Ohio Jacket

[Bill52]

Re: Ohio jacket

I have often wondered if there is a connection between the roundabout jackets worn by the 3rd Michigan Infantry and the roundabout jackets worn by some of the Ohio regiments. If my suspicions are confirmed then the uniforms of the 3rd Michiagn may be the same or very similar to the Ohio uniforms.

Lewis Porter & Company, manufacturer and dealer in clothing and furnishing goods 15 Canal Street Grand Rapids Michigan, made 800 gray uniforms for the 3rd Michigan Infantry. . What the men received could be called 10 button gray roundabouts with shoulder straps. It was claimed in one Michigan newspaper that Porter had the uniforms made in Detroit, another newspapers says Porter had the uniforms made in Cincinnati, Ohio. Does anyone know the names of the manufactures of uniforms based in Cincinnati?

[pheaur]

Re: Ohio jacket

If someone is able to explain how I can add an attachment when responding I may be able to explain some or all of your answers. I created MS spreadsheets long ago on records found in the OHS and the National Archives. I do not make any promises on the amount of data I collected but it may be of some help or use if I can figure out how to attach them when providing a response. I just don't have the time to write all the information down. (several spreadsheets) I may provide a small bit of info if all else fails.

[pheaur]

Re: Ohio jacket

Short Response:
Regarding the state or the Ohio Jacket, there were perhaps as many as eight contractors the State of Ohio had contracted with in 1861. Most contractors were located in Cincinnati and Columbus. The contractors who provided jackets to the state in June and July of 1861 were:
Styix Krouse & Co
A&J Frounstine & Co
A & J Wolf & Co
Mack & Bro
Jones Bro & Co
Kuhn Netter & Co
M Frechheimer
Rindscoff Bros & Co

The state received approximately (just over) 5,900 jackets. From this amount the following regiments received the grey jacket in large quantities:
15th Ohio
17th Ohio
19th Ohio
20th Ohio
25th Ohio
26th Ohio

The contracts for the various contractors range from May 31, 1861 to July 19, 1861. The jackets are listed as “Jackets” or “Cadet Jackets”. The price also ranged from $3.75 to $4.75 each or $6.85 for both the jacket and pants. The color is listed as Grey, Grey Cadet Cloth, Cadet Cassimere, and Grey Cloth.

In August of 1861 three major contractors were used to produce infantry jackets. They were:
Dr. C. Breyfogle of Columbus Ohio
Glaser & Brothers and Stadler & Brothers & Co of Cincinnati
I. J. Ireland of Cincinnati Ohio

Together they produced 23,414 infantry jackets which were delivered to and paid for by Maj. A Montgomery QM USA. Most of the jackets, if not all, were delivered between the end of October and January 1862. Over 10,000 are shown to have been transferred to Capt. James A Ekin AQM USA Oct 28, 1861.

The grey pattern often seen early in the war resembles what was used by Ohio and its militia prior to the Civil War. I don’t have that piece of information but maybe someone else could fill in the gap.

[Ian M.]

Re: Ohio jacket

Interesting. Do we have details on the August 1861 infantry jackets? Were these blue or gray, fabric type, other details?

[James Brenner]

Re: Ohio jacket

I can't answer the question about Ohio jackets in August 1861, but in May 1861, the state Adjutant General, Henry B. Carrington, issued some pretty specific guidelines for the state's organized and volunteer militia. The regulation was printed in newspapers across the state and this extract is from the Ohio Daily Statesman"

Coat - Zouave jacket; color, gray; standing collar; regulation cut. The jacket will fall four inches below the belt, being cut away from the lower button, having sufficient spring to fit the hips and back snugly, leaving full freedom of action to the limbs. Cuff, collar, and jacket to be trimmed with half-inch braid, set back half an inch from the edge. Army buttons, medium size, three on each cuff, and five in front, buttoning from the top down to the belt.

Trousers - Same material as coat, with black welt or cord in outer seam.

As noted above, some of the state regiments received these gray uniforms, but so did some of the 3 year units. When President Lincoln asked for volunteers to serve three years, the 1st through the 13th Regiments were already in federal service for 3 years and the 90-day 14th through the 22nd Regiments had not yet been discharged. So, as the new 3-year units were organized, they were numbered beginning with 23. Walden Kelly, of Company E, 26th OVI, wrote, "The Quartermasters Department was unable to furnish regulation uniforms as fast as the new troops organized, hence our first uniforms consisted of gray pants and roundabouts ... General J. D. Cox ordered that we be kept on inside duty until properly uniformed."

[pheaur]

Re: Ohio jacket

After further review I have to make a small correction. It appears that all the jackets, though paid for by Maj. A Montgomery QM USA, all were transferred to Capt. James A Ekin AQM USA. There is no mention of color, pattern, fabric used or other details other than the price paid by each contractor.

Dr. C. Breyfogle of Columbus Ohio: paid $4.75 per jacket with a contract date of August 29, 1861
Glaser & Brothers and Stadler & Brothers & Co of Cincinnati: paid $4.75 per jacket with a contract date of August 29, 1861
I. J. Ireland of Cincinnati Ohio: paid $5.00 per jacket with a contract date of October 19, 1861

HEAD QUARTERS
Ohio Militia and Volunteer Militia
Columbus, Ohio August 9, 1861

SEND THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE BY TELEGRAPH
To M. C. Meigs
Washington D.C.

Will you please authorize Capt Dickerson to furnish Zouave uniforms to two regiments of Ohio contingent under my directions. Cost but little more than regulation uniforms. One of the regiments nearly ready for the field. Please Answer
W.D.

O.R.
SERIES III VOL. I
PAGE 531
[CIRCULAR.]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, September 23, 1861.
SIR: The Department respectfully requests that no troops hereafter furnished by your State for the service of the Government be uniformed in gray, that being the color generally worn by the enemy. The blue uniform adopted for the Army of the United States is recommended as readily distinguishable from that of the enemy.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
THOMAS A. SCOTT,
Acting Secretary of War.
(Addressed to the several Governors and others.)

[cavscout148]

Re: Ohio jacket

Letter from Samuel O. Chamberlain, 49th Ohio to his parents. It is interesting to see him use round abouts, as that term seems to be primarly replaced in todays hobby for jackets and more associated with 1812/MW periods.

Camp Nevins, December 2, 1861: "We received a new supply of clothing last week and it is much better than the first supply we got. We got some jackets or round abouts as they are called and they are lined and padded so that they are real warm and we got good pants but they are not lined, but as we have drawers and some wears two pairs of pants that is the way I do, we can keep comfortable."

[Agate]

Re: Ohio jacket

Christopher,

Concerning the jackets purchased by Montgomery later in 1861. Does the material you cite specify that these jackets were earmarked for use by Ohio troops? If you don’t mind sharing I’m curious as I can add another 6,000 plus, and a description from the contract for musician’s infantry jackets. Before I elaborate however I would prefer to establish that we’re discussing the same batch of jacket purchases made by Montgomery.

Jim B.,

The early May, 1861 newspaper announcement that you posted concerning “zouave” cut jackets was placed in various Ohio newspapers to inform perspective recruits/companies of the newly authorized “Ohio Volunteer Militia of the Reserve.” Men that volunteered for the OVMR were to purchase this uniform on their own but were to be armed by the state.

The creation of the OVMR was Carrington’s response to the announcement by McClellan that he intended to utilize the regiments called up by Ohio’s “ten regiment bill” (14th-24th ninety-day regiments) of April 21st, 1861 initially passed to create a response element within the state due the concern over her boundaries with both Virginia and Kentucky.

McClellan, with the support of General Scott, chose to send these “state” regiments as “first responders” if you will, into Western Virginia. The “initial call” US Ohio volunteer regiments (3rd-13th) being raised for federal service at Camp Dennison being bogged down at the time with problems resulting from the three-month to three-year re-organization call by Lincoln. Which wasn’t fully hashed out until mid-June, 1861.

Uniform wise, a very separate business than anything published in the 1859 OVM Regulations and unrelated to Ohio procurement efforts.

Separate too from the 5900 plus “Indiana pattern” exigency grey cloth jackets purchased by A. D. Bullock and drawn by the several “ten regiment bill” ninety-day regiments and the latter three-year 25th and 26th OVI’s as noted by Christopher.

During the earliest period in late April-early May 1861, three separate types of units were being formed within the state: The “initial call” Ohio US volunteer regiments at Camp Dennison, the additional Ohio ninety-day “state” regiments authorized by the ten regiment bill across camps in Ohio, and the OVMR which was called up to protect the states borders with VA and KY, as well as important railroad bridges on vital lines.

The story behind Ohio’s uniform procurement for her initial regiments is quite involved and confusing due primarily to the fact that when McClellan was placed in charge of the newly created Department of the Ohio in late April, 1861 he brought in a USQMD AQM who started government procurement on the 4th of May in Cincinnati. Only portions of which are contained or recorded in the state Adjt. General’s material at the OHS.

If you guys are interested I would be happy to share my Ohio/USQMD procurement timeline which would help us put into context the wonderful info shared on this thread. However, I’ve entered into an agreement with Larry Strayer to co-publish this sometime here in the future once our research is completed, so I’m afraid it would be an “opinion” as I’m honor bound to not cite sources.

Obviously serious students here however, and if it’s agreeable would be happy to pile on.

After all, why bother researching if not to share with those most interested.

Regards,

John
John Sarver
Cincinnati

[James Brenner]

Re: Ohio jacket

Thank you, John. I would be very interested in seeing your procurement timeline.

Jim

[Mississippian]

Re: Ohio jacket

http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw78.html

If you scroll down you with find a photo of a man in the 78th Ohio wearing what looks to be a "New York" style jacket. It's interesting to see these jackets popping up on troops from throughout the midwest.

Will MacDonald

[pheaur]

Re: Ohio jacket

John,

I would have to check and see what I have in the collection. The information on the Ohio Jacket (if it's still referred as such) was found in the NA. I do remember that the book I came across was a very large and held the contracts for just about any type of clothing. There were contracts for greatcoats, pants, socks, drawers, cavalry and artillery jackets, musician jackets, infantry dress coats (over 30,000 and the firm was in NY), blouses, shirts, etc. I believe most, if not all, was for Montgomery. I also remember seeing a contract for horses in the same book. However, at that time, I only copied what I found interesting and left the rest for a later time. The mistakes I've made. However, I think you have the same information.

[pheaur]

Re: Ohio jacket

Christopher,

Concerning the jackets purchased by Montgomery later in 1861. Does the material you cite specify that these jackets were earmarked for use by Ohio troops? If you don’t mind sharing I’m curious as I can add another 6,000 plus, and a description from the contract for musician’s infantry jackets. Before I elaborate however I would prefer to establish that we’re discussing the same batch of jacket purchases made by Montgomery.

John,

I didn't come across anything that suggested any of the clothing went directly to Ohio. However, I always thought that the uniforms contracted by Montgomery eventually found their way to Kentucky to supply those troops arriving in that department in the fall of 61.

Regards,

[Mississippian]

Re: Ohio jacket

Found on Pinterest:

Member of the 57th Indiana: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/511440101409213909/

Member of the 58th Indiana: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/511440101409636463/

From findagrave, a Member of the 55th Indiana: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&PIpi=28509823

The 55th Indiana one is interesting, it was a 3 month regiment raised in July 1862. It was mostly captured at Richmond KY on Aug. 30th 1862.

Will MacDonald

[Mississippian]

Re: Ohio jacket

From findagrave: MoH winner from 7th Indiana: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...r&GRid=6403540

From LoC: 9th Indiana Infantry: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2011645433/

27th Indiana Infantry: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5LnvmL1YNd...0/Brothers.bmp
(Main Link: http://civilwarthosesurnames.blogspo...-soldiers.html)

Will MacDonald

[Mississippian]

Re: Ohio jacket



An interesting photo I'D'd as James and Thomas Nichols, Co. D 13th Kentucky. They look like they are wearing Indiana style jackets. Both men were wounded a Shiloh. Thomas was discharged in June 1862.

Will MacDonald