Altered Federal Overcoat Documentation

[NYCivilWar]

Re: Altered Federal Overcoat Documentation

Here's another image of a yank who added pockets to the exterior of his overcoat.

Taken at the James River, Va. View of the completed Dutch Gap canal
LOC
CALL NUMBER
LC-B811- 2610


REPRODUCTION NUMBER
LC-DIG-cwpb-02036 DLC (digital file from original neg. of left half)
LC-DIG-cwpb-02035 DLC (digital file from original neg. of right half)
LC-B8171-2610 DLC (b&w film neg.)


-Kyle M. Stetz

[unclefrank]

Re: Altered Federal Overcoat Documentation

Love this thread! One of the more interesting we have had lately.

[NYCivilWar]

Re: Altered Federal Overcoat Documentation

Here are yet again some more altered Federal Overcoats that I was able to find.

Image #1- Manassas, Va. Provost guard of the 9th New York Infantry.Manassas, Va. 1862. Notice the addition of large pockets on the outside of the coat. As a side note, check out the soldier to the left of the one with the altered overcoat. This guy has on a darker colored overcoat, possibly one of the many early war overcoats the Quartermast Dept. was forced to accept due to lack of regulation overcoats; also notice his dark blue trousers.

Image #2-Manassas, Va. Provost guard of the 9th New York InfantryManassas, Va. 1862. This soldier appears to be putting his hands under the cape of his overcoat, I'm assuming that there are pockets, but I could be assuming too much.

Image #3-Aiken's Landing, Va. African-American soldiers resting near the Aiken house, view looking toward the house, November 1864. This soldier appears on the far left of the photograph. He also has the addition of large pockets to the outside of his coat. Hard to tell if he still has the cape on the coat.

Image #4- Petersburg, Va. Railroad gun and crew. June 1864-April 1865. This fellow's overcoat is minus the cape. Also notice how high the back strap is on his back. Maybe an alteration as well.

Image #5-Petersburg, Va. Railroad gun and crew. June 1864-April 1865. This soldier also looks like he has cut the cape off of his overcoat. But, also notice the addition an extra row of buttons down the front.

-Kyle M. Stetz

[lukegilly13]

Re: Altered Federal Overcoat Documentation

Check this one out....
LOC CALL NUMBER LC-B817- 7108 REPRODUCTION NUMBER LC-DIG-cwpb-03709 DLC (digital file from original neg.)LC-B8171-7108 DLC (b&w film neg.)
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cwpb/03700/03709r.jpg
Not much alteration can be seen for sure...but it is certainly a good mix of overcoats.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Altered Federal Overcoat Documentation

Breaking out an old thread...but hey, what are old threads for right?
I hope this is realated enough. I was looking into how often federal units were short greatcoats trying to determine if there was a surplus or were they a coveted item by northern soldiers. I know this thread talks about altering federal overcoats, but does anyone have any accounts of federal soldiers purchasing civilian greatcoats for the lack of having a federal one or to keep from altering government property?