumonia) on January 6, 1864, while his regiment was on guard duty at Point Lookout, Maryland. His remains were returned to New Hampshire for burial.
At the Battle of Gettysburg, First Lieutenant Liscomb commanded Company A. The company entered the fighting with twenty-three men; by the post-battle roll call, only three answered to their names, reflecting the regiment's devastating casualties. Notably, Liscomb was credited with being the first to detect and report the Confederate army's retreat following the engagement. While on picket duty during the night after the third day's fighting, he observed an unusual silence along the enemy lines, raising suspicions of a withdrawal. To confirm, he ventured forward alone—armed solely with a stout stick—crawling through underbrush to the Confederate rifle pits, where he found them abandoned. He promptly reported the discovery, providing early intelligence of Lee's retreat.
 
This carte-de-visite (CDV) portrait captures Lieutenant Liscomb in regulation uniform, offering a tangible connection to one of the 5th New Hampshire's gallant officers and the regiment's heroic legacy at Gettysburg.
 
Identified through other examples of the same CDV on Findagrave and Antietam battle site.