Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
October 1864. Petersburg, Virginia. "Mechanics of 1st Division, 9th Army Corps." Wet plate glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size.
At least two of the men are farriers or blacksmiths. One holds a horseshoe, the other a horseshoe and what may be a hoof trimmer. Given the background, others were doing duty as wheelwrights although again, the actual job description may have been "blacksmith." (Blacksmiths were generalists, expected to shoe horses or mules and oxen as well as repair just about anything that came to hand.)
I too was going to comment on the pipes and also the beards. I am enthralled at the quality of the photography in this era. The men on the outside seem to be a bit blurry, but so much detail is captured directly in front of the camera. This is truly a great photo.
Interesting how many are holding the tools of their trade--the smith/metal worker on the right, painter with brush and paint bucket near the center--can't identify the tool the man on the left is holding, appears to be a similar one on the ground on the right. Fascinating.
They look like they emigrated to Deadwood after the war, and took up residence in the Gem Saloon. Fascinating.
On 19 men that's what I counted. And yet you don't see all the hands. Having your picture taken you had to relax and look cool. Needless to say, this is a great photography.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5