Gentlemen,
I have been long interested in English imports and have enjoyed all of the new dialogue about them. While reading Entrepot, I was amazed at the sheer amounts of "Cadet Grey" cloth that was imported throughout the war. My question is though, was all of this cadet grey cloth kersey or was it a mixture of kersey and broadcloth. Many of the shipments say cadet grey wool while others specify kersey. Should we assume that cadet grey wool meant broadcloth? I know that the period descriptions of quartermaster goods were frequently vague, but the fact that kersey is sometimes specified, begs the question of other types of cloth.
My next thought was that perhaps cadet grey wool was reserved for the private purchase/officers market, but I think that is surely not the case considering the hundreds of thousands of yards that were imported. I have gone through my library of uniform references and have come up with the following enlistedmen's jackets/trousers that are some type of wool, but not listed as kersey.
1. type 2 "dark grey irish wool cloth" jacket -- reportedly a Gettysburg battlefield pick up "Confederate Uniforms @ Gettysburg" Michael Winey pg 78
2. type 1 "made of very fine cadet grey cloth" worn by Sgt C.N. Green, 47th NC "Confederate Uniforms @ Gettysburg" pg 55
3. type 2 made of "greenish grey woolen" material worn by Pvt George N. Bernard 12th VA "Survey of Confederate Central Gov't QM Issue Jackets" Leslie Jensen
4. double breasted "greenish grey wool broadcloth" frock coat worn by Pvt Benjamin Taylor Worthington--"A Catalogue of Uniforms in the Collection of the Museum of the Confederacy" pg 53 Leslie Jensen
5. single breasted "greenish brown wool cloth" frock --owner unknown " " pg 53
6.trousers of "cadet grey cloth" Pvt T.J. Moore " " pg. 44
7. type 2 "cadet grey wool cloth" worn by Pvt George Henry Thomas Greer " " pg 29
I'm sure that there are more examples out there, but this is a start. Am I trying to suggest that most of the cadet grey enlistedmen's uniforms were not made of kersey? Absolutely not. I am however, trying to get a clearer picture of what types of materials were used in their construction--not just what Vendor X has to offer.
Any light that can be shed on this subject is most appreciated.
Regards,
Adam Dickerson
I have been long interested in English imports and have enjoyed all of the new dialogue about them. While reading Entrepot, I was amazed at the sheer amounts of "Cadet Grey" cloth that was imported throughout the war. My question is though, was all of this cadet grey cloth kersey or was it a mixture of kersey and broadcloth. Many of the shipments say cadet grey wool while others specify kersey. Should we assume that cadet grey wool meant broadcloth? I know that the period descriptions of quartermaster goods were frequently vague, but the fact that kersey is sometimes specified, begs the question of other types of cloth.
My next thought was that perhaps cadet grey wool was reserved for the private purchase/officers market, but I think that is surely not the case considering the hundreds of thousands of yards that were imported. I have gone through my library of uniform references and have come up with the following enlistedmen's jackets/trousers that are some type of wool, but not listed as kersey.
1. type 2 "dark grey irish wool cloth" jacket -- reportedly a Gettysburg battlefield pick up "Confederate Uniforms @ Gettysburg" Michael Winey pg 78
2. type 1 "made of very fine cadet grey cloth" worn by Sgt C.N. Green, 47th NC "Confederate Uniforms @ Gettysburg" pg 55
3. type 2 made of "greenish grey woolen" material worn by Pvt George N. Bernard 12th VA "Survey of Confederate Central Gov't QM Issue Jackets" Leslie Jensen
4. double breasted "greenish grey wool broadcloth" frock coat worn by Pvt Benjamin Taylor Worthington--"A Catalogue of Uniforms in the Collection of the Museum of the Confederacy" pg 53 Leslie Jensen
5. single breasted "greenish brown wool cloth" frock --owner unknown " " pg 53
6.trousers of "cadet grey cloth" Pvt T.J. Moore " " pg. 44
7. type 2 "cadet grey wool cloth" worn by Pvt George Henry Thomas Greer " " pg 29
I'm sure that there are more examples out there, but this is a start. Am I trying to suggest that most of the cadet grey enlistedmen's uniforms were not made of kersey? Absolutely not. I am however, trying to get a clearer picture of what types of materials were used in their construction--not just what Vendor X has to offer.
Any light that can be shed on this subject is most appreciated.
Regards,
Adam Dickerson
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