Furlough Jackets???

[508preach]

It has long been thought that the 76th OVI was a zouave regiment due to photos like the one attached to this article. And it is easy to conceive as such because it is a zouave style jacket you see in most of the photos of the 76th OVI.

But after having done research of my own from a memoir of one of the 76th OVIs soldiers it has been shown that the regiment had what they referred to as "Furlough Jackets"

The furlough jackets were made in the zouave style, dark navy blue with a light blue trim.

Sometime after the Vicksburg Campaign the 76th OVI was granted a months Furlough and on their way back to where they were raised in Newark, Ohio they stopped in Cincinnati to pick up what was referred to as "Furlough Jackets" in their documents which looked like a Zouave style jacket. When they returned to the front after Furlough they turned the jackets back into Cincinnati in exchange for sack coats.

Now having dug up this information on "Furlough Jackets" I'm curious does anyone else have information out there about regiments doing the same thing of having "Furlough Jackets" or is this an unusual occurance


***INFORMATION FOUND IN: Reminiscences of a Boy's Service With the 76th Ohio in the Fifteenth Army Corps, Under General Sherman, During the Civil War, by that "Boy" at Three Score. Charles A. Willison, Private Soldier. Press of The George Banta Publishing Company. Menasha. Wisconsin. 1908
Reprint: A Boy's Service with the 76th Ohio. Charles A. Willison. Blue Acorn Press. Huntington. W.V. 1995 ***

[kaelin]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

Michael,
Here is some information I found on the 76th OVI,

" the 76th became a veteran regiment in January of 1864. To celebrate this status, the veterans of the 76th bought themselves a new and colorful uniform" -Ordinance report

"On the 27th of January the officers held a meeting on discuss the adoption of a new uniform for the regiment. It was deemed desirable that the veterans be all clothed alike with some kind of a zouave jacket that they might make a fine appearance on their return to Ohio. A regimental fund of about seven hundred dollars had been created which it was considered best to expend for this purpose. The officers decided on the style most appropriate to be a short dark blue jacket with rounded corners, no collar, and trimmed in sky blue binding." - Charles A. Willison, "A boys service with the 76th Ohio (Huntington, WV: Blue Acorn Press, 1995)

" the new uniform was contracted for in Cincinnati and was ready when the regiment arrived at that city prior to its veteran furlough." -ordinance report

To answer your question..in our research of the 12th Indiana, they received a zouave style jacket in December of '63, they received another issue of this same jacket in the summer of '64 and while at home received their veteran stripe to put on the sleeve/cuff. The 12th and the 76th decided to get such a jacket because of the popularity started by another Indiana regiment(can't remember which) and this became popular until everyone realized this wasn't as functional coat as the sack and was more for looks than campaign lifestyle.

Send me a pm or email
kaelin.vernon@gmail.com

Hope this helps or sheds some light

[DougCooper]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

This appears to have been a fashion with veteran Ohio regiments. The 48th OVI did the same thing after reenlisting (and after spending 6 months in Camp Ford rebel prison in Texas after being captured almost in toto at Mansfield). The regiment stood their ground and were surrounded as the units on either side collapsed and retreated. The photos were taken in New Orleans and these heroes were well dressed!

Photos are here, at one of the single most outstanding CW regimental websites. http://www.48ovvi.org/oh48album.html

[508preach]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

I need to read the book again A Boys Service which is where I gathered my information cause I distinctly remember them saying that at the end of their furlough they turned in the jackets for safe keeping. I gotta find the info again, cause I swear I remember reading that.

But my question now changes a little but not too much, was this a common practice for veteran regiments to adopt a new uniform or mainly an Ohio and Indiana style?

[James A. Page]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

I have several photos of men wearing this style jacket, as well the more typically Zouave-styled garment common to Indiana regiments.

In every case, the jackets appear to be trimmed in sky blue and bear the unique, truncated bell-flower on both breasts. Very different from the trefoil design most associated with stereo-typical Zouave uniforms. Variances do occur--usually with regard to the bell-flower's orientation. Some point upwardly as in the earlier attached images, while the "petals" on other jackets droop, or point downwardly.

These jackets seem nearly exclusive to "veteranized" Indiana and Ohio regiments serving in the Western, and even Trans-Mississippi, theater.
I cannot speak to their usage in the East.

In many cases, these units seemed to have retained their battered Hardee hats, even when issued a kepi. All my extant photos depict men in some form of "slouch" hat.

I'd love to see a reenacting unit wear these some day. I think it'd be impressive.

[Jon The Beloved]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

Mr. Vernon and others in our mess have not done their research in vain, Mr. Page. Vicksburg To Raleigh.. We are the 12th Indiana! ; ) wink wink..

[jurgitemvaletem]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

Can't believe no one has mentioned it yet, but some reccomended reading would be

"The Struggle for the Life of the Republic" By Charles D. Miller.

Brevet Major Miller was a resident of Newark, OH and one of the orginal members of the regiment. Acquaintenced with Charles Woods he was asked to help gather recruits for the regiment. In the book, during the winter of '63/'64 he goes into some pretty decent detail on the reccomendation for and procurement/use of the 76th OVVI "zouave" jacket.

[508preach]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

Hey Pat,

Good to see you on here.

[jurgitemvaletem]

Re: Furlough Jackets???

Hey Mike, wow, been along time man! Yeah, I troll around here all the time but had to chime in when someone mentioned my favorite regiment. Shoot me an email sometime.