Trimmed unmounted albumen was probably cut down to go in a small frame.

Only 2 3/8" in height

 

Major-General Earl Van Dorn was born near Port Gibson, Miss., 
September 17, 1820.  He was graduated from West Point, 1842, 
as brevet second lieutenant and was assigned to the Seventh 
infantry.

Of the same regiment he was commissioned second lieutenant 
November 30, 1844.  In the war with Mexico he was engaged in 
the defense of Fort Brown, the storming of Monterey, the siege 
of Vera Cruz, the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, 
Churubusco, Chapultepec, and capture of the city of Mexico.

He was promoted first lieutenant March 3, 1847, brevetted 
captain April 18, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct at 
Cerro Gordo, and brevetted major for like service at Contreras 
and Churubusco.  He was wounded on entering the Belen Gate of 
the city of Mexico.

His services in the United States army were varied and 
efficient.  He served in Florida against the Seminole Indians, 
and commanded an expedition against the Comanche Indians, 
being four times wounded in a combat near Washita Village, 
Indian Territory, October 1, 1858.

Two of the wounds were inflicted by arrows and proved quite 
dangerous.  He was commissioned captain of the Second cavalry 
March 3, 1855, and major in the same regiment June 28, 1860.  
Upon the secession of Mississippi he re-signed his commission 
in the United States army, and was appointed brigadier-general 
of the State forces by the Mississippi legislature, and 
afterward major-general to succeed Jefferson Davis.

He was commissioned colonel of cavalry in the regular 
Confederate service to date from March 16, 1861, and for a 
short time was in command at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, 
below New Orleans.  Then going to Texas he was put in command 
of that department, April 11th.

With a body of Texas volunteers on April 20th he captured the 
steamer Star of the West, in Galveston harbor, and on the 24th 
of the same month received at Saluria the surrender of Maj. 
Caleb C. Sibley and seven companies of the United States 
infantry, and that of Col. Isaac V. D. Reese with six 
companies of the Eighth infantry.

His promotion in the Confederate army was very rapid, to 
brigadier-general in June, and to major-general in September, 
1861.  Going to Virginia he was assigned to command of the 
First division, army of the Potomac, during the latter part of 
1861.

Thence he was transferred in January, 1862, to the command of 
the Trans-Mississippi district.  There, in general command of 
the forces of Price, McCulloch and McIntosh, he brought on the 
battle of Elkhorn, which was well-conceived, but failed of 
success through the untimely loss of the latter two officers.

Ordered by Gen. A. S. Johnston to cross the Mississippi, he 
brought his army to Corinth just after the battle of Shiloh, 
and joining Beauregard, was in command of the army of the 
West, which formed one corps of the forces occupying Corinth 
until the latter part of May.

His next service was in command of the district of 
Mississippi, with headquarters at Vicksburg, during the naval 
operations against that place in the summer of 1862.  After 
Bragg moved toward Kentucky Van Dorn was left in command of a 
force called the army of West Tennessee, with which, aided by 
Price's army of the West, he made an attack on Rosecrans at 
Corinth, October, 1862, in which his troops made a gallant 
fight, but suffered heavy loss in the attempt to carry the 
enemy's works.

The circumstances of the battle and the retreat which followed 
were the subject of investigation, and while he was vindicated 
from certain charges made against him, he was transferred to 
command of cavalry.

At the head of the force which he organized he defeated 
Grant's formidable invasion of Mississippi in December, 1862, 
by the surprise and capture of the garrison at Holly Springs, 
and the destruction of the stores accumulated.

He formed a splendid cavalry command in Mississippi and west 
Tennessee, with such able lieutenants as Forrest, Martin, 
Jackson, Armstrong, Whitfield and Cosby.  In March he assailed 
a force of the enemy at Thompson's Station, Tenn., capturing 
over 1,000 men.

General Van Dorn was one of the brilliant figures of the early 
part of the war.  As a commander of cavalry he was in his 
element.  He was a man of small, lithe figure, elegant person, 
and a bravery and daring that were unsurpassed.