Item No. 1285271

A CDV image of a sergeant of the 7th New York State Militia posing with is rifle. His cap is perched atop the point of his bayonet while a holstered revolver hangs from his belt. He wears the white straps of his cartridge box, canteen, and haversack over his shoulders. There is no photographer’s imprint. On the reverse in period ink is written, “At rest on the road from Annapolis to Washington.”

The man is Sergeant Stephen O. Ryder, as identified by a copy of the same image in the Liljenquist Collection at the Library of Congress (link here). Ryder was enlisted as a “general guide” attached to the regimental headquarters.

The carte measures about 2 1/2” x 4”.

The 7th New York State Militia, known as the “Silk Stocking Regiment” for its socially prominent New York City membership, played an important role early in the Civil War. They first entered federal service in April 1861, responding swiftly to President Lincoln’s call and making a celebrated march to Washington via Annapolis after riots in Baltimore cut the usual rail route. Stationed at Camp Cameron, they performed guard and garrison duty that helped secure the vulnerable capital before mustering out in June. They were called up again in May 1862 during renewed fears for Washington’s safety amid Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign, once more serving three months in the city’s defensive forts without seeing major combat. In 1863, the regiment was mobilized again during the Gettysburg Campaign and the New York City Draft Riots. Though their wartime service was brief and primarily defensive, the 7th’s prompt mobilization, precision, and high visibility made them symbolically significant, and they remained a prominent part of New York’s National Guard throughout and after the war.