Material for shirt

[Daniel G.]

Hey!

What would be the best material to go with for just an average civilian shirt? I've seen an example of what looks to me a blue/gray color wool CS issued shirt from NC Starr's Battery,[[Pvt. John B. MacRae]] but I doubt all in that unit wore them.

Thanks for your help!

[tater_cuffie]

Re: Material for shirt

For just a basic Civilian I'd go with like a woven checkered pattern.

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Material for shirt

White cotton was by far the most widely used fabric for civilian men's shirts as evidenced by manufacturing statistics, advertisements, images, and other primary sources.

[AZReenactor]

Re: Material for shirt

I'd like to see more about your primary sources on this. Also, what type shirts (undershirt, standard shirt, overshirt, etc?) and kind of cotton fabric are you talking about (drill, canton flannel, muslin, shirting, etc.). You've made a pretty bold statement, and I'd like to know more about the details behind how it was arrived at.

White cotton was by far the most widely used fabric for civilian men's shirts as evidenced by manufacturing statistics, advertisements, images, and other primary sources.

Related to shirt types, I'm still looking for information on period and pre-war "Hickory" shirts if anyone has uncovered anything.

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Material for shirt

Also, what type shirts (undershirt, standard shirt, overshirt, etc?) and kind of cotton fabric are you talking about (drill, canton flannel, muslin, shirting, etc.).

I believe the question that started this thread was concerning "standard shirts," so I was answering the question paraphrased as "what is the best material to make an average civilian "standard shirt".

The fabric that all the evidence suggests as the "most common" civilian shirt material is white cotton shirting. Cotton shirting of the period was very finely woven with a nice body.

There are several period sources that point to white cotton shirts as being very popular. We have manufacturing records from factories who were in business making these shirts, such as the New Haven Shirt Manufactory of New Haven, Ct. which was producing 100 dozen shirts daily in 1854. That is just one factory out of dozens that were pounding out ready-made shirts.

There are coroner's inquest reports. These are inquiries that appeared in newspapers and contain a description, including clothing, of an unidentified "found" body. They often include a good amount of details, an example such as "Coroner Bennett held an inquest at Fort Hamilton yesterday on the body of an unknown man found on the beach. He was dressed in black satinet pants, white shirt, light coat, calfskin boots with tip toes. He wore long whiskers and long black hair. Age about thirty years." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 3, 1860. In going through these and collecting the details on close to 300 reports thus far roughly 3/4 of the shirts mentioned on the bodies were white.

The images of the period, such as the Washington DC Government Shops series, or the Lyon Shorb & Co. images show white shirts in abundance. Photographs such as these show working class men just off the job. These types of images were not staged photographs.

There is also the laundry aspect of white vs colored shirts. White shirts were much easier to clean through boiling, bleaching, and bluing. Colored shirts were much more difficult to launder when they became soiled.

[JustRob]

Re: Material for shirt

Charlie Childs of County Cloth sells some excellent shirting fabrics.

[AZReenactor]

Re: Material for shirt

Brain,
Thank you for the detailed response. It always helps to know the basis of these types of conclusions.

[markj]

Re: Material for shirt

For whatever it's worth:

"Domestic Life in the 1850's." Nebraska Ancestry. Fall 1987. Vol.10, No.2. p. 67-68

But there came a day when it was evident that, if they had any more clean clothes, some washing must be done, and by themselves too. The young housekeeper opposite was asked for the loan of a tub and wash boiler; no instructions were asked, and none volunteered; but as the day began to wane the curiosity of the young housekeeper was aroused as to the cause of the non-appearance of the wash upon the line. Presently one of the number came over and asked what they should do, they feared they had ruined their white shirts. Here I must stop to explain that in those days there were no fancy-colored shirts, no pretty flannels and soft cheviots. The working man's shirt was either of red flannel or a blue and white striped cotton goods, called "Hickory."

Another small bit of evidence: the 1862-1864 clothing issue book of Company F, 54th Virginia reports "wool," "flannel," and "hickory" shirts were all issued at various times. For his part, Private William H. Records, Company I, 72nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry, noted in his memorandum book that he had several "hickory" shirts in his possession shortly after he enlisted in August 1862.

For my money, a "hickory" shirt is as good as anything to wear.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Cfarrell]

Re: Material for shirt

I was looking over Mrs. Bett's newspaper articles earlier today and the word "hickory stripes" caught my eye...

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, January 30, 1863, p. 1, c. 5
For Sale.
15 bales 4 ¼ broad sheeting,
8 " 4-4 bleached sheeting,
2 " 5-4 bleached sheeting,
10 " cotton checks,
8 " hickory stripes,
8 " cottonade, (extra heavy)
6 " gray blankets,
1 " linen drill,
3 " linen dress goods,
250 dozen cotton handkerchiefs,
5 cases prints,
5 bales mosquito netting,
100 packs pins,
100 sacks coffee,
70 Mexican saddles, &c., &c.
T. H. McMahan & Gilbert.
January 23, 1863.

Next issue:

Now Mr. Jaeger has caught my attention with his post. Excuse my ignorance, but what is a "hickory shirt"?

[Daniel G.]

Re: Material for shirt

I as well am interested to know what a hickory shirt is.

BTW: Thank you guys for the help!

[Brian Baird]

Re: Material for shirt

For information on hickory cloth, read Virginia Mescher post on the Sewing Academy:

http://thesewingacademy.org/index.php?topic=1468.0

Brian Baird

[Cfarrell]

Re: Material for shirt

Thank you. You learn something new everyday....:D

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Material for shirt

For information on hickory cloth, read Virginia Mescher post on the Sewing Academy:

http://thesewingacademy.org/index.php?topic=1468.0

Brian Baird

Anybody have a pic of some period hickory cloth?

Is anyone currently making/selling repro hickory cloth?

Thanks!

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: Material for shirt

Hi,

E.J. Thomas is selling a "battle shirt" made out of hickory cloth. You may want to ask him where he gets his cloth from. I hope this helps.

[Brian Baird]

Re: Material for shirt

John,
At one time I had some info on hickory cloth that Greg Schuller had put together but I think it has been lost from one too many computer crashes.
One example of hickory cloth Greg had come up with was the mummy of John Torrington from the Franklin Expedition of 1845. You can see part of the picture if you go to this link:

http://www.mummytombs.com/mummylocator/featured/franklin.htm

Years ago, they use to make overalls out of blue & white striped fabric that was commonly called railroad overalls. I believe that is an example of hickory cloth.

Others folks that are more knowledgeable may have other examples or correct me if I’m wrong.

Here’s some fabric I found that I call hickory cloth.

Brian Baird