From the ca 1890 Taylor and Huntington reissue from the Anthony negatives. A large group of Black cavalrymen sit on the ground and on horseback at the left of the image. Among them are several White military as well. The caption below the photo reads “2512 Filling their Canteens.” Written on the left margin: “1861 The War For the Union 1865” and on the right margin: “1861 Photographic War History. 1865”
Taylor & Huntington Sole Owners of the Original War Views No. 2 State Street, Hartford, Conn.
Verso text: “Comrades all remember how eagerly they made a rush for ‘the old well’ when on a long and dusty march they came to a plantation with its cool ‘spring house’ or its deep dark well. This view shows the familiar scene of filling the canteens; the well has been covered with canvas and a guard placed over over it to prevent anyone waste of water, for a well, however deep and capacious, soon becomes dry when the army’s commence to draw water.”
The entire back is filed with writing including: “This series of pictures are original photographs taken during the war of the Rebellion. More than a quarter of a century has passed away since the sun painted these real scenes of that great war…”