Tweet
Southern Banner [Athens Ga.], October 29, 1862, p.3, c.3.
From The Richmond Enquirer.
The Comfort Cloak-A substitute for Overcoats and Blankets in our Army.
I see that great complaint is made for want of Clothing for our army--Allow me to make a cheap and warm substitute for a blanket and overcoat, and which can be made by any country matron.
Take sufficient quantity of common cotton shirting, dye it brown with black walnut, cut it and make it in the form of a large loose cloak without sleeves, leaving slits for the arms; wad it with cotton batting, in thin layers like a quilt, fix an oil cloth cape to it, reaching down to the waist, fasten it with a belt around the waist, the throat and breast part to be fastened with a string--and you have the most complete cloak and blanket a soldier ever slept in, and much lighter than the woolen coat.
The writer of this used one for an entire winter in the northern part of Iowa where the cold is intense, and he can assure you he never was more comfortably clad.
The object of the oil cloth cape is to protect the garment as well as the arms from the rain. The collar should be made wide as to cover the ears and neck when raised.
All the old woolen stockings, carpets, blankets, &c. should be gathered up, well washed and pulled to pieces, spun into cloth, and made up into pantaloons and jackets.
All the old shoes and boots should be repaired and sent to the companies in the field.
Let the ladies in each city, county, town or neighborhood, make up garments for their companies and send them forward by a trusty agent.We have no time to lose--winter is upon us and our boys are shivering.
HOWARD.
Thanks to V.Betts this may be found at http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/southern_banner.htm
From The Richmond Enquirer.
The Comfort Cloak-A substitute for Overcoats and Blankets in our Army.
I see that great complaint is made for want of Clothing for our army--Allow me to make a cheap and warm substitute for a blanket and overcoat, and which can be made by any country matron.
Take sufficient quantity of common cotton shirting, dye it brown with black walnut, cut it and make it in the form of a large loose cloak without sleeves, leaving slits for the arms; wad it with cotton batting, in thin layers like a quilt, fix an oil cloth cape to it, reaching down to the waist, fasten it with a belt around the waist, the throat and breast part to be fastened with a string--and you have the most complete cloak and blanket a soldier ever slept in, and much lighter than the woolen coat.
The writer of this used one for an entire winter in the northern part of Iowa where the cold is intense, and he can assure you he never was more comfortably clad.
The object of the oil cloth cape is to protect the garment as well as the arms from the rain. The collar should be made wide as to cover the ears and neck when raised.
All the old woolen stockings, carpets, blankets, &c. should be gathered up, well washed and pulled to pieces, spun into cloth, and made up into pantaloons and jackets.
All the old shoes and boots should be repaired and sent to the companies in the field.
Let the ladies in each city, county, town or neighborhood, make up garments for their companies and send them forward by a trusty agent.We have no time to lose--winter is upon us and our boys are shivering.
HOWARD.
Thanks to V.Betts this may be found at http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/southern_banner.htm
Comment