Knew there was a reason I liked my GF

[Treize69]

Just found this pic of her Great-Great Grandfather in a family album.



Shes descended from a Cavalryman! 

Now, can anyone make out the numeral over the crossed sabers on his collars? Looks like a '7' to me, but its hard to tell at that angle. If it wasn't a blue uniform I'd almost think it was a 'V', like the Volunteer Regiments wore in the Spanish-American War, but the uniform isn't quite right. Looks like late 1880's dress uniform to me. Too bad he's not wearing his headgear, that would help narrow it down.

[Swoop]

Does she read this board?

Cos if so and that's the only reason you can think of posting why you like her......mate, you're in trouble.

[Treize69]

As a matter of fact, she thinks I'm a dork for doing flight sims, yet she gets dressed up in a frumpy 18th Century militia outfit and shoots muskets and cannons. We met through reenacting.

In fact, this is her-


But can anyone else make out that insignia or have any guesses as to the period? All I can find for rosters are wartime, nothing from the time between the Civil War and the S-A War. Any info that could be gleaned from the photo would be appreciated, she didn't even know he'd enlisted after immigrating (he was born in Ireland) until we found the pic.

[JunkyII]

You know nothing of cross-rifles

[Treize69]

You know nothing of cross-rifles

?? 

[Shuffler]

Custer's group 

[JunkyII]

?? 

Infantry




 

[Treize69]

I'm having trouble tracking down the proper period he served in, his uniform seems an odd mix of different eras- ie., the tall-collared coat of the 1872 regs, with the dark aiguillete of about 1900 (when the coat style had been changed twice) and the 1911ish style collar insignia arrangement.

Closest I can find is this one below from about the S-A War period, but the collar is quite different. It would be so much easier if he was wearing his headgear, as that can sometime nail it down to within a year or two!



Its got a collar like this one (ca. 1872) but the insignia and aiguillete is different.

[007Rusty]

maybe it's a military school uniform ?

[Treize69]

maybe it's a military school uniform ?

Most school uniforms wouldn't have the U.S. on the collar (which only goes on an active US Military uniform) or the Eagles on the buttons.

But I'm also noticing that it doesn't have the yellow piping you would expect on the shoulder straps, around the collar and down the edge of the breast, alongside the buttons. Although neither of the other ones I posted seem to either, so maybe they just stopped using it by then.

This is starting to get really annoying, because every time I think I've tracked something down, something else contradicts it.

[Treize69]

Ok, best I can figure, its from between 1905 (when they changed to that style collar insignia) and 1910 (the coats were changed in 1908, and would have taken a few years to become universal). Now if only I can figure out for sure what regiment that is (is it really a '7'?) and start checking rosters.