Rare 1/6th Confederate Ambrotype of the 1st SC Infantry “Orr’s Rifles”

Seldom seen, early war sixth plate ambrotype of an unidentified member of the famed 1st South Carolina Infantry otherwise known as “Orr’s Rifles”. Aptly named after it’s commander, James Lawrence Orr. Organized during the summer of 1861, the regiment would adopt a single breasted, nine button, dark blue frock which was to be trimmed in dark green along the collar, breast, cuffs and skirt of the jacket. Trousers were to be blue as well with a green stripe down the trouser seam. By late summer however many of the uniforms that were being produced for the regiment were constructed of grey cloth rather than blue. This view shows the grey uniform rather than the blue, but the green trim along the facings of the jacket as well as down the trouser seam are unmistakable. Head gear prescribed for the regiment were broad-brimmed black felt with a 6 inch crown. Although the regiment was raised as a rifle regiment, they were issued smooth bore muskets or common hunting rifles as this subject is armed with. A small black cord which hangs from his neck most likely holds the nipple pick for his musket. The regiment would be assigned to A.P. Hills Division of the Army of Northern Virginia in June of 1862. They would face their first test later that month at Mechanicsville. From there they would fight in a steady stream of battles. From Gaine’s Mill through Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, up to the surrender at Appomattox. In total the regiment would suffer 334 men and officers killed in battle, another 201 lost from disease and 791 men wounded during the course of the war. This one does have a small amount of emulsion loss in the upper right hand corner. I could probably count on one hand the number of images I have handled from this famed unit on one hand. They don’t surface very often. This one comes housed in a full leatherette case with a repaired spine.