A young unidentified soldier wearing a distinctive double-breasted military dress coat appears in this sixth-plate ambrotype, housed in its original thermoplastic union case. The coat features multiple rows of brass buttons arranged in parallel vertical lines across the chest, consistent with a cadet or militia dress uniform of the Civil War period, and a standing collar with a white cravat visible at the throat. The subject's flat-topped kepi-style cap bears a small insignia at the front, and he sits with hands folded and forearms resting in his lap, meeting the camera with a steady, direct gaze.

The dress coat's braided or ribbed horizontal striping across the chest and the symmetrical button arrangement are consistent with cadet uniforms worn at American military academies or state military schools active during the 1860s. The kepi and double-breasted front further align with mid-nineteenth century American military dress conventions.

The image is set within an ornate gilt brass mat and preserver beneath glass, backed by a salmon-red velvet pad on the opposite interior leaf. The union case exterior is embossed thermoplastic, displaying a central oval cartouche surrounded by scrollwork, with a working clasp closure intact on the right side. No photographer's imprint is visible on the case interior.