US issue grey wool shirt

[northernreb]

Would there be a US issue grey flannel wool shirt made along the lines of a domet wool shirt? Only having one button at collar and no pockets on chest. If so, is this early war period and contractor made? - John DeCaro

[GreencoatCross]

Re: US issue grey wool shirt

I haven't seen an extant original made in the "QM" pattern in gray flannel, however they appear in original photographs from time to time. Check out the high-resolution tiff files of the two photographs below. The artillerymen appear to be wearing a variety of QM pattern shirts in both white domet and gray flannel (domet or all-wool is impossible to know). The mechanics are attired in all kinds of shirts, but if you look at the two gentlemen seated in the the middle row at right (both in army hats, sleeves rolled up, hammers in hand) as well as the man in the kepi seated in front of them, you'll see what are QM pattern shirts that appear to be made from "mixed" gray flannel. The seated man's shirt appears to be a much lighter shade of mixed gray.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/cwp/item/cwp2003004850/PP/resource/

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/cwp/item/cwp2003006282/PP/resource/

Contracts for gray shirts were let throughout the war in both the east and west. Below you'll find some stats from Dean E. Nelson's article "The Union Army Standard Size & Make Shirt" from Military Collector and Historian, Vol. XLVII, No. 3, Fall 1995:

Types & Quantities of Contract Shirts Purchased, by Depot:
NY: Knit (1,685,233), White Flannel (820,753), Gray Flannel (225,001)
Philadelphia: Knit (820,639), White Flannel (1,356,500), Gray Flannel (512,301)
Cincinnati: Knit (86,000), White Flannel (140,000), Gray Flannel (1,864,500)

According to these numbers, percentages of gray shirts purchased were 9% at New York, 19% at Philadelphia, and 89% at Cincinnati depots. Nelson also lists the number of shirt contracts by type and Depot:

New York: 45 knit, 3 gray, 25 white, 0 blue, 29 unspecified; Philadelphia: 17 knit, 8 gray, 23 white, 1 blue, 2 unspecified; Cincinnati: 3 knit, 25 gray, 5 white, 0 blue, 10 unspecified.

No doubt that some of these contracts included shirts that we refer to as "contract variant" issue, but it's highly likely that the simpler, "QM" pattern shirts were made in gray flannel as well. I'm looking at three originals next week and if one of them happens to be the the former pattern I'll definitely post photos and information here.

[Jam3853]

Re: US issue grey wool shirt

is knit meaning jersey knit?

[roundshot]

Re: US issue grey wool shirt

Now that's a damn fine post. Thank you, Brian.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: US issue grey wool shirt

Justin,

From what I've seen of original knit shirts the "knit" pattern and fiber content varied. All were either wool or silk and ran the gamut from coarse rib-knit (like sock "tops") to semi-sheer knit worsted wool about the weight of modern t-shirts. It's really hard to tell from original photographs but those knit shirts appear to be made from a medium to heavy weight knit wool....say, something around modern "double-knit" wool.

[J.H.Berger]

Re: US issue grey wool shirt

Brian, thanks for the great post. If you are successfull with the grey shirts We are very interested in any info you can share!