42nd Virginia deserter notice - interesting uniform notes

[markj]

Greetings,

I have been asked to provide a complete transcription of a 42nd Virginia deserter notice I found in the 8 September 1863 Richmond VA semi-weekly "Enquirer." Accordingly, here it is for your general perusal and edification:

HQRS. JONES' BRIGADE,
Aug. 20th, 1863.

$180 REWARD.--Deserted from the 42d Virginia Regiment, Johnson's Division, at camp near Orange Court House, on the night of the 18th August (inst[ant]) [1863] the following named soldiers:

Privates Robert Anderson, Co. A; James Compton, Co. F; [G?] O. Gregory, Co. F; Samuel H. Peay, Co. F; Tyler C. Stultz, Co. F[;] and Geo. K. Eggleton, Co. F[.]
All of the above men are from Henry county, Va.

Anderson is 25 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches high, auburn hair[,] fair complexion, hazel eyes, and at the time he left had on grey Confederate jacket and pants and black wool hat.
Compton is about 6 feet high, 45 years of age, auburn hair, blue eyes, dark complexion, thin visage, and rather rough features; had on when he left blue army pants, pale checked shirt, black wool hat and cloth shoes.
Gregory is about 27 years old, dark hair, red goatee and moustache, hazel eyes, red complexion and rather fleshy; had on when he left grey jacket and pants, white wool hat and cloth shoes.
Peay is about 6 feet high 28 years old, auburn hair, blue eyes, pale complexion; had on when he left grey jacket and pants, broad brim straw hat covered with black cloth, and cloth shoes.
Stultz is 5 feet 9 inches high, 25 years old, auburn hair, blue eyes, red, healthy complexion, dark side whiskers and moustache; had on when he left black pants, grey jacket and black wool hat.
Eggleton is 5 feet 9 inches high[,] 24 years old, light hair, thin and short, pale, sallow complexion, face bloated, and pale blue eyes; had on when he left grey jacket and pants, and black wool hat.
The reward of $180 each will be paid for the apprehension and delivery of the above named deserters to the commandant of the nearest post where arrested, or to their regiment.
Information must be forwarded to the commanding officer of Jones' Brigade, Johson's Division, 2d Corps, A. N. Va.
By order of Col. BRADLEY T. JOHNSON, com'g Brigade.

JAMES BRUCE,
Major and Q. M.
se1-c4w
[END QUOTE]

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Michael Comer]

Re: 42nd Virginia deserter notice - interesting uniform notes

Great descriptions. I was especially interested in the fact that 3 of the 6 are noted as wearing cloth shoes.

[markj]

Re: 42nd Virginia deserter notice - interesting uniform notes

Greetings,

Indeed, what really intrigued me was the man who put black cloth over his straw hat. This suggests a couple of things:

1. He covered his hat in black to make it more uniform with other hats being worn in his unit.

2. He covered it in black to cut down on glare from the sun. Navy straw-boaters of the day, in fact, had black cloth placed on the bottom of their brims precisely for this reason.

Who knows?

Mark Jaeger