Studio portrait of Alfred A. Stratton, a young Union veteran photographed after suffering the traumatic loss of both arms in battle. Wearing his regulation military uniform, Stratton stands beside a draped American flag, his empty sleeves prominently displayed. His stoic expression, direct gaze, and dignified posture reflect the solemn heroism with which many severely wounded soldiers faced postwar life.

Photographed at W. S. Pendleton’s Photographic Gallery, No. 5 Chatham Square, New York, Stratton’s carte de visite became one of the most recognized and widely circulated images of Union amputees. At only 19 years old when injured at Petersburg in 1864, Stratton went on to become a public figure and symbol of sacrifice, selling images of himself to support his livelihood. His portrait remains among the most iconic representations of the physical cost of the Civil War.