The man is an actor. More precisely a re-enactor, part of an American tribe in whom history lives organically, the past daily inhabiting thoughts and feelings. He does a good job portraying an aging sergeant of the Civil War. Anyone holding that rank would have served prior duty, meaning the Mexican War, the sieges of Pueblo de Taos and Vera Cruz, maybe the Battle of Mexico City. The soldier would have witnessed at this point in life many tragic deaths, grievous wounds, much destruction, but also courage and cooperation among men — all of this we can see in the man’s face, which reveals his weariness and in subtle ways an underlying optimism.