Must have been a hot day there outside of Petersburg.  Not a coat on any of the men.

There's a pile of Federal issue shirts in that picture. Naw, it never gets hot in Virginia.

The hat on the soldier on the far left (next to the man in the vest) looks like it has seen better days.  

There's nine men in the photo. Four are wearing suspenders, three are not, and two you can't tell.  

Quote :

Bill wrote : There's nine men in the photo. Four are wearing suspenders, three are not, and two you can't tell.

Bill I count 5 with braces. 2 you can't tell (vested soldier, and the profile shot)  and 2 without.

Y'all are counting braces, but personally my attention is drawn to the hats. I'm curious as to just what WAS that hat (the one Greg mentioned) to begin with? It looks a little like a workmans hat that the train ran over.

Any info on what unit this was or time frame of when the photo was taken?

Gregg Hensley
22nd NCST

The clue to the hat's main purpose is in the item draped down around his waist. Just for fun, grab a heavy artillery drill diagram and see if it matches up with the mortar in this image.

Three of the other great big campfire myths get busted here, too.

Hmm, I believe the man on the right is wearing a stripped shirt.

I'll bet not a one of those guys wears one of those finely trimmed in red artillary jackets. They'd look out of place.

Another photo from Petersburg..
It is titled as:  Federal Soldiers Removing Artillery from Confederate Fortifications - Petersburg, VA, April 1865

Cottage of Colonel Nathaniel Michler, U.S. Engineers, at Bryant House - Petersburg, VA, 1865

Greg,

I've seen that photo of the Federal Artillerymen greatly enlarged. There is a ton of interesting stuff in the photo.

The soldier facing towards the gun seems to be wearing a scarf, but when I zoomed in, it looks like it wraps under his one arm and then is "tied" in front of him.

Those that are visible seem to be wearing boots rather than brogans.  And 2 of them have their cups tied to either the canteen straps or haversacks.  Not too sure which..