Nice Alabama image - eBay

[markj]

Greetings,

Here's a nice image with an alleged Birmingham AL provenance:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13960&item=2237829761&rd=1

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Possum Skinner]

Re: Nice Alabama image - eBay

Pretty good image...

I don't know about the Mobile Depot though. It looks like a variation on the Alabama Commutation Jacket. It has epaulettes, and my guess would be early war. The jacket is pretty tight on the old boy, and I don't believe he has seen any campaigning yet.

I have noticed a consistency in Alabama jackets having 7 button fronts, and I believe that this goes back to the original directive for Commutation jackets to have a seven button front.

Every common jacket in EoG that is documented with Alabama provenance has a seven button front.

Page 130- Pvt. John E. Johnston's homemade frock he was wearing in July 1864. 7 button front

Page 132- Pvt. John Y. Gilmore's commutation jacket looks very similar to the one in this photo, but the epaulettes and collar are dark. 7 button front.

Page 141- Unidentified shell jacket. Possible Mobile provenance. 7 button front with wooden buttons. No epaulettes and looks much rougher made than the one in the picture.

I have several more images of Alabama Confederates, and those that have enough of the soldier showing seem to have 7 button fronts. Take a look at Pvt. J.J. Kerley, Co. I 14th Alabama Infantry from 1861. I believe this to be an Alabama Commutation variation as well.

Here are a couple of more Alabama images as well. Note the 7 button fronts.

[DougCooper]

Re: Nice Alabama image - eBay

Ben - Tom and Becky Nall believe that is a Murfree jacket (3rd AL 1862) or at least very close. Note the two breast pockets. Great photos!

[Possum Skinner]

Re: Nice Alabama image - eBay

Ben - Tom and Becky Nall believe that is a Murfree jacket (3rd AL 1862) or at least very close. Note the two breast pockets. Great photos!

Are you talking about the jacket that J.J. Kerley is wearing?

[DougCooper]

Re: Nice Alabama image - eBay

Yes, Kerley

[Possum Skinner]

Re: Nice Alabama image - eBay

Well, here's some information that may help with understanding that jacket. That image is considered to be from Sept. or Oct. of 1861. Unfortunately, his is the only image we have found of a soldier in Company I "The Hilliby Rifles" so we don't have any others for comparison. All the other soldiers in the other companies are wearing different uniforms, but each company is wearing identical ones. For example, Company F, "The Billy Gilmer Greys" are all wearing homemade jackets with extensive trim and huge external pockets. Some of the other companies are wearing similar two pocket types, but they are of a darker color, and some have trim on the pockets.

Kerley's company was raised in Lineville, AL., in what was then Talladega County, now modern Clay County. They were mustered in at Auburn in July of 1861, sent to Huntsville, and then to Richmond. The photographs of the companies are believed to have been taken in Richmond because several of the men are pictured holding Enfield Rifles. It is my understading from the records that the Enfields weren't in Southern possession until September of 1861, when the companies were already in Richmond. Now Kerley's likeness may be an anomoly, but he was severely wounded at Salem's Church, so that at least puts the likeness before then.

I will have to have some of the other images scanned for comparison, but several of the other members of the 14th have seven button fronts and two pockets, but they aren't this exact color or style. It may very well be a Murphree style Jacket, as it looks similar, but all those jackets appear similar in a couple of ways.

1.They are shell jackets or roundabouts with epaulettes.
2. They have seven button fronts.

They differ from what can be photographically seen because of varying trim, varying colors, and the number of, or lack of external pockets.

My point with looking at Alabama Jackets, and I am always willing to hear from those who may know otherwise and am in no way pretending to know it all, is that they were all variants of the order set down in the requirements for the Alabama Commutation jacket which was issued in the newspapers. My belief is that since Alabama published their jacket requirements, all types and variations on that requirement were created, but one factor that seems to be consistent regardless of material, color, or trim, is that seven button front. There are some with other button counts, but Alabama made jackets have a tendency to have seven buttons, even through later garments.

I do not claim this to be anything other than a tendency. It is certainly not a rule and is probably completely impossible to prove without more physical evidence, but it certainly pans out photographically. If you look at the similarities between the jacket on the E-bay image, and other Alabama jackets, it would seem to be consistent with an Alabama soldier.

Thanks for the information from the Nall's. I just wish I could find another Company I image. If anyone has one, or knows of one. I would love to see it. My own gggrandfather was in Company I, and killed at Gaines Mill.