RD II Jacket

[Steven B]

Would like some feedback on using a blue-gray kersey material on an RD II jacket. My impression is mid-late war artillery, ANV. Thanks

[JimConley]

Re: RD II Jacket

This article should help get you started: http://www.military-historians.org/c...federate-1.htm

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: RD II Jacket

First - Get specific...
I would look for specific citations of coats issued to your unit for the time/place you wish to portray. You may be able to find references to the use of English yard goods in official documents, letters home, or period accounts.

When that fails - Go "PEC"...
There are several surviving RD2 jackets made of English army cloth. So, yes, Virginia :wink_smil, it is a good fabric choice for "a" RD2 jacket.

Whether or not its a good choice for "your" jacket depends on the specifics you can find, as noted above.

Happy Hunting!

[reb290]

Re: RD II Jacket

Hello,
I also belong to the 1st Company RH but in New England. I managed to get some copy's of diary's written by some of the men..although interesting there was nothing really on their uniforms. I wear a RD2 in English army cloth ( I should be wearing a type 3 though). Shoot me an email and I think I can help. cglass4inc@yahoo.com

P.S. The link Mr. Conley provided is a good resource to use.

[Steven B]

Re: RD II Jacket

Thanks to all for the input,

I just found a good reference at http://www.acws.co.uk/archives/military/anvblue.htm The article is titled CONFEDERATES IN BLUE
"ENGLISH ARMY CLOTH" IN THE A.N.V. By David Burt Co G 18th VA Inf

Fenny Hanes of the Richmond Depot was also a great help (I've ordered the jacket from her). I was in Richmond last month on business and had the opportunity to vist the Museum of the Confederacy (MOC) and discuss this with Mrs Hanes.

She was very gracious and spent quite a bit of time answering my new recruit questions. I originally was going to order a jacket in a sow brown wool/jean material with trousers of the same material. But I really liked the Kersey when I saw it but wasn't sure if it was appropriate. Mrs Hanes said it was and I believe she is right.

I decided to mix up the uniform a little by getting the jacket in Kersey and the trousers in medium gray satineete. I also avoided the tempation to put red piping on the epaulets (like the Private John Blair Royal jacket). So I just said no to red anywhere. I did go with VA State Seal buttons vice Block A.

Ordered a Forked Tongue Buckle Belt from Duvall Leatherworks and a Slouch Hat from Clearwater Hats. Ran out of money for the month so the brogans will have to wait.

It's my first impression and I want to start out on the right foot.

[hta1970]

Re: RD II Jacket

Steven,

What is the reason for having a belt with your uniform?

I take it the forked tongue belt buckle is for a waist belt and not a trouser belt..

[BrisbaneReb]

Re: RD II Jacket

I have a RDII of English kersey, put together out of a CC kit. Based it on the one worn by William Ramsey, 17th Va. Infantry (without belt loops) who was issued it in the last months of the war. I believe you would have seen kersey RD2's in the ANV just after Chancellorsville (there is a note of kersey jackets on dead Confederates at Gettysburg - I apologise can't find the source right now) which makes sense considering the first batch arrived in Richmond not long after that. There are plenty of prisoner photos showing rd2's throughout 1864, dwindling after the introduction of the Rd3 but still in existence by Appomatox. Don't take my word for it though: do some research!
Did you order it with VA seals or 'A' buttons? Rd2's were issued with branch of service buttons although there are others with state buttons that were added by their owners. Personally I like the kersey: it challenges the 'jean-must be authentic then!' ideology I've been encountering lately. But it all again falls down to who, where, when and why.

[Steven B]

Re: RD II Jacket

Harry,
It is a waist belt and not a trouser belt. I did purchase a set of braces from the Richmond Depot. I got the waist belt in case I wanted to do an infantry impression and I also wanted to see an example of the work from Duvall.

[reb290]

Re: RD II Jacket

Did you order it with VA seals or 'A' buttons? Rd2's were issued with branch of service buttons although there are others with state buttons that were added by their owners.

I don't know whether or not if they were Issued or added by the owner but the Barne's jacket did have VA state seals on it. Somehow he lost 2 and added 2 NY state seals. What buttons to wear has been a long time discussion in out unit
Although this is a 'streamer site, my friend put together some pictures and short biography's of them. Although they are not the best of pictures I thought I would share them anyway.

http://1stcorichmondhowitzers.com/men

[Jimmayo]

Re: RD II Jacket

If you look at the pictures of dead confederates around Petersburg in the Lib Of Congress you will see mostly RDIIs. There is a picture of one example on the following page.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/csequip.html

Some jackets appear to be made from wool. No way to tell the color but I would bet it is English Army cloth. It is my opinion ( with no proof ) that the type III jackets were in the minority until very late and that is why I had Fenny convert my type III to a type II. I think you are right on for a mid to late war impression with the type II.

Also, FYI not many Va. state seals are found in the second Cold Harbor trenches or Petersburg which encompasses the last 9 months of the war. If you also look at the Petersburg photos you will see US eagle buttons used on every uniform that you can determine the button type (four uniforms). IMO, these are not replacement buttons since the visible buttons match and the uniforms are in good condition. Also, just about every CS trench I have hunted contains eagle buttons along with the standard block I and A's. Eagle buttons would be my first choice followed by block A or block I buttons.

Just my .02

[Steven B]

Re: RD II Jacket

Really great website! If I'd had this information earlier I would have had Fenny make the jacket with Eagle buttons. Maybe in the future I'll replace a few of the VA State Seal buttons with Eagles, that way I can practice my sewing. What type of buttons would you suggest for a vest?

I did want something on the uniform that said I was from the "Old Dominion". I've spent the last few summers in the Tidewater area working on ships (MHI in Ghent, BAE in Portsmouth and the Naval Station). Also work out at Dam Neck and up at Dahlgren, so sometimes I kind of feel like a Virginian although I'm from California.

[Joe Walker]

Re: RD II Jacket

Even in the western theater the use of eagle buttons was wide spread. My original CD jacket has the large US eagles on it. (original to the jacket-wartime)

Joe Walker
Waco Guards

[BrisbaneReb]

Re: RD II Jacket

lol sorry guys, forgot about the Eagle buttons - have my head in the clouds with a flu. IMPO they were just as common, if not more, than block I's and A's. Just wanted to point out the rarity of state seals on late RD's.

[Steven B]

Re: RD II Jacket

Harry set me straight. Ordered the jacket with State Seal buttons. Think I 'll get a few Eagles and when I need to replace a button that's what I'll use.

[Steven B]

Re: RD II Jacket

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input and update the thread.

Got the jacket from Scott and Fenny Hanes of the Richmond Depot in the Kersey. It looks great and I get a lot of compliments on it.

I serve a 3in Ordnance Rifle in my unit. The first time I wore the jacket was for Pickett's charge and I was number 4. We expended 9 rounds in almost as many minutes and had to "requisition" 6 more from the other Howitzers to continue the Grand Barrage. Needless to say I was pretty busy. It must have been the new english suit. Thanks Fenny