Shortened Sack Coat

[Chihuahua]

Pards:
I recently acquired this image of Sgt. John E. Gross, Co. D, 2nd Iowa Infantry. Upon close inspection, I found what I originally mistook for a shell jacket was, indeed, a shortened sack coat. Notice how he's added a button and matching button hole at the bottom. His sleeves seem to be very long as well.
He also proudly displays his 15th Corps badge on front of slouch hat.
Just thought I'd share......
Mark Warren
Bloomfield, Iowa
Hairy Nation Boys

[woodsda]

Re: Shortened Sack Coat

Mark,

What time frame during the war was the photo takin?

Don Woods

[Chihuahua]

Re: Shortened Sack Coat

Don,
My guess would be at muster out in Louisville, but at very earliest could be December of '63. Gross made Sgt at that time.
Reverse has a 2 cent revenue stamp and a Gem Gallery backmark. There's no city listed, but I think I've seen the Gem Gallery attributed to Louisville, KY, which is where 2nd mustered out in July '65. Corps badge would suggest Louisville, too.
Mark Warren

[markj]

Re: Shortened Sack Coat

Don,
My guess would be at muster out in Louisville, but at very earliest could be December of '63. Gross made Sgt at that time.
Reverse has a 2 cent revenue stamp and a Gem Gallery backmark. There's no city listed, but I think I've seen the Gem Gallery attributed to Louisville, KY, which is where 2nd mustered out in July '65. Corps badge would suggest Louisville, too.
Mark Warren

The revenue stamp establishes that your image cannot date any earlier than 1 August 1864, nor later than 1 August 1866 (i.e., the effective dates of the luxury tax passed by Congress). Therefore, given the information you provided, Gross' image was taken sometime between 1 August 1864 and his mustering out date in July 1865.

http://home.earthlink.net/~genealogyplanet/galleries_backings_luxury_tax.html

Narrowing things down even more, the 15th Army Corps badge was not formally adopted until 14 February 1865. Given normal "lag time" for such badges to start appearing in the ranks, your image most likely dates to sometime between March and July 1865. Thus, the odds are at least 50-50 that the cdv was taken toward, or after, the de facto end of the war.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger