Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

[16NCblkmtnboys]

Hey this is my first post on this website. It's a great website and I thought I would come here to get some opinions on an authentic photo I recently acquired.

The photo below is of my gggg uncle William "Albert" Fox. He served with the 16th North Carolina Co. C "The Black Mountain Boys" from Yancey County, North Carolina (where I still reside) from 1861 until he was wounded at the Wilderness in May 1864. He eventually came back home to the Mountains of Western NC in October 1864 and died an old man. This photo is especially interesting because of what is on his collar. But from other sources it appears that it's an NC Depot Jacket.

I like to consider myself a progressive and authentic reenactor but I believe some members here maybe a little better suited to tell me what exactly he has on.

Thanks

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Hallo!

My eyes do not quite discern the image clearly.
It appears that he is wearing a "polka-dotted' print shirt, with possibly a dark tie or cravat. But yet the shirt spots appear to be three dimensional.
The collar of the jacket is narrow and lies below the exposed shirt collar.

Curt

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

It is definitely a NC depot jacket. Could it be that the thing on his neck is a scarf tucked into his jacket?

[brown]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Am I just unable to see the bottom button in the fold at his waist, or does his jacket have 5 buttons?
Thanks for sharing this image.

[Rev]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

It is jaguar skin trim.



Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Hallo!

Well...
For me it is hard to tell whether he is sporting a "King Tut" type beard, or we are looking at a cravat or "ascot" type tie.

Curt

[NY Pvt]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Hold your horses everyone. Here is a portrait, which has no ID. I will leave it for you all to judge. However, it appears to me that this fellow does not have his bottom buttoned up. However, this guy’s collar is much clearer.

[Abrams]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Zooming in as closely as I can, it appears that the higher neck piece appaers to be thick, and knitted. Could be a sweater/scarf maybe? Whatever it is, it is thick and appears bumpy, or three dimensional to me. I do not believe it to be part of the jacket, but underneath it.

As to the cravat/beard, zoomed in it has the same coloration and pattern as his facial hair. I find it hard to believe its his beard though. If it is, it it a remarkably perfect king Tut rectangular beard, heh. It looks more like a shadow or an imperfection perhaps. While the coloration and patter are identical to his facial hair, it appears to be not quite on the same plane as his beard, but seems closer to his neck, like a cravat.

My vote? A short knitted scarf tucked into his jacket. The black beard/cravat was a foriegn object or imperfection on the picture or photographic plate itself.

But I am a kitchen designer by trade with photoshop and a good computer, not a photo analyst for the NSA, so treat my opinions with that knowledge. :)

[1stMaine]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Comrades,

I zoomedd in as much as possible using PSP-9, and I am also convinced it is a knit scarf or high-collared sweater. You can see it is made with large-diameter yarn, and loosely woven, like a cable-knit sory of item. The jacket collar is definately OUTSIDE, and folds away slightly as a result of the scarf/whatever.

Additionally, I am convinced it is a 6-button jacket. When I zoom in, you can see that the two edges beneath the bottom visible button are still held close together, which would only happen if it were buttoned further down. Id there was no 6th button, the jacket would be spread open further than that shown.

As to the "pharonic" beard. I believe that it is only a part of the beard being seen, that the rest is obscured by the scarf.

Respects,

[Enfilade]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

This is most definitely a North Carolina jacket. They were 6 button fronts usually, although there were some made that we know had 7 buttons. He simply has folded down the collar as many soldiers did when they had themselves photographed and you can see many of their images in Gerg Mast's book "North Carolina Troops and Volunteers" , which I would highly recommend.

Also, the "scarf" or inner garment in question he has on is like many images of a keapsake worn in any number of ways, so it's not out of the ordinary at all.
Nice image.

Mark Berrier
North state Rifles

http://www.northstaterifles.com

[16NCblkmtnboys]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Wow I never imagined I'd get this much feedback on this old picture of my ancestor. Thanks a lot for your help guys. I never really caught the King Tut beard thing, I thought it was just a dark shadow under his neck. The photo obviously is not in the best of shape but who knows.

Thanks again for your all of your help

[16NCblkmtnboys]

Re: Need some help from some uniform savy reenactors

Never thought I'd get this much response for my ancestors old photo. Thanks for all of your help. I actually didn't even notice that he had a beard, I believed it just to be a shadow under his neck, possible due to the poor quality of the photo but who knows.

Thanks again for all of your help