L. Merthorn, identified in pencil on the reverse, is portrayed in this Civil War-era CDV in a striking full-length standing pose, his right hand raised as if taking an oath while his left rests on a draped American flag beside him. The uniform is a dark frock coat with a single-breasted row of military buttons, matched with a forage cap bearing a visible brass insignia. The composition is deliberate and patriotic, with the star-spangled flag draping prominently to the left of the subject and a painted studio backdrop completing the scene.

The raised-hand pose was occasionally adopted by Civil War soldiers to evoke the enlistment oath, lending this image unusual symbolic weight beyond the typical standing portrait. The forage cap insignia and button style are consistent with Union Army infantry dress of the 1861 to 1865 period.

The reverse bears a pencil inscription reading "L. Merthorn" followed by what appears to be "U. L. A.," likely referencing an Iowa unit affiliation. No photographer's imprint is visible on the mount.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer