corn sack color uniforms?

[militiaman1835]

Robert Watson 7th Fl said in his diary that on july 17th 1862, they drew uniforms "as coarse as corn sacks and nearly the same color". When I think of a feed sack its a tan/brown burlap. Anyone have knowledge what this color may have been? Jim Hensley

[floridawar]

Re: corn sack color uniforms?

Howdy Jim,

I've always been under the impression "corn-sacks" were a dingy color, like a yellow to brow drab perhaps, but Watson does say "nearly the same color" so perhaps they were better dyed than actual sacking. But to the question at hand...
this website shows a few CW period sacks:

http://willowdecor.blogspot.com/2009...d-antique.html

Close to the time frame of Watson's diary notice from July, 1862 (at Camp Graham, near Bridgeport) are several surviving garments which could give clues. Here is the John D. Appler uniform issued mid-to-late 1862 in the western theater:
http://www.civilwarmo.org/gallery#item/CWMO-118

And the jacket of a 20th Tenn. infantryman at the Battle of Perryville in late 62...
http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/553915417UyLHkS

or this jacket supposedly collected from Cumberland Gap in East Tennessee, ca. 1861-62:

http://historical.ha.com/c/item.zx?s...02&lotNo=72299

Also, note the multitude of period references to white or drab clothes issued to western theater rebs in '62, including the Missouri Brigade about the time of Pea Ridge, etc. visited on this thread and elsewhere:
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...-for-Pea-Ridge
cheers,
Archie.

[Seamus]

Re: corn sack color uniforms?

Jimmy,

I have a coverlet made of two old grain sacks sewn together. I picked it up in New Oxford, PA at an antique store. It has the miller's stamps and handsewn eyelets for the draw strings. The fabric appears to be a heavy cotton with a pronounced twill weave. The color is a light tannish gray (khaki).

James Permane

[csuniforms]

Re: corn sack color uniforms?

I believe the color reference is to a rough weave cotton wool mix undyed, which would be an off white color in the uniform

CSuniforms
Tom Arliskas

[floridawar]

Re: corn sack color uniforms?

From the above, I gather it is safe to assume that the color of period "corn sacks" was anywhere from a khaki to an off white color. Wool is naturally colored by teh color of the sheep...sheep's gray comes to mind.
http://willowdecor.blogspot.com/2009...d-antique.html
I believe Mr. Alrliskas has also documented GA issue "dingy" or white uniforms in the mid war period in his book. Huntsville Penetentiary, who made a relatively well documented undyed woollen widely used by the CS Army in the Trans-Miss, was providing half its output to Quartermasters in Tennessee through April, 62 according to Harold Wilson's "Confederate Industry."
Unless some stroke of luck brings forth new data, it is impossible to say what was the origin etc. of the "uniforms" provided to Watson and the 7th Fla, but the reference appears to fit into the larger idea of cheap, undyed, or poorly dyed, goods distributed to troops in the west in 62---.
Back to Watson's quote, I believe his comment was predicated more on the quality of the cloth more than its color, as he says its "coarse as corn sacks" and NEARLY the same color. There are a couple of references to clothing issued in East Tenn. in the following months: Looking at Wash Ives writings, I see the 4th Fla. recieved clothing at Chattanooga in Sept. 62 including Kersey pants, blue flannel shirts, and jackets of an odd cloth for which he apparently did not know the name (refering to it as the same cloth as a local gentleman's suit known to his correspondent in Fla.). Lindsey Brown has shared on this forum this comment from a fellow int he 33rd Ala. drawing the following Clothing at Knoxville in Oct. 62:

"wollen gray jeans, jacket lined with white cotton sheeting, with four C.S.A. brass buttons, a pair of unlined gray jeans pants, white cotton sheeting shirts and drawers and white cotton machine-knit sleasy socks and pair of rough tan brogan hand made wooden pegged hard shoes. Some drew gray hats and those present drew some money."
Speculation wise, I'd say its a fair bet that the "coarse" cloting issued to the 7th was similar, as they were serving in the Dept. of East Tenn. etc.

cheers,

Archie
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...ht=csa+buttons

[GenuineInformation]

Re: corn sack color uniforms?

Watson's description brings to mind some of the Woolrich-made jeans I have seen. Definitely coarse and rough.