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May 1864. "Fredericksburg, Va. Soldiers filling canteens." Photographs from the main Eastern theater of war, Grant's Wilderness Campaign, May-June 1864. Wet plate glass negative, half of stereo pair, photographer unknown. View full size.
The small cartridge boxes and the holsters indicate that the men at the well are in the cavalry.
It's a pity it's only half of the pair. We 3D people really would like to see the entire image.
[It may be only half the pair but it is the entire image. These stereographs were made using two consecutively exposed glass plates. - Dave]
What an amazing photo of so long ago and what a shame photography wasn't invented earlier.
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