Carte-de-visite of a Buffalo Soldier from the 24th Infantry Regiment

Mosser & Snell, American · ca. 1886

A carte-de-visite of a young man identified as a soldier of Co. B, U.S. 24th Infantry Regiment. Captured in studio against a floor length cloth backdrop, the unidentified Buffalo Soldier gazes directly at the camera. He is wearing a bowtie, white shirt, button-down jacket, vest, bright trousers and dress shoes. The chain of a pocket-watch hangs from his vest, through a buttonhole to his proper left vest pocket. On the reverse of the photographic card is a grey sketch depicting three naked children, one riding atop a camera box on wheels. The child holds a whip in their proper right hand and rope “reins” that tug at the other two children who pull the camera cart. A butterfly hovers above the children, as well as “MOSSER & SNELL,” in black ink. Below the drawing is: [MOSSER & SNELL, / Traveling / Photographic Art Gallery / Cantonment, Ind. Terr. / Pictures copied and enlarged to any size.]. A handwritten inscription on the back reads [CO. B / 24th U.S. INF.T] along with several alpha-numeric notations.