Cabinet Card of 1st. John Campbell Harris, USMC. Circa 1860s

Cabinet Card of 1st. John Campbell Harris, USMC. Circa 1860s.  Taken by Gutekunst, Philadephia.

John Campbell Harris was a law student at West Chester, Pa. and Washington, D.C. when the war began.  Harris began his service as a clerk to the Marine commandant from Feb. 1, 1859 to Aug 28, 1861. Commissioned 2nd Lt. as of August 28, ’61; commanded Marine Guard on USS Pensacola during the battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip in August of 1862; participated in boat attack on Fort Sumter Sept. of 1863; 1st Lt. in 1864; As adjutant of a detachment of marines and sailors, repulsed Confederate cavalry at Gunpowder Bridge, near Havre de Grace, Md., 11-16 July, 1864; left the Corps in 1869.  The Mameluke sword was not regulation during the Civil War years, but was continued to be worn by some, who had carried it prior to the beginning of the war. The sword featured in the photo once belonged to Harris’s uncle, Commandant John Harris, along with the dress belt. (info courtesy Charles H. Cureton, David M. Sullivan, Civil War Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps: The Regulation of 1859.)  This sword and belt in now in the Marine Corps Museum, featured on pages 171 through 173.

Fine condition image with a fine history to go with it.