Show your Baseball Ambrotypes

[slidekellyslide]

Great Ambro!!! 14 years old in 1860...wonder if he fought in the Civil War?

[Leon]

Probably, according to this write up that was with it.

Fantastic rare historical photograph! Needless to say, baseball ambrotypes are very rare. This is an original, dated 1860 1/4 plate ambrotype of C. A. Neide at age 14. He is wearing a baseball uniform with a belt which reads either Pacific or Pacifics. Plus he has his bat with him. The attached paper on the back with his name and the date is in period handwriting. The research I did leads me to believe that he played for either the Newark Pacific or the Jersey City Pacifics. It's hard to read the side of the belt to clearly see if there is an "s" there or not. Both clubs started in 1859. The research I did on his name came up with a likely candidate being Dr. Charles A. Neide (1846-1907) who served in the civil war, became a dentist in Albany NY, was the secretary of the American Canoe Association, and wrote a book titled "The Canoe Aurora; a Cruise from the Adirondacks to the Gulf." He was described as "tall, handsome and athletic." Now as to the condition: The paper that is attached on the back has lifted up some of the black varnish backing. (On ambrotypes, black varnish was put on the back of the glass to make the image a positive.) This has created the grey blob area. Additionally there is some tarnishing in a few areas which can be seen for example on his right shirt sleeve. The old black varnish can easily be scraped off and reapplied which would improve the appearance greatly. Of course you would be removing the attached paper. I chose not to do this and to leave it to the future owner to decide. The tarnish is not repairable as far as I know. Also, the case smells a bit like old powder. Case is separated. Maybe it was stored in a drawer for a long time. The floor and I believe the white areas of the uniform were hand tinted as seen best in the photo taken with the over glass removed.

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Great Ambro!!! 14 years old in 1860...wonder if he fought in the Civil War?

[ksfarmboy]

Fantastic Leon. The best part is it's identified.

[GaryPassamonte]

Great pick up, Leon! The closest I can come is this daguerreotype of a boy holding a ball.

[Michael B]

Here are two possibilities based on New York and New Jersey.

Neide , Charles A.
BATTLE UNIT NAME:
79th Regiment, New York Infantry
SIDE:
Union
COMPANY:
A
SOLDIER'S RANK IN:
Private
SOLDIER'S RANK OUT:
Commissary Sergeant
ALTERNATE NAME:
FILM NUMBER:
M551 ROLL 103

The 79th New York Infantry was originally the Highland Guards and associated with the Caledonian and St. Andrews Societies in New York City.

Major Battles:

Blackburn's Ford, Va - Bull Run, Va (1st Manassas) - Bayle's Cross Roads, Va - Bay Point, S.C - Port Royal Ferry, S.C - James Island, S.C - Secessionville, S.C - Gen Pope's Campaign, Va - Kelly's Ford, Va - Sulphur Springs, Va - Groveton, Va - Bull Run, Va (2nd Manassas) - Centreville, Va - Chantilly, Va - South Mountain, Md - Antietam, Md - Fredericksburg, Va - Vicksburg, Miss - Jackson, Miss - Siege of Knoxville, Tenn - Wilderness, Va - Spotsylvania Court House, Va - Ny River, Va - Before Petersburg and Richmond, Va - Hatcher's Run, Va - Fort Stedman, Va -
Fall of Petersburg, Va -

Neide , Charles
BATTLE UNIT NAME:
Battery C, New Jersey Light Artillery
SIDE:
Union
COMPANY:
C
SOLDIER'S RANK IN:
Private
SOLDIER'S RANK OUT:
Private
ALTERNATE NAME:
FILM NUMBER:
M550 ROLL 17
The NJ LA was organized in Hoboken, NJ in 1861 and traveled to Washington, D.C. August 20 of that year.

Major battles and postings:

SERVICE.--Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until May, 1864. Moved to Belle Plain, Va., May 11-12. Guard rebel prisoners until May 24. Siege of Petersburg June 29, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Deep Bottom July 27-Ream's Station August 25. In lines before Petersburg at Fort Hell until October 1. At Battery 16 and Fort Alexander Hays until November 22. At Fort Haskell until January 31, 1865, and at Forts Sedgwick and Hascall until April 2. Actions at Fort Sedgwick September 30, 1864. Battery 16 October 3-12. Fort Hascall November 27 and March 29, 1865. Fort Sedgwick April 1-2. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 5-9. At Ford's Station April 7-14, and at Wilson's Station until April 20. Moved to Washington, D. C., April 20-May 2. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 19, 1865.

[rman444]

Gary

I'll match your boy with a girl with ball



And I'll raise you 2 young men with ball

[GaryPassamonte]

I wish mine was in the condition yours are. The little girl is so lifelike.