The December issue of Civil War Times is out, which has an article by Mike Musick on his discovery of a previously unpublished ambrotype (above left), the subject of which appears to be Chatham Roberdeau Wheat, commander of the 1st Special Louisiana Battalion at Bull Run (I wrote about him here). Once the article is put up on the magazine’s website I’ll post a link to it here, but for now you might want to head to your newsstand and get the hard copy.
Above right is a picture that is generally accepted to be Wheat, taken around the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. Musick’s “new” image is thought to have been taken during Wheat’s earlier filibustering days. Click the images above for larger images (you’ll get a super large image of the new photo if you click the first larger image a second time). What do you think? Same guy?
That shirt sure looks familiar. Especially the sleeves.
Thanks to CWT for permission to post the new photo of Wheat.
See foloow up post here.
Harry Smeltzer
Bull Runnings 
Harry,
They don’t look like the same guy, IMHO. The first one has a longer face.
Mike
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I’m not so sure, Mike. The second photo, to me, looks like it has been somehow altered over the years, almost like it went from photo to engraving and somehow back again. It looks distorted. The first is clean. Read the article and consider Mr. Musick’s thoughts.
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Harry,
What do you think?
Mike
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Thanks Harry!
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Harry & Mike P. : Thanks for your interest in the picture, and observations. Love that shot from Seinfeld. The “new” photo, as it appears in the article and blog post, is in reverse. When it’s “flipped,” the similarities in appearance to the known portraits is somewhat increased.
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Mr. Musick,
Thanks for the comment. I may have a follow up post on this later.
Harry
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[…] on the “New” Wheat Photo 20 10 2008 Here’s an update to this post about the “new” ambrotype of Rob Wheat. The owner of the photo and author of the CWT […]
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[…] photo of an individual who looks a lot like Rob Wheat of the 1st Special Louisiana Battalion (see here and here). It included quite a few testimonials from big shots in the ACW field as to their […]
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[…] I have more on the Wheat ambrotype recently “discovered” by Mike Musick and discussed here and here. Mike sent me a big packet of info, which I mentioned here. I haven’t forgotten […]
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His father and brother Leo had skinny faces I can’t tell of the face of another brother John T Wheat a painting of which block out his facial feature with a long black beard. The fat face comes from his Mother and the mother got her face from her Grandfather Daniel Roberdeau but there is no known likeness of Gen Roberdeau. This guy got his height from Daniel Roberdeau both being tall so what this new foto reveals is a likely likeness of Daniel Roberdeau . That is no more of a stretch than to say this new foto is Roberdeau wheat.
I love family myths or oral history it opens up the impression of an event contrary to the recorded facts. Its one’s preception of the event i find facinating Therefore I pronounce this new old photo a photo of Roberdeau Wheat. The older published picture is that suppose to be a photo or a painting ? Wheres is that picture now? I believe it is lost to the public though it is probably in a private collection and well cherished
What does anyone make of the fabric patter on the sash on Robs chest in the ambotype, has that been studied? I would be excited to be told that the sash is of a pattern associated with Garibaldy. Quite possible. You will notice that Roberdeau uniform has been deformed the evidence being the epilepwhatever got all smashed up rising off his shoulders due quite possibly from being cramed is a trunk on the voyage from Naples Italy to New Orleans.
Yes this ambrotype is a photo of Roberdeau wheat and that is as good a quest as you will find anywhere.
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Bobby you are a complete nimcompoop don’t ever post on this board again. but your idea of the sash is, I feel, is the key and I will alert my friend, a grandson. No, make that the great great grandson of Giovanni B Rossi former sergent of the 1st light infantry rgt.under Giuseppe Armenio, I’m not sure what that means. I’ll have him take a look at this new photo of roberdeau wheat and if any one could identify the sash colors its my friend. His grandpappy or whatever sailed to America with Mr. Wheat. Now get lost.
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Ha Har you are real funny, I already know about your so called friend and have beat you to the punch I dialed pierrossi@hotmail.com and left a message. Let the perseived facts tell the story. And the next time you attempt to impersonate me use my real name Bob6zz
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Bob, You sent me some wonderful pics of several pages of Selina’ diary in 2006. THANKS!!!! Would love to get the rest. Sandra (Schmitz) Moore. Hope you find this.
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