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AED[CIVIL WAR] Hard-Fighting Hoosiers: 5 CDVs of the 20th IN w/ Kearney Crosses, Part 3
![[CIVIL WAR] Hard-Fighting Hoosiers: 5 CDVs of the 20th IN w/ Kearney Crosses, Part 3](https://s1.img.bidsquare.com/item/xl/3707/37075859.jpeg?t=1WqsZB)
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About Auction
LiveJun 20, 2026
This sale features an extensive catalog of Civil War photographs that were acquired, curated, and researched by seminal collector, Rick Carlile. Fleischer's Auctions info@fleischersauctions.com
View Full Catalog (238)
- Lot Description
Collection of 5 studio portrait albumen CDVs. Various locations: including Smith & Huey (Indianapolis), A. N. Pierce (Lafayette), Wm. M. Scott (LaPorte) and Gibbon (New York), [ca. 1863-5]. Period ink and pencil identifications to mount versos and rectos read: "Lt. Col. G. W. Meikel," "John E. Sweet," "Wm. H. Bell" and "William H. Werner."
The 20th Indiana Infantry was one of the most storied and hard-fighting regiments in the Army of the Potomac. It was one of several units to catch Rick Carlile's eye while he was building his legendary collection, likely due to its staggering combat record and elite association with General Philip Kearny’s division. This lot is particularly significant since it features several officers prominently wearing the Kearny Cross (Kearny Medal), a precursor to the Medal of Honor awarded for bravery to the men of the 1st Division, 3rd Corps.
The lot includes the following five CDVs:
1. Lt. Col. George W. Meikel: A vignetted bust study by Smith & Huey. Meikel is shown with his lieutenant colonel’s shoulder straps and two medals pinned to his breast, including the Kearny Cross. A heroic figure of the regiment, Meikel was killed in action at the Battle of Petersburg on 30 September 1864 while leading his men.
2. John E. Sweet: A vignetted bust study with a bold ink signature on the recto. Sweet is shown wearing his officer's frock coat with the Kearny Cross clearly visible. Sweet served as the regimental Adjutant and was a key figure in the unit's administrative and combat leadership.
3. William H. Bell: A profile study with an ink signature on the recto. Bell is captured in his officer's uniform, prominently displaying the Kearny Cross.
4. William H. Werner: A vignetted bust study by Gibbon in New York. Identified on the verso as possibly William H. Werner, this sitting also prominently features the Kearny Cross.
5. Identified 20th Indiana Officer: A vignetted bust study by A. N. Pierce. The subject is shown in his officer’s frock coat with a medal pinned to his breast, consistent with the other Kearny Cross recipients in this group.
A compelling feature of this lot is the high concentration of Kearny Cross recipients. General Kearny originally intended the medal to be a mark of distinction for his "brave ones," and these portraits provide a rare visual record of the 20th Indiana’s most decorated veterans.
[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards]
Condition
The images are in generally good to excellent condition, featuring strong tonal contrast and sharp detail across the subjects. The albumen surfaces are well-preserved with minimal age-related toning.
- Provenance
Rick Carlile collection.
- Shipping Info
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