American Historical Ephemera and Photography

A group portrait of African American officers. 5 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. photograph on 8 x 10 in. cardstock mount. Verso with ink stamp, "Fructuoso Lopez, Fotografo." The image bears the imprint of who is believed to be a Philippine photographer, and is likely related to the so-called "Immune" regiments, which consisted of the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth US Volunteer Infantry. They were manned by African American enlisted personnel and commanded by Black and white officers. The two men in the second row on the left wear 1895-pattern officers' caps and probably are lieutenants with a company serving with one of the regiments. The remainder of the men are non-commissioned officers (sergeants and corporals) presumably from the same unit (toning, fading, soiling to print and mount, edge and corner wear). -- Cabinet card portrait of an unidentified Black Rhode Island infantry corporal in the state militia. Providence, RI: Brown, ca 1885 (toning, mild soiling to print, edge and corner wear to mount). -- Outdoor portrait of a young male subject standing before a camp scene with a firearm in hand. 6 3/4 x 4 1/2 in. photograph on 9 x 7 in. cardstock mount (light edge wear to mount). He does not appear to be a soldier, but rather a local lad who may have been loaned some gear by soldiers to pose for a picture. It is also possible that he was engaged by troops encamped during the Spanish American War, cooking and performing other duties for them. -- Together, 3 photographs.