Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

[Haversack]

Hi,
I was wondering if any of you had any information on what depots Confederate Units in Southwest Virginia were issued out of?I have heard Richmond from some people but I am interested to know what information some of you may have.Any help is appreciated.Thanks in advance.

[Kanawha Riflemen]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Hello Shawn,

This is a subject I am very interested in as well, but always ran into nothing more than a lack of answers. According to Terry Lowry who wrote two books for the Virginia Regimental Series, the 22nd Virginia infantry Regiment and the 26th Virginia Battalion, they received a lot of clothing from the Staunton Depot. They were part of General John Echols' (often at time under Colonel George Patton) Brigade. I do recall that in September of 1862 from a source here on the AC, that over 5,000 Columbus Depot jackets made their way to South Western Virginia.

I notice in several photographs, I see what appears to be a mixture of Richmond Depot (type two and type three) Jackets and regular gray shell jackets. From what I gathered, the Staunton Depot and the Richmond Depot were two main sources from late 1862 to 1865. However, I have not been able to find anything on the Staunton Depot. I do know that from 1861-early 1862, the clothing was made by tailors or donated through private sources. After 1862, there is very little information on uniforms that I can find.

At Camp Gauley on May 6th, 1864, Echols’ and Wharton's Brigades were issued new clothing before they went into the battle of New Market. This is according to Terry Lowry's Book the 22nd Virginia Infantry, however no source of what they were issued. After the battle of New Market, the Army of South Western Virginia was sent to Richmond and participated in the battle of Cold Harbor and afterwards ordered to go with General Early on his famous Washington Raid. In mid to late 1864 and early 1865, the Army of South Western Virginia remained in the Shenandoah Valley until the end of the war. Good luck and hope someone on AC can be of more help.

John A. Miller
Monterey Pass Battlefield

[lhsnj]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Here is an image of my wife's ggg-uncle. He served in the 63rd VA Co C from Grayson County VA.

According to a discussion in another thread about the image, he is wearing a Wytheville Depot jacket.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Shawn,
Are you looking for who supplied units that originated in SWVA or that were stationed in SWVA? Due to the mountains and some units being surrounded by northern occupation it was difficult to supply units once they got here. If you're looking for who supplied units originating in this area then it will depend on where they went after they left. Few units orignating in this area stayed in this are (one exception being the 64th VA). Hope this helps.

[Haversack]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Luke,
I was referring mainly to units stationed in the area.

[Slouch]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

I have tons of research on the Staunton Depot that I aim to put together into an article sometime this summer/fall. I have yet to be able to positively identify a Staunton Depot pattern.

Regarding Wytheville, I have not found any documentation that this location produced clothing on a regular basis, and I have found nothing to document how any existing jacket has been given the Wytheville depot tag. Perhaps someone can explain the so called Wytheville jacket.

[Haversack]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

So from what I have gathered so far,it seems that Staunton and Richmond were major sources,with Columbus Depot items making their way into the area a time or two?

[lukegilly13]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Cool! Well, speaking from research I have been spending most of my free time in for the two upcoming events I am working on (Cumberland Gap and Hell in Lee Co.) I can say that information is not as abundant as in some areas. However, we know that when Frazier was on the gap he was being supplied by Longstreet's corp in Knoxville. Now where they were getting their supplies might be an easier target than the local folks. There is the surviving Timothy Ball (at LMU) jacket but it is unidentified as to a depot but it certainly fits the description of a NC depot (not sack). Unfortunately Ball spent very little time in SWVA. A lot of the men that saw action in Jonesville came from out your way and their line of supply went through Bristol/Abingdon way by rail...those might connect you to the eastern depot system.

Keep me posted as your research develops and i'll let you know if I overturn anything.

[Haversack]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Longstreet's Corps is reported to have been wearing Blue-Gray Jackets.now,what pattern these were,I am not sure.Two very large possibilties are the Richmond Depot II or III or the North Carolina Jacket.If Cumberland Gap was being supplied by Longstreet's Corps,I am guessing that it may be possible that Jonesville may have been as well,as they are pretty close to one another?

[Chad Wrinn]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

One report I have found in Edward O. Guerrant's book Bluegrass Confederates and in Battles and Leaders states the issues of uniforms to troops in the department in the winter of 1861-2( Vol. 1 Page 394), One regiment (5th Kentucky) had 350 men barefooted and no more than 100 blankets for 700 men. General Albert Sidney Johnston, sent them 1000 suit of odd cottonade cloth but after some convincing that it was some of the best southern wool that the Kentuckians were not acquainted with from General Humphery Marshall did the men wear them.
From this you can find many things,
The odd looking cottonade suits were either blue or red ticking, but red looks odder that blue
The only Kentucky Confederate issue clothing was a red and white suit.
The 5th Kentucky, 29th Virginia and Jeffress Virginia Battery were the recipitants of the uniform issue according to Marshall
The uniforms did see combat in the engagement around Middle Creek Kentucky January, 1862. Now I would just like to find what the federals had to say about them.

[brown]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Longstreet's Corps is reported to have been wearing Blue-Gray Jackets.

True statement when they arrived at Chickamauga. However, is there evidence they were still receiving blue grey by the time they got the Knoxville? Or carrying extra suits of clothing with them?

[Haversack]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

I believe that during the Knoxville engagements(such as Fort Sanders)they were still wearing Blue-Gray jackets.I know the guys who put on the Race to Knoxville event and are putting together the campaigner company for the mainstream Fort Sanders event in October.They have definately done their research and the #1 preferred jacket for Confederates is a Blue-Gray Jacket.

[brown]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

I'm not trying to question the Race to Knoxville guys' research, although I would love to see some of it. I was simply suggesting what Longstreet's men were wearing had little to do with what men at the Gap were drawing if Longstreet's men got the uniforms months earlier in a different part of the South. If Longstreet's men and the men in the Gap drew new suits from the same source at about the same time, that would tell us something.
If memory serves me correctly, weren't Longstreet's men's clothing suffering a bit by Knoxville, esp for shoes? What gear would have "passed through" their hands?

[Haversack]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

I was not suggesting that you were questioning their research,I was simply stationg that these guys defiantely do their research,and that that is what came out of it.As with any bunch,it would be interesting to see what other gear may have passed through the hands of Longstreet's men.Not trying to stray from the subject of Longstreet's Corps,as it is an impression that I do A LOT,but I would also love to get some more information on Grumble Jones' men,as that and longstreet's Corps are the two Confederate Impressions that I primarily do...

[Devildog0311]

Re: Uniforms & Gear of Southwest Virginia Confederate Troops

Mr. Wambaugh had some interesting information on the Columbus Depot in SW Virginia:

Re: SW Virginia and the Columbus Depot



Justin,

In the fall of 1862 when the Columbus Depot was first coming into its full production swing it was noted in the Columbus Daily Sun that in addition to six car loads of garments and shoes being shipped to Richmond, another 5,000 individual garments were sent to the CS army of Western Virginia. So it would seem that at this particular point at least some garments were making their way through.

As with anything CS supply-related, you must always remember that as the war progressed and the railroads and rolling stock of the South steadily deteriorated, supply from all but the most local of sources became an ever-increasing nightmare. What may seem a geographically short distance as the crow flies may have indeed been doubled or even tripled by the condition of the railroads and may have been made an impossibility by several federal armies occupying the intervening miles.

The point is that as with everything in this hobby, the appropriate impression will be dictated by time, place, and unit.

Hope this helps!


Best,


Dan Wambaugh
Wambaugh, White, & Company

https://www.wwandcompany.com

517-303-3609
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