Tweet
I recently ran across the following in a manuscript collection I am working in:
September 4th, 1863
`…Yesterday I drew two shirts. So now I have three good shirts, and I have on a new one over an old one. If we go south I shall try to leave all my old clothes at home {St. Peter, MN}…Our new shirts are blue and white, the blue thread as a little [word underlined in MS] wool in it, the shirts are large [word underlined in MS] and cozy [word underlined in MS]: first rate and warm.(1.46) one dollar and forty six cents each; very dear.'
This from a private in Company D, 9th Minnesota Infantry. When he wrote this in a letter to his wife, he was posted at a small fort in southwestern Minnesota.
I'm wondering if anyone has seen such a reference before. It could be interpreted in at least two ways 1. He was issued a blue shirt and a white shirt (he makes notes of the issue of white shirts earlier that year). 2. The shirts were blue and white with white warp threads and blue fill. He does not specifically state that the shirts were blue and white striped or checked so I am inclined to conclude they were solid color with the white visible.
My own interpretation was that these were blue domet flannel shirts wherein the fill was blue and partly woolen. I have seen brown domet flannel used in VRC jacket linings but blue is without my experience. I don't think he is referring to the British Army white and blue striped shirts - at least I am not aware that the US Army issued these (it would seem odd that such would have made their way to far away Minnesota if such did occur.)
He makes a point of saying that the shirts were large and cozy. This is a little at odds with what is known about the white issue flannel shirt which was often complained of being skimpy. Being that this is Minnesota in 1863. It is quite possible that the shirts were civilian garments procured in St. Paul.
I would be grateful if anyone could provide additional documentation for this type of shirt military or civilian.
September 4th, 1863
`…Yesterday I drew two shirts. So now I have three good shirts, and I have on a new one over an old one. If we go south I shall try to leave all my old clothes at home {St. Peter, MN}…Our new shirts are blue and white, the blue thread as a little [word underlined in MS] wool in it, the shirts are large [word underlined in MS] and cozy [word underlined in MS]: first rate and warm.(1.46) one dollar and forty six cents each; very dear.'
This from a private in Company D, 9th Minnesota Infantry. When he wrote this in a letter to his wife, he was posted at a small fort in southwestern Minnesota.
I'm wondering if anyone has seen such a reference before. It could be interpreted in at least two ways 1. He was issued a blue shirt and a white shirt (he makes notes of the issue of white shirts earlier that year). 2. The shirts were blue and white with white warp threads and blue fill. He does not specifically state that the shirts were blue and white striped or checked so I am inclined to conclude they were solid color with the white visible.
My own interpretation was that these were blue domet flannel shirts wherein the fill was blue and partly woolen. I have seen brown domet flannel used in VRC jacket linings but blue is without my experience. I don't think he is referring to the British Army white and blue striped shirts - at least I am not aware that the US Army issued these (it would seem odd that such would have made their way to far away Minnesota if such did occur.)
He makes a point of saying that the shirts were large and cozy. This is a little at odds with what is known about the white issue flannel shirt which was often complained of being skimpy. Being that this is Minnesota in 1863. It is quite possible that the shirts were civilian garments procured in St. Paul.
I would be grateful if anyone could provide additional documentation for this type of shirt military or civilian.