Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

[Moonshine]

Hello,

I saw some time ago a shell jacket used by someone in a Tenn. (ANV) regiment that had artillery buttons (even though he was infantry) and they were attached with a single piece of string/twine looping through the shanks. I've never since seen this jacket nor any mention of how common it was to attach buttons in this manner.

Does anyone else know more on this? Are there any more surviving examples that have buttons attached in this fashion? What would be the best way to attempt this and what gauge string/twine should be used?

Any photos or info would be appreciated. Sorry if this has been covered before but I found no mention of it when I did a search. Maybe I used the wrong key words.

Jim Ross

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

The only thing close to this I've seen is a non-military application: buttons on children's stays being attached with a loop of narrow tape, rather than threads. That's not useful for military research, though.

[vamick]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

I remember someone posting this same thing on the 'old' board' they had pictures..as I remember it both cord and cloth tape were used to hold down buttons thru their loops, then was sewn down ( shanks of buttons protruded thru small slits in shell jacket)..remember cause I'd never seen this method before ( but it makes good sense!)..."seems" like the photos were from the Confederate Museam in Richmond but????..anybody out there remember this too???

Gary Mitchell
1st Stuart horse artillery

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

Not exactly related, but interesting, none the less. Check this out:

http://www.garyhendershott.com/productdetail.cfm?Key=176

"The way these buttons were attached to the coat by Pendelton is also very interesting in that they are held in place with square cut nails running through the shank of the button inside the fabric of the coat."

[Iron Scout]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

Jim, Gary,

David Chinnis had posted photographs of the Bomar frock coat which utilizes this system of button attachment. As most of you know, the Bomar coat & trousers reside in the collection of the SC Confederate Relic Room & Museum located in Columbia, SC. Basically, a piece of cotton twill tape is run down the length of the buttons, through the shanks, with the tape being sewn down on each side. I'm sure David will chime in and add some photographs here shortly. In a nutshell though, yes, this is at least one example on a military garment where buttons were attached in that manner. Hope this helps.

Neill Rose
Palmetto Living History Association

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

Are the holes in the placket for the shanks finished?

I have seen more than a few SAW and WW1 jackets that have buttons afixed in this manner. All have whipped eyelets for the shanks and the buttons being held in place with small split-rings.

[Carolann Schmitt]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

I can't comment on how common this technique is on military garments, but it can be found quite frequently on civilian clothing from the period, both men's and women's.

Are the holes in the placket for the shanks finished?

On some original garments, very neatly sewn eyelets are used for the 'holes' for the shanks. On other garments, usually constructed from a more loosely woven fabric, an awl was used to separate the threads and the shank pushed through between the fibers. This technique does not permanently alter the fabric, something to be considered if the garment might be re-made or re-worked for future use.

The fiber used to hold the shanks in place varies. On some garments it's a piece of string or cord, on others a piece of cotton or linen tape. On the garments I've examined the string or tape is not stitched in place. The diameter or width is sufficiently large to hold the shanks of the buttons in place without additional stitching.

I have seen more than a few SAW and WW1 jackets that have buttons afixed in this manner. All have whipped eyelets for the shanks and the buttons being held in place with small split-rings.

I've also found these on original garments from the mid-19th century, but I could never be certain if the split rings were original to the garment or added later. And the research into that question is still on my "to do" list. :-)

[amazingkenneth]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

Hello,
From looking at some uniforms and talking with a few folks and even looking at a few books I saw. The most common used way that I use today is a single thread starting with through the shank what looks like 3 to 5 times and then wrap the thread around the bottom of the shank between the cloth and the shank. This action will protect the thread from the cloth. The funny thing is that many folks loose buttons off their uniforms but when you try it this way the thread is really protected as I said. To finnish the stich off after you wrap it around for the last time, go back into the cloth to lock the stitch into place and cut the end off. It is easy just to show it and much harder to write it. LOL

Your Servant,
K.J. Reihl

[Blum]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

Good morning,

The shell jacket Moonshine spoke is, I suppose, the one pictured in on old Osprey booklet : Confederate, Artillery, Cavalry and Infantry by Philip Katcher. Number 170

There is four black and white pictures, inside and out of the same jacket. The text is :

«*Four views of the all-grey uniform jacket worn by private Joseph P. Lyle, 63rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment (despite the artillery buttons), Army of Northern Virginia. The jacket is medium grey, the lining white, and the buttons brass. Note how the buttons are attached by means of a string passing through the loops.*»

The jacket look like a RDIII but i am not an expert to be sure !

In The Confederate sketchbook, By Michael R. Thomas, you have also a vest drawing witch buttons are attached by a nearly similar way :

«*Buttons not sewn to front of vest. The shank passes through a small raw hole in the front of the vest and is then sewn to a small square of material.*»

Hope this can help…

[Michael McComas]

Re: Attaching buttons to a Confed shell jacket???

The Courtney Jenkins jacket has its buttons attached in this manner. It is made from satinet, and according to my notes, it does not have any whip stitching around the button shank. As Ms. Schmitt said, an awl or bone stiletto was used to make a hole and the shank passed through the fabric. Because the jacket is in such good shape, there are no open seams to say what kind of material is actually holding the button shanks on.