Late war uniform.

[jandksuttorp]

Here is something I found interesting from "A woman's Civil War." By Cornelia Peake McDonald. This is from the part of the book called "Narrative of Our Refugee Life" that she wrote in September, 1875, as an add on to her diary for her children. It is dated March, 1865, and takes place in Lexington, VA.

"The 20th of March had come, and Harry was within three weeks of being seventeen years old. He said he was old enough to go into the army, and seemed so anxious to go, that I felt it would be wrong to refuse him. To get him equipped was the great consideration. He said if he could get the clothes that his brother Edward had promised to furnish him with a horse, and equipments. So I determined to let him go, and bethought myself of a remaining piece of finery, a crepe shawl. I took it up to a shop and exchanged it for a piece of grey cloth, such as before the war had been worn only by negroes, but which now was the only material used for soldiers' clothes. Coarse and rough as it was, it was worn by the best of the land and no gentleman himself above wearing it. Some were fortunate enough to get a finer quality of grey cloth, but grey it must be.
Broadcloth would have been considered disreputable on any but old men, and even they preferred the grey. White shirt fronts were seldom seen. It was perfectly en regle to visit in coloured flannel ones; these, however, were very fine and nice; some neatly ornamented by mothers, wives or sisters.
A white collar was indispensable, as it was then and must always be the distinguishing badge of a gentleman. Some ladies helped me to make the clothes for Harry; stockings were knitted by a neighbor, and he was soon equipped, and my boy was gone."

I thought it interesting that uniforms made at home where still being worn at this very late date, as opposed to him getting one issued to him.

John Eric Suttorp

[BrianHicks]

Re: Late war uniform.

A few things to consider.

The text doesn't state that this item she was acquiring cloth for, was actually worn by him after he enlisted. It merely states that she was preparing this for him, to go off in, to join the army.

We need to be careful as to how we read what is given us. Also consider, she states that the same type of item was the style worn

by the best of the land and no gentleman himself above wearing it. Some were fortunate enough to get a finer quality of grey cloth, but grey it must be.

.

Perhaps he did wear these same clothes as a Private, but the text does not provide this information.

[jandksuttorp]

Re: Late war uniform.

AAHHH, good point Brian, I made the assumption about him wearing these cloths as a uniform, but she does not indeed say such. Still interesting to ponder.

Thanks much,
John Suttorp:)

[Dan Wambaugh]

Re: Late war uniform.

John,

Also bear in mind that simply because the official commutation system was phased out and the depot system was phased in the men did not necessarily cease to receive garments from the homefront that we would normally categorize as "commutation garments." There are a number of excellent accounts of soldiers continuing to write home requesting underclothes and uniforms made by the caring hands of loved ones rather than the indifferent and sometimes shoddy depot-made items. Of course as the war dragged on and quality goods, especially woolen materials became more and more scarce this became increasingly difficult and as such the practice went out of common use more from necessity than lack of will.

This account is a wonderful example of the scarcity of materials necessitating drastic means to outfit a soldier using a system that a few years before clothed thousands of men heading off to war.


Best,

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Late war uniform.

The only other thing I want to add is to consider the time in which she goes back to re-write some stuff. 1875 and not 1865. Her memory has slightly faded (not as much as if she had done this in the 1895).

It's a little pre-Lost Cause but still time is ticking away from the actual events.

[jandksuttorp]

Re: Late war uniform.

Thanks Guys!


John Eric Suttorp

[Charles Heath]

Re: Late war uniform.

There are a number of excellent accounts of soldiers continuing to write home requesting underclothes and uniforms made by the caring hands of loved ones rather than the indifferent and sometimes shoddy depot-made items.

Dan,

This following exerpt from a letter dated January 7, 1863, isn't so much of a late war situation, but a illustration of some of what was in a lieutenant's trunk in a May-June 1862 timeframe. The trunk was evidently lost at the Battle of Seven Pines, and returned to his relatives in Powhatan County, Va., roughly six months later.

Pa got your trunk that you lost when you went into the battle of Seven Pines. Ma wants to send some of your things to you. She says there are two pairs of pants she wants you to have, your brownish cloth she thinks too long. Must she make them the length of your black ones? The brown cloth and Kentucky jeans pants, your gray coat, 3 unbleached shirts with liners, one pair of flannel drawers, 3 pairs of socks, no gingham shirt, only a few collars, the black bosoms were injured by the soap you had in the trunk. One of the books, the little needle case and perhaps other things that I may have forgotten were in your trunk. Ma was glad to find among your things a recommendation from Gen. S[cott]. She wants to know if she must send it to you? Your shawl is not with the trunk. The servant who went with Pa to get the trunk said he thought there was a coloured blanket with the white one when it was brought there. I thought it was probably you might have put the shawl on the top with the blankets and it has been stollen [sic]. - Letter from Martha Denoon Stratton to her brother Charles Denoon.

Source: Charlie's Letters: The Civil War Correspondence of Charles E. Denoon, Edited by Richard T. Couture. P. 39.

In his letters at various times during the war Charlie complains of high prices, asks, and sometimes begs for clothing items from home. Being an officer, his clothing supply situation was generally a little different than that of an enlisted man, but the need remained the same.