Rebels? Yankees? Or something else?

[Story]

Greetings.
My apologies if this image has been discussed before, but I didn't find it in any searches.
I have my opinion, but don't want to taint the jury pool
https://new.liveauctioneers.com/item/33 ... k-and-city

[Todd]

Something about it says 'post-war militia' to me. The uniformity of the equipment, the definition of the caps and large insignia, the piece that looks like a loop on the holster of the right-hand rider (I've seen similar construction on SNY militia holsters circa 1890s), and the formality of the entire scene is almost too composed.

[Story]

The possibility of them being Belgian or French WWI was raised.

[DrsRob]

Certainly not European. The stirrups are typically North American.

[Story]

Then possibly post-Civil War riot duty by state militia/National Guard? Or just a simple parade?

[Trooper]

I think what is being seen as a holster is in fact the sabre scabbard and the "loop" is a ring band. Unless they are both lefy handed, the photo is reversed.
Of course none of this helps date it...

[JV Puleo]

This is almost certainly the John Q. Adams that was a CW Cavalry officer and great-grandson of John Adams. I suspect he held a post-war Massachusetts militia commission so these may be militia Cavalry c.1870?

[DrsRob]

I think what is being seen as a holster is in fact the sabre scabbard and the "loop" is a ring band. Unless they are both lefy handed, the photo is reversed.
Of course none of this helps date it...

If the photo is reversed, they are holding their arms in the right hand, not the left. Seeing that the scabbard is empty they are clearly holding sabres, not rifles as the auctioneer claims.