Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket

[woodsda]

Looking around, I found this jacket which is housed at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. I thought it was interesting given its provenance and the history behind the jacket. In short the site states: "Shell jacket worn by Private Alexander Hunter of the 17th Virginia Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia. The jacket was originally issued to a private in the 8th Virginia Infantry, but when that man was killed at the Second Battle of Manassas, August 31, 1862, his sister gave it to Hunter, who was wearing a tattered jacket at the time. Hunter continued to wear the jacket throughout the war, including his service with the 4th Virginia Cavalry, the "Black Horse Cavalry," and was wounded twice while wearing it. The single-breasted medium gray wool shell jacket has seven button holes down the front. The jacket is fully lined with green and brown brocade, with its sleeves lined in natural cotton. There is a breast slit pocket on the left side". I have attached a picture from the site, and here is the link to the website where you can zoom in on the jacket. What are your thoughts? I think it is interesting that only parts of the jacket are topstitched? http://americanhistory.si.edu/collec...ct/nmah_446356

[Jimmayo]

Re: Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket



Have been a fan of Alex ever since I acquired his pistol. He was quite a character and is buried in the Confederate section of Arlington Cemetery. He wrote three books the most famous is "Johnny Reb and Billy Yank" originally published by Neal publishing Co. It has been republished and is well worth a read. "The Huntsman of the South" is available to read on line. His other book "Women and the Debatable Land" may also be on line.

[woodsda]

Re: Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket

Jim,

Thanks for the photos, adds even more depth to a great jacket from the era.

[crgswyr]

Re: Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket

Wonder what kind of dye they used? It's not faded much?

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket

I am by no means and expert on the matter, but given the fact that there are two different shades of blue (especially on the backside of the left lower portion) and didn't oxidize to a tan/brown leads me to believe that it may have been an indigo.
Perhaps someone with a little more knowledge on period dyes will add to the discussion.

[rmilstead]

Re: Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket

Tyler,
I am somewhat speculating here as I have not actually inspected this jacket but I suspect that the material in this jacket is a satinet of either blue or light gray on a brown cotton warp. If you look closely at the left front near the last button hole you will see an area where warp threads are clearly visible as the wool filler has been lost. The white you see behind most of the holes is possibly material inserted by earlier conservation efforts to stabilize the garment due to its condition. The actual lining of the body of the original is a dark brown/green and would not show up white as in the photograph. While it could be wadding used to pad the chest I think that is not likely. I have seen this done on other museum garments especially at the Smithsonian. I am attaching three pictures of another Confederate item from the collection at the American History Museum of the Smithsonian which illustrates this. The wider view shows the entire garment (The George Wilson shirt). The material appears strikingly like Blue Gray EOC except for telltale hints of brown in certain places. The close-up of the pocket shows the brown cotton warp threads of the satinet. Finally the last shot is looking inside the shirt and shows the backing "skin" throughout the garment which was added as part of the conservation work to protect and stabilize the garment.

Without actually seeing the Hunter coat this is, as I say, speculation but I believe more likely than poor dye that faded unevenly or anything like that. This actually may be Crenshaw fabric used in a private purchase jacket.

Dick Milstead
The Company of Military Historians

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Alex Hunter Confederate Jacket

Very cool info. Thanks Dick!