Confederate Jackets

[Andrew Kasmar]

Hi,

I am working on a Columbus Depot II and Richmond Depot II jackets, I was wondering was civilian shirting material ever used in either of these jackets lining. I know that Osenaburg cotton was used, but I could not find what other linning materials were used.

[JimConley]

Re: Confederate Jackets

Andrew,
Les Jensen's article, A Survey Of Confederate Central Government Quartermaster Issue Jackets, would be a good place for you to start. Also, Geoffrey Walden's article, Confederate "Columbus Depot" Jackets, is another great resource.

You will note that cotton osnaburg shows up in each of the surviving originals studied in these articles for both the 2nd pattern Richmond Depot Jackets and "Columbus Depot" Jackets. That is not to say that other materials were never used to line these jackets, however, most would agree that reproductions should be based upon surviving original examples and what evidence concludes was most common to the production of uniforms.

I would strongly advise against going by assumption when the evidence and reserach conducted clearly states otherwise.


http://www.military-historians.org/c...federate-1.htm

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...n/cdjacket.htm

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederate Jackets

There is indeed at least one Richmond Depot pattern jacket with a shirting type lining - it can be seen in "Collecting the Confederacy" by Shannon Pritchard of Old South Antiques. I have seen photos of the inside lining and it is a striped fabric, heavily soiled with what appear to be sweat stains. So it may be a private purchase jacket that uses a similar pattern, or indeed a depot produced item. The jury is out.

Osnaburg was cheap and plentiful, and made perfect sense for jacket lining - recommend you use that as it was both called for by the specs and QM documentation, and appears in the vast majority of surviving originals. The good news is, its still cheap and plentiful. :)

Before you go any further, heed Jim Conley's excellent advice below.

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: Confederate Jackets

Hi,

Thank you for the information.

[roundshot]

Re: Confederate Jackets

Here's the jacket Doug Cooper mentioned with a view of the lining:

http://www.oldsouthantiques.com/os520p1.htm