A young male soldier identified on both the mount face and reverse as C. S. Lane of Boonesboro, Maryland stands in three-quarter length pose in this albumen carte de visite produced by Bendann Brothers of Baltimore. The subject wears a dark military frock coat with a double row of small buttons running the full length of the front placket and a striped or piped standing collar with what appears to be a small medal or insignia at the throat. Dating is consistent with the Civil War era, supported by the two-cent playing card revenue tax stamp affixed to the reverse, a feature used to date CDVs to the 1864 to 1866 tax period.

His dark hair is center-parted and swept to either side, and his expression is direct and composed. His left hand rests at his side while his right hand holds or rests against what appears to be a sword hilt near the lower frame, with a draped studio prop visible at his left.

Boonesboro, Maryland, situated in Washington County near South Mountain, was the site of the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862 and served as a staging and recovery point during the Antietam campaign, giving particular regional significance to a soldier identified from that town.

The reverse bears the inscription "C S Lane / Boonesboro, MD" in ink, a penciled notation reading "271," the Bendann Brothers studio imprint with armorial device, and the two-cent playing card internal revenue stamp.