Five CDVs of Quartermaster BBGs: Crosman, Cross, Dodge, Easton, Elwell 

Crosman, George Hampton, Mass. (1799 - 1882). (USMA 1823, #355) Crosman was commissioned into the 3rd Infantry 1 July 1823, and in 1830 entered the ranks of the quartermasters where he spent most of his remaining career. Crosman was commissioned Lt. Col. in 1856 and promoted to Colonel in 1863. He retired 29 July 1866 shortly after the end of the war. He received two brevets (BG, MG) for faithful and meritorious service during the war. Carte with backmark of Broadbent, Philadelphia.

Cross, Osborne (1803-1876). After graduation from USMA in 1825 Cross served in the 4th and 1st US Infy. He was transferred to the QM Dept in 1836 where he rose through the ranks (Capt. 1838; Maj 1847; Lt. Col.1863; Col. 1866). His brevet for BG came in March 1865. He retired in July 1866 after 40 years of continuous service. Postwar copy cdv by Dodge, Chicago.

Dodge, George Sullivan (1838-1881). He enlisted as Captain a year into the war, and was commissioned into the QM Dept. He mustered out four years later in March 1866, having been promoted to Major (8.2.64) and Col. (9.17.64). He received a brevet BG in Jan. 1865 for "valuable service in the movement against Fort Fisher, NC," with his last-minute resupply of troops. He mustered out in March 1866. Cdv with Frederick's printed backmark, although this one double-printed and blurry.

Easton, Langdon Cheves (1814-1884). An 1838 graduate of USMA Easton served in the 6th US Infy. before moving to QM Dept. in 1847 with the Mexican War as Capt. & Asst. QM. He was promoted to Major just after the outbreak of the war (8.3.61), and Lt. Col. in 1864. He received a brevet as Lt. Col. and Col. Sept. 9, 1864, along with a BG brevet for "distinguished and important service" in the campaign leading to the capture of Atlanta, GA. He also received a Maj. Gen. brevet in March 1865. After the war he became a full Colonel (1872). He retired in 1881 after more than 40 years of continuous service. This cdv has a heavily toned and nearly destroyed mount. The albumen is toned, but seems to still be alright. The front of the mount was misidentified as BG Robt. Langdon Eastman, but on verso the identification is a little closer, Langdon Cheves Eastman (actually Easton). No photographer's ID as the mount is destroyed.

Elwell, John Johnson (1820-1900). Elwell was a native of Warren, Ohio. He graduated from Cleveland Medical College in 1846 and spent a number of years practicing medicine. In the 1850s, he served in the Ohio legislature and was admitted to the Ohio Bar. He practiced law in Cleveland and taught at both law and medical schools. He authored a book combining these interests, A Medico-legal Treatise on Malpractice and Medical Evidence, comprising the elements of Medical Jurisprudence. With the outbreak of the war he equipped the 2nd and 3rd OH Cav. before enlisting himself in August. He was commissioned in to the QM Dept. as Captain (interesting that he did not join the Surgeons). He was promoted to Lt. Col. (11.8.62), and received Major, Lt. Col., Col., and Brig. Gen. brevets in the awards of March 1865. He was chief QM of the Dept. of the South until Feb. 1864 when he contracted yellow fever. He was reassigned to Elmira, where he supplied Elmira Prison, among other duties. He continued to serve until March 1866. After the war he returned to his career(s) in Cleveland, OH. (He later co-authored a book on Giteau: A Case of alleged Moral Insanity: A Rejoinder, with Dr. Edward Spitzka, an expert witness at  Giteau's trial, who maintained that Giteau was not only insane, he had always been so and the condition, he thought, was the result of "a congenital malformation of the brain" (Giteau, of course, being Ores. Garfield's assassin). Cdv with backmark of Sam Cooley, Beaufort, SC. 

Provenance: The Robert Trownsell Collection

The first three are better than average, Easton as noted above, and Elwell about average with clipped corners.