W.W. Moore, identified on the reverse as a member of the 6th Iowa Cavalry, is portrayed in this albumen CDV produced by C.H. Hamilton, Photographer, at Fort Randall in Dakota Territory. The 6th Iowa Cavalry was active in frontier and Dakota Territory operations during and after the Civil War, and Fort Randall was a significant posting for Union cavalry units engaged in campaigns against the Sioux during the early 1860s. The ornate printed oval frame surrounding the image, featuring scrollwork, tassels, and foliate decoration, is characteristic of CDV mounts fashionable in the mid-1860s.

Moore faces the camera directly with a composed, steady expression, wearing a plain sack coat with small visible buttons at the collar and chest, consistent with soldier dress of the period. His full, dark beard and receding hairline are prominent features, and the close cropped oval composition renders the portrait as a bust-length likeness.

The 6th Iowa Cavalry served extensively in Dakota Territory suppressing Sioux resistance following the 1862 Dakota War, making this Fort Randall imprint a historically specific frontier military document. The inscription and unit notation reinforce Moore's direct connection to one of the more consequential frontier postings of the era.

The reverse bears a stamped oval imprint reading "C.H. Hamilton, Photographer, Fort Randall, D.T." and is inscribed in ink "Truly Yours, W.W. Moore" with a penciled notation reading "6. Cavalry."

From the collection of James Lee Soffer