The Final Stand: Perry Winters of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry

Description

Within this somber ambrotype lies the image of Perry Winters, a young trooper from the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, his youth juxtaposed against the gravity of war. Encased in an octagonal frame, Winters stands in his military regalia—a shell jacket with its buttons gleaming and a Hardee hat, distinguished by the infantry insignia. His hand delicately holds a pinfire revolver, a symbol of his readiness and resolve.

The backdrop, now a whisper of its former detail, melds into shadows and light that obscure all but the soldier's essence. The revolver is prominently displayed, a silent testament to the era's conflict and to Winters' own personal saga within it.

Enclosed with his likeness is a sorrowful verse, a modified excerpt from Amelia B. Coppuck Welby's "When Soft Stars Are Shining." The lines mournfully reflect on the enduring nature of memories, likening them to the sweet fragrance that lingers even as the rose's vibrant bloom fades. The prose within, tender and poignant, weaves a narrative of reminiscence and loss, a fitting companion to the image of a man whose journey was cut short, yet whose memory endures:

"Fond memories of thee
The brightest rose when faded
Flings forth o'er its tomb
Its velvet leaves laded
With silent perfume.
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Thus around me will hover
In grief or in glee
Till life's dreams be over
Sweet memories of thee."

The ambrotype of Perry Winters, alongside the heartfelt lines, stands as a moving remembrance of the countless personal stories etched into the tapestry of history, enduring beyond the cessation of battle cries and cannon fire.