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Sixth Plate Outdoor Ambrotype of 11th OVI Men, an

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Sixth Plate Outdoor Ambrotype of 11th OVI Men, an extraordinary early view of five Company K, 11th OVI (three months) men standing beside a wooden building, likely Camp Dennison, photographed during the early summer of 1861. Accompanying the image is a circa 1930's piece of lined paper with an inked description that reads, Battle of Stone River-Civil War-Left-Capt. Gorsuch, 2nd. Colonel Frazell (sic), 3rd unknown, 4th Frank Eidson, private Squire Dickey, surgeon. Company from Greenville, Ohio. The line of soldiers consists of a 2nd Lieutenant, three privates wearing identical checkered shirts armed with M1842 muskets, assorted knifes and small pistols, with a civilian-surgeon at far right. The identifying notation was clearly written or copied well after the fact and is open to interpretation.

As best we can tell the 2nd Lieutenant far left is Wesley Gorsuch who enlisted as a private and was promoted to 2nd Lt. on April 23, 1861. Lt. Gorsuch later served in the 94th OVI as Captain and was discharged for disability in February 1863. The taller second soldier referred to as "Colonel Frazell" bears no resemblance to published photographs of Lt. Colonel Frizell of the 11th OVI, later promoted Bvt. Brigadier General after serving as Colonel of the 94th OVI, and is misidentified. The third man in line is "unknown." The forth man identified as "Frank Eidson" is probably Francis N. Eidson of Company K who mustered out in August 1861 and saw no further service. The accuracy of penned note is now in question as Pvt. Edison does look like Colonel Frazell, but the Colonel never served as an enlisted man! There is no "private Squire Dickey" in service from Ohio as enlisted man or surgeon. The 11th's Surgeon was Jonas F. Gabriel with Assistant Surgeon Henry A. Gill but no comparable images were found. If "Dickey" is a misspelling, then a Pvt. Casper Dicker served in Company F until mustering out in June 1861.

The oblique reference to the battle of Stones' River must refer to Captain Wesley Gorsuch's subsequent service in Company I, 94th OVI as the three month 11th OVI had long since disbanded. The 94th played an honorable role in the advance from Murfreesboro and was engaged during the entirety of the fluid battle loosing a number killed and wounded including Colonel Frizell among the later.
The ambrotype is in EXC condition with strong clarity given the long depth of field. The angle of the camera in relation to the glare of the sun resulted in lower contrast, casting a shadow in front of the line. Housed in a separated composition case.

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