This is a carte de visite of Bowering in his Confederate uniform. Seated studio view wearing double breasted frock coat. Image is clear; slightly light as it was copied from an existing ambrotype. Mount remains in good condition. Signed in ink at bottom, "A.B. Bowering." Photographer's backmark, J.E. McClees, Philadelphia. A Revenue stamp is on the back along with period note in ink, "A.B. Bowering, April 1863-- Copied from Ambrotype in Richmond, Va."

Andrew Benjamin Bowering (1843 - 1923) was a noted Confederate States Army musician. A son of Benjamin and Lucinda Bowering, he was reared in Fredericksburg and taught music there before and after the war.

Bowering was 18 years old when he enlisted on 4/22/1861 as a Private in Company B, 30th Virginia Infantry. Company B was the "Fredericksburg Grays" in Corse's Brigade, Pickett's Division, 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. He was promoted to Musician 7/1/1861; transferred from company B to Band. Made Principal Musician on 6/1/1862. He was surrendered on 4/9/1865 at Appomattox Court House. While Principal Musician of the 30th Virginia Band, he composed the funeral dirge and led the regimental band at the funeral of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, which included the band performing Handel's "Dead March from Saul". He also played on his bugle the last "military recall" of the Civil War at Appomattox for a final religious service.

After the Confederate surrender, Bowering walked home to Fredericksburg, only to find that his family had left there for Salisbury, NC. He went to Salisbury and for a while remained there with his family, living by teaching music and doing odd jobs. He and his family left in August 1865 to return to Fredericksburg. Bowering married Susie C. Huffman in 1866, who died in 1892. He married his second wife, Margaret A. Jones in 1893, who passed in 1896. Later, he married a 3rd time, in 1899, to Annie Laurie Jones. He was a Professor at Fredericksburg, Va. Collegiate, President of Fredericksburg School Board, Commissioner of the Revenue (1874-1923) for Fredericksburg City, businessman.

He was buried in the Fredericksburg Cemetery.

From the William Turner collection.  [jet]  [ph:L]

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