Undated photograph of an unidentified private in the 2nd Missouri Cavalry, “Merrill’s Horse.”

Organized by Colonel Lewis Merrill in 1861, the 2nd Missouri Cavalry battled guerrilla forces in Missouri, then participated in the Little Rock campaign, Frederick Steele’s Camden Expedition, and in actions against General Sterling Price during his 1864 raid through Missouri.

The members of “Merrill’s Horse” wore a distinctive jacket of blue wool trimmed in yellow, with a unique trim pattern on the front. The men also sported forage caps with an orange welt, a tribute to Merrill’s pre-war service in the Dragoons.

Carte-de-Visite by Unknown Photographer

Image Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 31817