Yesterday, I was at an 'antique fair' and spent some time admiring a watercolor print from 1908. It featured U.S. Coast Artillery uniforms of officers and enlisted men 1902-1907.

What was most interesting was that the artist clearly depicted 'Rod Bayonet' 1903 Springfield rifles and Krag type slings.

The whole scene was a very familiar format. This prompted some quick research.

The artist was Henry Alexander Ogden (b. 1856 - d. 1936), an American magazine illustrator, who had a penchant for doing watercolors of U.S. Military themes.

In 1890, he was commissioned by the U.S. Quartermaster General to do 44 illustrations, depicting the history of the U.S. Army. This was followed around 1907, with 26 more watercolor illustrations.

I am sure the style is familiar to many KCA Members. (The original, I was looking at, had far better clarity than the 'reprints').

The illustrations seem very idealized and likely show equipment and things that were not the actual case. Still, they are very interesting.

(p.s. - An anomaly is the presence of 1905 bayonet scabbards on some of the men, while their Springfield rifles are 'ramrod bayonet' models).

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