Sack worn with a Frock

[jasonw]

Found this while looking through the LOC pics. Just thought it was interesting to see a soldier wearing his sack coat and frock at the same time. Hadn't seen that before.

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

The book Hardtack and Coffee refers to soldiers wearing both sack coats and frocks in winter. If I recall correctly it also states that sometimes they wore sack coats, frocks, and their overcoats all at the same time. Thanks


Andrew

[jasonw]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

Guess I have to blow the dust off my copy! Thanks Andrew, thought I had read it somewhere. I figured that if you were carrying it you might as well wear it for warmth. Just thought it was a interesting pic.

[brown]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

Nice post in the past, showing a similar, but slight variation, to this method.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7297&highlight=jacket+sack+overcoat

[FortyRounder]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

On the subject of layering: when my g-g-g-g-g-grandfather Nathaniel Newell was sent to 3rd Division General Hospital at Alexandria, Virginia, on Nov. 30, 1864, an inventory listed the following: 1 great coat, 1 uniform coat (frock), 1 pair trowsers, 1 pair flannel drawers, 4 flannel shirts, 1 pair boots, 2 pairs socks. He had no knapsack or blankets so I think he must have been wearing all of the shirts and socks.

He died the next day of typhoid fever, a 47 year-old private with a wife and four children.

[prestontoprail]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

Thanks for posting the pics and the sources! I actually wasn't aware of this method.

[PanzerJager]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

Here's another thread I started a while back about he same subject with a first hand quote and a cdv that was listed on ebay

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9891

[PogueMahone]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

Maybe this is what happens when you send your overcoats to storage before the last cold snap of the season?

I've worn an old unlined sack tucked in like a shirt with another sack over for warmth. It was very comfortable and warm. I may go home tonight and see if I can get my frock over my sack.

[jasonw]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

Good point. Might be a tight fit with the close cut of a frock coat. Especially since I am no where near the average soldier size anymore.

Maybe this is what happens when you send your overcoats to storage before the last cold snap of the season?

I've worn an old unlined sack tucked in like a shirt with another sack over for warmth. It was very comfortable and warm. I may go home tonight and see if I can get my frock over my sack.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Sack worn with a Frock

I've never seen a blouse worn under a frock before, but I have seen several images of men wearing two blouses. Here is one example, Sgt. Lyman Grover, Co. F 1st U.S.S.S., from the Rick Carlile collection. It's hard to make out in this scan but inside the sleeve resting on the table is another coat cuff, and his scarf is wrapped around the collar of his first blouse.

On my now-toast old computer, I had saved several images from the LoC and other sources showing men wearing all sorts of extra clothing; two shirts, two pairs of trousers, two blouses, etc.. The photo of the man wearing two pairs of trousers was especially funny....it looked like someone had inflated them with air! The image was taken in the spring or summer too, so I can't explain why he was so overdressed. At least one diary I've read shared a possible reason; when a dead rebel was found wearing three pairs of trousers (including a pair of Federal trousers) and several coats, the writer assumed that it to "improve his appearance" and not look so thin.