Wayne, Just back in town from a conference (on the Year 2012!) and was pleasantly pleased to see the photo of JH Stuart, about whom I wrote in a piece titled "Confederate Signal Stations on the Lower Potomac," ("Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine," Vol. XLVB, No. 1 (December 1995), pp. 5233-5239. (Wish I'd known of the photo back then!).

I agree with Alan's comment that the photo is early war, with Stuart wearing more of a battle shirt and carrying an infantryman's weapon, suggesting that this was a "first photographer" opportunity in his original outfit (both clothes and unit), that of , presumably, the "Burt Rifles," later Co. K/18th Miss. Certainly not what he would have sought as captain of Jeb's staff.

After arrival in Virginia, JHS was one of several young men selected and detailed to be trained in signaling by EP Alexander. That fall and winter, '61-'62, he was assigned to a line of observation posts on the Potomac from Kinsale, Va. to Marlborough Point in the bend of the river below today's Quantico, signaling their observations along the line or to HQ. They were promised a chance at a commission when the Signal Corps became official, and he was one of the first ten selected as captains, to comprise the cadre of the formal organization.

In my (albeit limited) experience with "things held in photos," it seems to me that they usually reflect arms or items of sentimental (and usually obvious) meaning to "the folks back home." I can't improve on the enlargement identifications suggested, other than to add the thoughts that it could be a device associated with his college fraternity or the unit. I feel quite confident that it is NOT associated with the signal corps.

But what is the device(?) just above his upper shirt button? Is it a heart?