North Carolina Blanket Usage

[adamandnicole]

Is anyone aware of the classic blue grey with red NC blankets being issued to or used by troops other than North Carolinians?

Thank you,

Adam Dickerson

[adamandnicole]

Re: North Carolina Blanket Usage

No one? Well here is my theory, if anyone differs, I'd love to hear it. My guess is that these blankets were only issued to NC troops due to Gov. Vance's famous stinginess with the state's supplies. I have heard speculation that these blankets were of English manufacture and it seems rational to me that a supply of them run through the blockade at Wilmington were quickly snatched up by the state and marked with NC so they didn't get sent out to other states. Just my theory.

Adam Dickerson

[FloridaConscript]

Re: North Carolina Blanket Usage

Adam,

Both NC purchased goods and CS purchased goods came in through the various ports. The states and the Central Govt purchased the vast majority of the imported blankets from a handful of mills (going on Lon Websters Entrepot). However, the idea of a "free for all" when goods landed is unrealistic IMO. Orders were placed, payments made, and goods delivered. Blockade runners didn't just show up with goods for whoever got their first.

[FloridaConscript]

Re: North Carolina Blanket Usage

Fred Gaede wrote an article on the 4 survuing NC blankets. maybe some one can post it.

[brown]

Re: North Carolina Blanket Usage

Also, do you mean this very specific pattern with the red "NC" or a more general blue or blue gray single panel wool blanket with dark endstripes?

Vance didn't often make equipment available to troops from other states, but did on occasion. Of course a blanket of this description, minus the red letters stitched in the center, is going to be harder to pinpoint.

[adamandnicole]

Re: North Carolina Blanket Usage

I agree that the blockade runners didn't just show up with goods for whoever got there first, but I also seem to recall reading in Entrepot that some states and private dealers bid against the Confederate government for goods once they arrived in the states. I do not think that every item aboard the ships was spoken for before it arrived here.

Adam Dickerson

[gsusat]

Re: North Carolina Blanket Usage

If I remember correctly the NC blanket is an imported English blanket with a "NC" stitched on it. I presume those were ordered by North Carolina and marked upon arrival. The blankets were imported into other area of the South and I think those did not have the NC. So out here in Texas I carry one of the blankets without the NC.