Carte de visite, c. 1863 | A State Divided
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Carte de visite, c. 1863 | A State Divided
This is a photograph of Union Army Captain James L. Dougherty, of Company D, Eighteenth Regiment Kentucky Infantry. The type of photo is called a carte de visite. Carte de visite is French for "visiting card." During the Civil War, soldiers would trade these cards with each other. They would also send copies home to families and sweethearts. Many soldiers also carried photos of their children, spouses, or other loved ones.