CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

[Doughboy]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Brian, On the Bryan jacket, any opportunity to get pix of yellow cord trim? Any idea when it was added?
Thanks

[8NC]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

In regards to the image of the two soldiers, which one is Brunson? I have seen a post war photo of him as a elderly man and he favors the soldier on the right.

Bob Jones
South Carolina

[roundshot]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

A few pics of the Bryan jacket can be found here:

http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/MOH/vfp...ABASE=51491837,

[rbruno]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

This has been a long strung out thread, but a great one with info and pictures and links. I need a reminder though. Is it believed that Bryan's jacket is an "issued" RD 2 that he then had modified with the piping. Or is it a tailored jacket that happens to be a 6 panel, 2 piece sleeve, epolets, etc or the characteristics of at Richmond product.

[Doughboy]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Thanks for the link Bob. Same questions as Rob above...

[GreencoatCross]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

There is another blue-gray kersey jacket pictured on the Galla Rock website.

I would also add the Gettysburg sergeant's jacket. Dan Wambaugh and I viewed it earlier this year and found that it is a "type 2" that was altered to remove the epaulettes; the sleeve cap and lining stitching was ripped out, the epaulettes removed, and the sleeve caps and linings were re-stitched by hand using different thread and a noticeably different sewing technique. The staff member who was with us didn't know about that before and said that the jacket's Gettysburg provenance was always in question due to it having no epaulettes! The cloth is nearly identical to what was used in the Brunson jacket (not kersey but close in appearance to what is now known as melton). The attached photo shows the weave and belt loop; it's hard to discern here but the color of the cloth under the loop is "bright" blue-gray while the rest of the jacket is much darker and nearly black in spots due to heavy soiling.

Here is another that was worn at Chancellorsville by Capt. E. S. Marsh of the 4th NC Infantry as well as a painting of him wearing what I suppose is the same jacket. The Marsh and Royal jackets are apparently the two earliest and identified Richmond Depot jackets currently known of.

http://pamplinpark.pastperfect-online.com/32996cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=EED83EE7-F93E-4652-A165-314382084244;type=101

http://pamplinpark.pastperfect-online.com/32996cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=25FB7A93-2755-458B-A61B-350736272047;type=101

[poilu1917]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Anyone have an image of the Gettysburg jacket mentioned above?

[poilu1917]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Also, was it the Rivers Bridge State Park Museum jacket the one that was shortened by the owner? Fred Adolphus' blog says it was the Brunson jacket that was shortened to 8 buttons, but the image he shows is the Rivers Bridge State Park Museum Jacket.

[David Fox]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

An aside: relating to the Jenkins artifacts, what particularly makes the cartridge box a South Carolina relic, other than the owner's identity?

[poilu1917]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

All,
I have some construction detail questions for those who may have seen the original Brunson Jacket up close there at the SC Relic Room....

- First, the general topstitching for the jacket is machine sewn, but is the topstitching at the sleeve cuffs handsewn using a backstitch?
- Is the sleeve lining attached at the cuff so the stitches don't show (instead of whip or blind stitched, the sleeve lining is sewn then pulled over into the sleeve thus hiding the stitches)?
- The button holes, sleeve lining is set, belt loops attached, and lining pocket is all hand sewn but were the main body and lining pieces sewn using a machine like the topstitching or were they done by hand?

Any help in getting these construction details squared away would be greatly appreciated. These are things I couldn't tell from the past photos of the jacket that have been posted. Thanks!

[rmilstead]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Jon,
I have been working on a research project to document the uniforms issued to Hurt's (Hardaway's) Alabama Battery in the spring of 1864. Hurt's was part of McIntosh's Battalion of Walker's 3rd Corps Reserve Artillery during this period. The Pee Dee Atillery which Brunson belonged to was in Pegram's Battalion the other part of Walker's 3rd Corps Reserve. Requisitions for clothing and other supplies were the responsibility of the Battery commanders but were fulfilled by AQM's at the Battalion/Regiment level as was done in Infantry. The few records that exist for Walker's organization suggest that at least for major issues that spring there was a level of coordination across both battalions. On at least two dates March 31 and May 1, 7 of the 9 Batteries received issues of the same items and the records for one of the others are totally missing from the CSR's for all periods. The following excerpt from the paper I am doing takes the story from there:

"Fortunately, one existent example provides further insight into the question of what was being issued by Richmond in this timeframe. This is a jacket which is currently located in the SCCRR&M Museum in South Carolina with provenance of having been issued to South Carolina artilleryman James Woods Brunson. According to family tradition Brunson received his jacket while serving in Virginia shortly before returning to South Carolina where he supposedly was married in it. Brunson was a member of the Pee Dee Artillery of South Carolina in Pegram's Battalion in Walker’s 3rd Corps Artillery Reserve. This battery served in the ANV from early in the War initially being associated with Maxey Gregg’s South Carolina Brigade in A.P. Hill’s Division. In 1864, however, the battery (including Brunson) was transferred back to SC right after Cold Harbor in June and remained there through the end of the War. Records exist of Brunson receiving 1864 clothing issues on February 23rd , on March 31st , and on May 1st but there are no details as to what he received when. Records do exist for the issues to the Pee Dee Artillery on the February and March dates and no jackets were issued to the Battery on either day. Records for the May 1st issue to the Pee Dee Artillery appear to have been lost, however. Fighting in the Wilderness started less than a week later and the Pee Dee Artillery was transferred back to SC less than 2 months afterward. Given this Brunson’s Jacket most likely was issued to him on May 1st. While speculative, this is, of course, also consistent with the family history.

Significantly, apart from Hurt’s Battery and the Pee Dee Artillery, records also exist of issues received by a number of other batteries in both battalions of the 3rd Corps Artillery Reserve in the same period. These records are very consistent in terms of specifically what was issued on each date and jackets were only received by any of the other batteries on May 1st. While it cannot be said with "mortal certainty", there is a very high likelihood, therefore, that Brunson received his jacket as part of the issue of clothing that Walker’s 3rd Corps Artillery Reserve received the same day. Based upon RCB records of fabric receipts in the period and the history of clothing issued to Brunson, it is concluded that this jacket documents what is also likely to have been issued to members of Hurt's Battery on May 1, 1864."

Based upon the way the Richmond Clothing Bureau operated, I believe that the Brunson Jacket was somewhat unique in terms of the group of jackets distributed in this issue. While most (all?) would have been cut to the same pattern, made of the same or similar material (the RCB had at least 19k yards of "English Cloth" on hand on March 31, 1864 about the time these jackets were being "cut") and Gibson buttons would have been used on a lot of them, the vast majority would have been entirely hand sewn. Machines were definitely available and used but the RCB distributed it's "kits" to many (upwards of 2500 to 3500) seamstresses and tailors who were basically independent piece workers. The question of whether the main seams were hand or machine sewn in an interesting one. I am sure there will be a little debate on this but in discussions with Charlie Childs he says that while he has seen a number of CS Jackets with machine top stitching he has not seen it used for the main internal seams. He believes that in the period they just didn't trust them for that purpose. In any event the specific details such as stitching around the cuffs or the finishing of the lining on the Brunson should, in my humble opinion, be considered "one off" unless your intent is to copy it exactly. Details seen on other RDII's could be appropriate as well.

Oh, and yes Fred Adolphus has the wrong jacket pictured as attributed to Brunson.

Dick Milstead
Hardaway's Alabama Battery
The Company of Military Historians

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Joe,
I'm working on a replica of that coat right now (on hold waiting for brown thread).

- Cuff - Correct
- Lining - Can't answer that one… I don't have a good image of the lining at the cuff. I'm going to do a whip stitch.
- Lining - From what I can tell from pics, it looks machined. But, I can't tell definitively.

The coat is on display right now in the SCRR, so it is pretty much impossible to get a hands-on examination. However, I've been talking to the "Neill's of South Carolina" (Rose and Sexton) and am getting their insight.

What is interesting about the assembly of the coat is that it appears that the lining and body were sewn together as independent units (including collar pieces). Then, they were placed right-sides together and machine sewn, turned, and pressed.

I've been going crazy trying to figure out the details of this coat!

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

I am almost done with the second of two of these jackets. I am made one for Mess'r Rose and the second is for me. I thought I would share some pics of the coat side-by-side with the original.

Interior Pocket:


A comparison of buttonholes (interior and exterior shots):


Epaulets:


Collar/Front:


Enjoy!

[rmilstead]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

John,
Nice work. I too made an adaptation of the Brunson Jacket as part of my work for the Miller Award Competition this spring and was similarly inspired to do a set of comparison pictures. I say adaptation because I elected to do the jacket completely hand sewn as would have been most likely the case if made by the majority of seamstresses working for the RCB. I attach my shots below. I have also attached another picture from Fred Adolphus' site of a jacket supposedly picked up on the Wilderness Battlefield by a member of the 5th Maine. Note similarities,
Dick Milstead
Hardaway's Alabama Battery
The Company of Military Historians

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: CS Artifact(s) of the Week-Kersey Type IIs

Nice job! It is interesting to see others' take on things like this.

I'll post more pics when I finish this one. I have tried my best (with mixed success) to replicate the original coat. Working with a machine has its challenges when you want the stitching and shape to be "just so" to match the original. Which is an odd thing to do, because the original maker cared not one iota about getting things perfect. Whoever made it, he/she/they clearly knew what they were doing, it was just made in haste.