Armed with cavalry saber and pistol

Wet plate, albumen photograph, mounted to 4 1/8 x 7 1/8 card. Full standing view of a Yankee cavalryman wearing a Hardee hat with crossed sabers, brass cavalry hat insignia, regimental numerals, "16" and company letter, "E." He wears brass shoulder scales on his 9 button shell jacket with his scabbard attached to keeper hanging from his belt. His hands rest on the hilt of his cavalry saber with sash attached. The saber is positioned at his front with the blade touching upon the floor. He is cradling his pistol against his chest and arm while posing in front of a military studio backdrop with tents, fort, soldiers, and a waving American flag on pole. Backmark: Spaulding's New Photographic Parlors, Springville, N.Y., with vignette of an American flag. Old ink name is written on the reverse, John Black. Minor age toning to lower part of the mount. Very pleasing image.

John Block was 21 years old when he enlisted on April 4, 1864, at Buffalo, N.Y., as a private, and was mustered into Co. E, 16th New York Cavalry. He was promoted to corporal, May 20, 1865, and transferred out of the regiment on Aug. 17, 1865. He then mustered into Co. D, 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry, serving with them until his muster out of service on Sept. 21, 1865, at Camp Barry, Washington, D.C.

Footnote: It was a detachment of the 16th New York Cavalry that hunted down Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth and his associate David Herold. Sergeant Boston Corbett, a member of this detachment, shot and killed Booth on April 26, 1865, on the farm of Richard H. Garrett.