Former 'Unidentified' Civil War soldier spotted as 'Uncle Dave' by family in Library of Congress


A young 1860s Civil War soldier whose ambrotype photograph has swapped hands for over a century collecting a value of thousands of dollars without his identification known has been finally named.

Thanks to his family's recognition among hundreds of other photographs donated to the Library of Congress in 2010, the photograph capturing the seated solider with a saber in one hand and a pistol under his belt, has been identified as David M. Thatcher.

'That's Uncle Dave!' Karen Thatcher of Martinsburg West Virginia recalled crying out to the Washington Post when first spotting the teenage soldier in an advertisement for the library's collection.

Identified: Recognized in an advertisement for the Library of Congress' exhibit on photographed Civil War soldiers, this young soldier was identified thanks to family last week as David M. Thatcher

Identified: Recognized in an advertisement for the Library of Congress' exhibit on photographed Civil War soldiers, this young soldier was identified thanks to family last week as David M. Thatcher

At 17-years-old, David Thatcher, a farmer's son, had enlisted in the First Virginia cavalry regiment a week after the war began on April 19 of 1861.

While a member of Company B, Berkeley Troop, Mr Thatcher was fatally wounded at the Battle of Buckland Mills on October 19 of 1863 at the age of 19.

He died from his wounds a day later, according to the library's curator of photographs Carol Johnson, and was buried in his home cemetery of Tuscarora Presbyterian Church in Martinsburg.

'My husband jokingly calls him 'Uncle Dave,' Mrs Thatcher explained of their relation, though the soldier is three generations removed as the brother of her husband Larry's great grandfather.

Having a sketched duplicate or 'crayon enlargement' of the Library of Congress' photograph in their family's possession for years, along with a smaller prewar photograph of him in civilian clothes, she said he was easy to recognize.

Uncle Dave: Karen Thatcher recognized whom she calls 'Uncle Dave' in this advertisement for the collection thanks to a duplicate 'crayon enlargement' image passed through their family of his photo (bottom row) captured in the early 1860s

Uncle Dave: Karen Thatcher recognized whom she calls 'Uncle Dave' in this advertisement for the collection thanks to a duplicate 'crayon enlargement' image passed through their family of his photo (bottom row) captured in the early 1860s

'If you have a family member who dies at the age of 19 in the Civil War, everyone knows that,' she said. 'And this picture was just always in the family. And so you just knew that that's who it was.'

'I'm just awestruck,' the collector's owner Tom Liljenquist told the Post after hearing the news of the soldier's newly found identity.

Mr Liljenquist has presented the library with nearly 700 ambrotype and tintype photographs of both Union and Confederate soldiers for their present exhibition.

He tells the Post he purchased the photo of David Thatcher several years ago at a Civil War show, adding it to a wide collection of photographs first started by his sons Jason and Brandon Loljenquist who, growing up in Virginia, became fascinated with Civil War history.

Despite until now never having a name with it, he says it's a well known photograph and has been published in a few books.

Collectors: Tom Liljenquist presented the library with nearly 700 ambrotype and tintype photographs of both Union and Confederate soldiers in 2010 after developing the collection with his sons (pictured) over the years

Collectors: Tom Liljenquist presented the library with nearly 700 ambrotype and tintype photographs of both Union and Confederate soldiers in 2010 after developing the collection with his sons (pictured) over the years

'Assembled by our family over the last fifteen years, these photographs were acquired from a myriad of sources: shops specializing in historical memorabilia, civil war shows, photography shows, antique centers, estate auctions, eBay, and other collectors like us,' Brandon Loljenquist wrote for the Library of Congress' exhibit that opened last Sunday.

'Assembling this collection has been a labor of love for our entire family,' he wrote.

Since identifying David Thatcher, his 'unidentified' description has been scrubbed away from the Library's master catalog, presenting the solider with a name that now connects him to the family who proudly hasn't forgotten him back home.

'This anonymous young boy has gotten his life back,' Mr Liljenquist said.