55th Massachusetts Infantry Colored Troops Civil War USCT Group Dr Thomas Elkins

  

Thomas Elkins tintype, Lt Charles Francis Lee cdv, and Christine Moore press photo. The Thomas Elkins tintype was published by Abbott of Albany NY. Union stars Civil War patriotic mat.

Elkins was the medical examiner of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantry. He is documented as working in the Underground Railroad. Elkins spent most of his life in Albany. He traveled to Liberia after his Civil War service. Some of his famous inventions deal with refrigeration and toilets.

He was a pharmacist by trade. Elkins was a commissioned officer for the union army. There wasn't many commissioned African American officers in an army of millions. He was appointed by the governor of Massachusetts. Most of the African American Union commissioned officers were either appointed by Lincoln or the governor of their state.

I believe there were 14 African American chaplains commissioned during the Civil War. The LT Lee cdv is published by Brock(traveling photographer). Christine Moore was a Civil War widow.

She was married to Sgt Charles Moore of the 55th. The press photo was published on 1971.

I forget the age difference between Christine and Charles, but it was substantial. About 8 by 10 inch. Stains, toning, wear, markings, and creasing. The Elkins tintype is about 2 by 4 inch in size. Minor stains, wear and scratching to the tintype and mat.

The mat has pencil markings on the back. The Lee cdv is about 2 by 4 inch in size.

Likely Lee's signature on the back. Feel free to ask questions.