Between the Covers

Hardcover. Quarto (8½” x 11”). Embossed brown leather over padded boards, gilt turn-ins, all edges gilt, with a metal clasp. Contains 23 cabinet card portrait photographs measuring (4¼” x 6½”), of Citadel cadets in full military uniform, laid into double-sided cardboard sleeves with cut-out rectangular frames with gold borders. All 23 young men are identified with captions written in ink or pencil underneath the photo on the cardboard sleeve, and several photos are Signed by the cadet in ink on the back. Also included is one unidentified carte de visite of two shirtless cadets facing off as bare-knuckles boxers. Lacking the spine back, the edges of the boards are rubbed, a few of the framed mounts are torn or partly damaged at the edges, very good overall.

Established in Charleston in 1842, graduates of the Citadel Military Academy have fought in every American war since the Mexican War of 1846. Occupied by Union troops in 1865, it reopened in 1882. When the United States went to war against Spain in 1898, seventeen Citadel graduates served with volunteer regiments in the Spanish-American War, and another five graduates served with the Regular Army. At least four of the graduates pictured in this album went on to have military careers, including William S. Langford, Captain of the newly formed Newberry Guards who served in the Spanish-American War, and James B. Allison from York County, South Carolina, who served as a Major General in the U.S. Army during WWI.

Most of the photographs were taken at Leidloff’s Studio in Charleston, and by three other Charleston photographers: including one by W.D. Clarke, Artistic Photographer, one taken at Austin’s Vandyke Studio, and three taken by William P. Dowling.

A visually appealing and historically important album. A detailed list of the portraits is available.

Item #560907