Sewing Machines at Schuylkill Arsenal?

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Sewing Machines at Schuylkill Arsenal?

I strikes me as interesting that Jesup, in his October 25, 1858 estimate referenced earlier, specified pay for only two machine seamstresses for the year 1859 yet estimated that over 30,000 sack coats would need to be prepared for distribution to the army within the same period. If employed in the manufacture of sack coats, those would seem to be two very busy seamstresses indeed! Paul McKee

You'll note that apart from the two machine seamstresses Jesup lists only two additional seamstresses trimming hats and the one principal seamstress. So, if 30,000 sack coats were sewn by hand, the principal seamstress must have been pretty busy indeed. Unless, of course, some of the work was done under contract, in which case the question about specifications, and the representativeness of the sample, remains relevant.

The "conservativeness" of the Ordnance Department in ordering rifle-muskets that represented, at the time, the state of the art in long arms for every major power in Europe with the exception of Prussia, would make an interesting topic for another discussion.

[CompanyWag]

Re: Sewing Machines at Schuylkill Arsenal?

You'll note that apart from the two machine seamstresses Jesup lists only two additional seamstresses trimming hats and the one principal seamstress. So, if 30,000 sack coats were sewn by hand, the principal seamstress must have been pretty busy indeed. Unless, of course, some of the work was done under contract, in which case the question about specifications, and the representativeness of the sample, remains relevant.

Exactly. The point is, that due to the sheer volume of uniforms being produced even before the war, that the two machine sewing tailoresses could not possibly be the source of Schuykill's uniform production. In fact with only 7 tailoresses on the payroll (4 of them trimming hats and the principal engaged in "repairing clothing") it is unlikely that ANY of them were the source of Schuylkill's clothing whether by machine or hand sewing.

The "conservativeness" of the Ordnance Department in ordering rifle-muskets that represented, at the time, the state of the art in long arms for every major power in Europe with the exception of Prussia, would make an interesting topic for another discussion.

Also agreed. The point being that both the decision by Schuylkill to rely on hand-sewing and piecing out that work to local seamstresses and the Ordnance Board's reliance on muzzleloading longarms should be considered within the context of the times and the 19th Century mindset. It is too easy for modern day thinking to dismiss either decision because more modern and efficient alternatives were available.

Paul McKee