Tweet
Comrades,
In light of this type of jacket being available in the near future through the "Skillet Licker" I took the opportunity to read the Dec 2003 thread (search under brooke) and John Stillwagon's review in the SGLHI newsletter of the 5 extant examples. John feels that based upon the provenance(s) of the extant jackets that a date of no earlier than about fall of 1863 would be safe for consideration of use.
Something about all of this was nagging at me, and I remembered an image of a young soldier in the 4th Texas wearing what appeared to me to be a 4-button jacket. The soldier was Frank Bowden Chilton, and he enlisted in Co. H of the 4th Texas in 1861 and served (remarkably) unscathed through the war with them, eventually being promoted to the rank of Captain. At some point he had his image taken, and to leave no doubt about the subject, the photographer placed a band about the fellow's cap with his name, and unit. He has what is probably an 1816 conversion musket, a roller buckle belt, his cartridge box and cap box, and a huge sheath knife / Also noticible is a not in his canteen or haversack strap to shorten it up. I suspect that the belt, musket, and accouterments, along with the knife, are photographer's props. However, the canteen and/or haversack are most likely his.
Of most interest to me is his jacket. It is a 4-button affair with a standup collar and an outside pocket midway up the side. To my old eyes, it is right in line with the 5 original examples John reviewed.
Now, the attached image is a sketch drawn from the original image (I've got the image around here somewhere, but this was handy so I thought best to use it as it's a faithful copy of the image). This sketch is in J.B. Polley's book "Hood's Texas Brigade". Polley was a member of the 4th Texas and knew Chilton. The sketch is the last in a series of images and illustrations between pages 152 and 153. When I find the photographic image in my files, I'll post it here as well.
The key for dating this image will be the cap band, which clearly says "Hood's Texas Brigade". Hood was given command of the brigade in March of 1862. By year's end he was a division commander, although the brigade retained it's affections for him throughout the war and later.
Anyway, I thought you might like to examine this, for it appears to me to give us a date at least as early as summer of 1862, and perhaps earlier, depending upon when the image was taken.
I'd appreciate your comments on this.
respects,
In light of this type of jacket being available in the near future through the "Skillet Licker" I took the opportunity to read the Dec 2003 thread (search under brooke) and John Stillwagon's review in the SGLHI newsletter of the 5 extant examples. John feels that based upon the provenance(s) of the extant jackets that a date of no earlier than about fall of 1863 would be safe for consideration of use.
Something about all of this was nagging at me, and I remembered an image of a young soldier in the 4th Texas wearing what appeared to me to be a 4-button jacket. The soldier was Frank Bowden Chilton, and he enlisted in Co. H of the 4th Texas in 1861 and served (remarkably) unscathed through the war with them, eventually being promoted to the rank of Captain. At some point he had his image taken, and to leave no doubt about the subject, the photographer placed a band about the fellow's cap with his name, and unit. He has what is probably an 1816 conversion musket, a roller buckle belt, his cartridge box and cap box, and a huge sheath knife / Also noticible is a not in his canteen or haversack strap to shorten it up. I suspect that the belt, musket, and accouterments, along with the knife, are photographer's props. However, the canteen and/or haversack are most likely his.
Of most interest to me is his jacket. It is a 4-button affair with a standup collar and an outside pocket midway up the side. To my old eyes, it is right in line with the 5 original examples John reviewed.
Now, the attached image is a sketch drawn from the original image (I've got the image around here somewhere, but this was handy so I thought best to use it as it's a faithful copy of the image). This sketch is in J.B. Polley's book "Hood's Texas Brigade". Polley was a member of the 4th Texas and knew Chilton. The sketch is the last in a series of images and illustrations between pages 152 and 153. When I find the photographic image in my files, I'll post it here as well.
The key for dating this image will be the cap band, which clearly says "Hood's Texas Brigade". Hood was given command of the brigade in March of 1862. By year's end he was a division commander, although the brigade retained it's affections for him throughout the war and later.
Anyway, I thought you might like to examine this, for it appears to me to give us a date at least as early as summer of 1862, and perhaps earlier, depending upon when the image was taken.
I'd appreciate your comments on this.
respects,
Attached Files
Comment