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| Middlesex County Historical Society |
Private Daniel H. Otis
Company B
14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
August 9, 1862
Daniel’s picture is housed in a crumbling, leather-bound, Memorial Book that was compiled between 1867 and 1874. In it are photographs of the soldiers from Middletown, CT who died during the course of the Civil War.
Daniel's sense of pride comes through loud and clear in this photo; he just seems so deeply satisfied sitting for that photo in his new uniform. It almost looks as if he wants to break into a smile, but the dictates of the time require him to conceal that type of emotion in photographs. In regards to Daniel’s photo, it’s interesting what my little son said out-of-the-blue the other day, “Mommy, it looks like Daniel wants to smile!” I said that I thought the same thing! So there you have it!
Daniel sat for the above picture on August 9, 1862 when he and 90 other men from the Company returned to Middletown, by train, from Camp Foote in Hartford, to collect a $100. bounty from the town. Bundy & Williams Photographers on Main Street offered the soldiers free portraits.
"Bundy & Williams offer to furnish photographs to volunteers."
(from the Middletown newspaper, "The Constitution," April 24, 1861)
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| Middlesex County Historical Society |
