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Saucy Schimenti’s Sage Page Well, what did you really expect from some one whom writes as much as Richard does!! TINTYPE HISTORY A tintype is a photograph made on a sheet of iron (not really tin) instead of on paper. In 1856 Hamilton Smith patented the process for producing tintypes. Most tintypes were sepia colored (light brown). The most common size was about 2 ½ " x 3 ½", although they were made much smaller for lockets and as large as 5x7. Tintypes were popular from 1856 until the late nineteenth century when cheaper paper methods and better photographic equipment caused them to disappear as "old technology." Many tintypes were placed in a paper or cardboard frame while others were used in jewelry or in photo albums. The photographer would frequently clip the corners to make the insertion in the paper or cardboard frame easier. You may find very small tintypes (about postage stamp size) in a photograph album. These were called Gem tintypes. Some schools had photographic albums for their graduating classes and they used the Gem sized tintypes for insertion in the albums. Tintypes were produced in the millions in the United States and are very commonly found today. After processing, most tintypes were varnished to protect the surface from abrasions and atmospheric conditions. Today you will find that many tintypes that were varnished are experiencing a cracking in the varnish coating. Additionally, handling over 100 years or more have left fingerprints or acid from the skin has etched the surface. Acid from handling also tends to reduce the depth of the image, making it look flatter and duller. Pitting and rusting where varnish has worn off is another problem that restorers encounter. Finally, like any other item stored for years, moisture and dust can collect on tintypes, making them darker and masking detail that may have been in the original image. From the time they were introduced to the early 1900's tintypes were the preferred photographic process used by traveling photographers and by some studios. Tintypes were made mostly for portrait photography because of their relatively low cost and rapid development times, making family pictures affordable for the masses. However, the image quality was not quite as good as other photographic methods.
The West Point Class of 1846 Graduating just as the Mexican War began, fifty-three of the fifty-nine member of this class (the largest in the Academy's history to that time) fought in Mexico. Four of them lost their lives there. Two more were killed fighting Indians in the 1850's. Ten members of that class became Confederate generals; twelve became Union generals; three of the Confederates and one of the Unionists were killed or mortally wounded in action during the Civil War. The following is a list of some of those generals. Name Class Ranking Highest Rank in Civil War Union or Confederate Adams, John 25 Brigadier General Confederate- Killed at Franklin in 1864, Couch, Darius N. 13 Major General Union Foster, John G. 4 Major General Union Fry, Birkett D. Dismissed Brigadier General Confederate Gardner, William M. 55 Brigadier General Confederate Gibbon, John Graduated in 1847 Major General Union Gordon, George H. 43 Major General Union Hill, Ambrose P. Graduated in 1847 Lieutenant General Confederate- Killed at Petersburg 1865 Jackson, Thomas J. 17 Lieutenant General Confederate- Mortally wounded at Chancellorsville in 1863 Jones, David R. 41 Major General Confederate- Died in 1863 McClellan, George B. 2 Major General Union Maury, Dabney H. 37 Major General Confederate Maxey, Samuel B. 58 Major General Confederate Oakes, James 34 Brigadier General Union Pickett, George E. 59 Major General Confederate Reno, Jesse L. 8 Major General Union- Killed at South Mountain in 1862 Seymour, Truman 19 Major General Union Stoneman, George 33 Major General Union Sturgis, Samuel D. 32 Major General Union Wilcox, Cadmus M. 54 Major General Confederate. The History of the Minie Ball The development of this half-inch lead rifle bullet revolutionized warfare, while the slowness of Civil War military leaders to adapt their tactics to adjust to the new technology was greatly responsible for the overwhelming number of battlefield deaths. Before the introduction of what soldiers commonly called the "minnie ball"-even though it was indeed bullet-shaped-the use of rifles in battle was impractical and largely limited to corps of elite marksmen. Expensive, tight fitting projectiles had to be jammed into the grooves of the rifle's muzzle, a time-consuming process. In 1848, however, French army Captain Claude F. Minie created a smaller, hollow-based bullet that could far more quickly and easily be rammed into the bore, expanding when the weapon was fired to catch in the rifling and be shot spinning out of the barrel. That spin made the mini ball, like other, more expensive and unwieldy rifle bullets, a highly precise and far traveling projectile. They could reach a half-mile or more, and an average soldier could easily hit a target 250 yards away. By 1855, Harpers Ferry Armory worker James H. Burton had honed an even cheaper version of the minie ball, which, along with the rifle itself, soon became widely used in the U.S. Army. It was the standard bullet for both sides in the Civil War, although neither anticipated the enormous difference this would make on the battlefield. Against a defensive line using musket fire-requiring a 25-second reloading period and accurate to only 50 feet or less-a frontal infantry charge was likely to be successful if the assaulting force moved quickly enough. The widespread use of the minie bullet, however, shifted the balance greatly to the defense's favor. Nevertheless, Civil War generals continued ordering such attacks, learning only after hard and bloody battlefield experience-from the assault on Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg to Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg-that their strategy would have to be altered. Source, The Encyclopedia of The Civil War
SUSPECTED SAUCY ALERTS THIS MONTH There are no sightings having occurred in the last few months. Where could Saucy have gone. Rumor might place him at a book store just prior to a signing of Haversacks. Hmmmmmmmmm.!!!!!!
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