Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

[Cotton Trash]

Gents, This may be an old thread, I did not locate anything on this topic when typed into the search engine.Mods if this question and topic is in the wrong location please move to the correct area. I'm attempting to locate any information on the issue of the Deptartment of Alabama jacket during the Atlanta Campaign. Particular the Dolan or McDonald jacket,see "EoG pp.140 Western Depot Jackets" I understand that Austin's Louisiana Sharpshooters were in the battle of Atlanta, and fighting around the Pope house west of the city.My question is there evidence these jacket's saw issue before or during the Atlanta Campaign.They are a late war jacket 64/65 and made for Richard Taylor's Department of Alabama,Mississippi and East Louisiana I know this could be a "What if or Maybe" type question and thats what I'm trying to avoid, so anyone that can chime in and point me in the right direction I owe a Big Thanks !!

Thanks,

Chad Phillips

[PieBoy96]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

This style of jacket comes up in discussion from time to time, and as with so many things (especially CS), there really isn't a 100% definite answer. However, given the few originals that survive and using photographs, the consensus is that these are generally late 64 onward (including Atlanta campaign) and mostly issued to the Army of Tennessee. The Lazy Jacks' website has a nice summary that may help you out: http://www.lazyjackmess.com/csawest.htm

If I were in your shoes, I'd feel OK with using it for that impression, of course unless you come across some conflicting info (IE, they had not drawn new jackets in many months, or were described as wearing dark jackets, etc.).

[Cotton Trash]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Paul, Thanks for directing me to this site, lots of good info on the jacket and other things.Gonna add this to my Favorites list

Thanks,

Chad Phillips

[Mississippian]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

For the Atlanta campaign I've always felt that this jacket would be most appropriate for the units of Polk's Corps and less so for the men under Hardee and Hood. After the Meridian campaign Polk's men spent a number of weeks around the Demopolis Alabama area recovering from their retreat. As to where this jacket was made it's always been unclear when exactly the clothing depot at Columbus Mississippi started moving to Demopolis. I believe it to be no sooner than June 1864. The Columbus (MS) depot is not well known and several of it's clothing contractors such as the Mississippi Manufacturing Company (aka the Choctaw Factory) were still sending clothing to various depots as late as December 1864.

Will MacDonald

[Cotton Trash]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Will, Very informative I agree with you about Hardee and Hood those A.o.T Men would have been wearing the Columbus Depot Jackets. I know the A.o.T were issued new clothing in Dalton Winter of 63/64 and after the fall of Atlanta the A.o.T received some clothing at Palmetto GA, and in Demopolis Alabama Once they began the abortive Nashville Campaign. In my humble opinion this jacket would have saw distribution and action just before and after Atlanta,but which engagements we may never know.

Thanks,
Chad Phillips

[Mississippian]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Hmmm....Looking at that Lazy Jacks article again I noticed that there was an original jacket i.d.'d to a A.J. Duncan of the 31st MS. But there was no such soldier listed on the roster of the 31st. There are two A.J. Duncan's listed on MS Rosters, both with cavalry units. 2nd & 7th.

There is a A.J. Duncan listed with the 31st Alabama infantry. However it looks like he was discharged sometime in 1863....

Will MacDonald

[roundshot]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Just FYI there are two nice photos of Forrest's men wearing these jackets in Roberts & Moneyhon's "Portraits of Conflict/Mississippi." One shows William Prince of the 1st Partisan Rangers; the other is F. M. Lassiter of the 28th Mississippi Cavalry. Both men survived the war so there is no way to date the images.

The fact that the A. J. Duncan cited above was discharged in 1863 might, in fact, help establish an earlier utilization of these jackets.

[Cotton Trash]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Will, Thanks for the info on the Alabama soldier, does it give any info on his service and was he A.o.T or A.N.V. ? And thanks to you Bob, for the added info on Gen.Forrest men wearing these jackets that sounds like a starting point on an earlier distribution of this jacket.
Thanks,
Chad Phillips

[Mississippian]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Chad,

At this point we don't know if the 31st Alabama fellow is the same guy. All we know is that the I.D. to that particular jacket is not 100% iron clad.

As for the two MS photos:

The 28th Mississippi Cavalry served in "Red" Jackson's Cavalry division for most of the war, seeing serving in MS, TN, the Atlanta Campaign, and the Franklin/Nashville Campaign. They only joined Forrest's command after Atlanta.

The 1st Mississippi Partisan Rangers (aka 7th MS Cavalry) had a much more limited geographic area of operations, spending almost all of the war in North Mississippi with the occasional raid into west Tennessee and the defense of Selma at the end of the war.

Will MacDonald

[Coatsy]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Chad,

Will brought up the same theory that Robby Mitchell and I were discussing some time back. We also think that it would not be out of the realm of possibilities that Polk's Corps could have received jackets similar to the two you have cited between the Meridian Retreat and heaidng to Georgia. Robby was more keen on it than I was, but I'm a hum-bug. Great discussion though. the vagueness that Will brings up regarding Columbus, Ms and Demopolis, Al clothing is the road block that we were on as well.

[Mississippian]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

To confuse things further: It seems to me that the Demopolis depot originally was established to replace the defunct Jackson MS depot after that place was deemed too close to Federal lines to operate. For example, the aforementioned Mississippi Manufacturing Company had a contract to supply cloth and clothing to the Jackson depot before it's fall, afterwards the company sent it's contract shipments to Selma and Demopolis, here were two shipments from the company to Alabama in the summer/fall of 1863:

Purchased May 2nd 1863: (Contracted by Jackson MS, Delivered to Demopolis AL, Aug. 9th 1863)

2149 pairs Pants @ $8.50
1262 Jackets $11.50
1111 1/2 yds Linsey $2.50 yd
3873 1/2 yds Jeans $.250

Purchased June 22nd 1863: (Delivered to Selma AL)

2450 pairs Pants @ $8.50
134 Linsey Jackets $11.50
67 1/2 yds Osnaburg $.88 yd
409 1/2 lbs. Harness Leather $.75 lb

Now the company also did business with the Columbus MS depot (under the name "Choctaw Factory") as evidenced here:

MOBILE REGISTER AND ADVERTISER, May 17, 1864, p. 2, c. 2
[From an Occasional Correspondent.]
Columbus, Miss., May 14, 1864
. . . Since I wrote you have received the statement which I promised you from the indefatigable Quartermaster here, Major W. J. Anderson, formerly of your city.
During the past seventeen months he has furnished the army with 51,000 jackets, 50,000 pairs pants, 7,191 coats, 1,859 overcoats, 27,440 shirts, 15,278 pairs drawers, 20,415 hats and caps, 51,277 pairs boots and shoes, 23,220 pounds cooking utensils, 3,000 tents, 3,700 blankets; and within this period he was frequently out of material, and on several occasions operations were necessarily stopped for one to three weeks.
A large portion of the material for jackets, pants and coats was furnished by the Choctaw factory, from which he is now receiving monthly about 18,000 yards of jeans and linsey. Most of the shirting goods was woven by ladies in the country for Sherman & Ramsay of this place, who were under contract to furnish the goods. The hats and caps were manufactured in this place by Hale & Sykes, and the skillets and ovens by Hale & Murdock, and Major Anderson will be able to supply all of these latter articles that may be required in the Department of Alabama and Mississippi and East Louisiana. Messrs. Sherman & Ramsay have until very recently supplied about 6,000 yards shirtings monthly and more than two-thirds of the shoes were manufactured in Lowndes, Oktibbeha, and Choctaw counties, of which from 2,500 to 3,000 pairs are received monthly.
Cooped up as he is, away off here in Northwest Mississippi, Major Anderson has accomplished wonders, and it shows what an energetic business man can and may accomplish, as well as what our country (and even a limited portion of it) can supply. The foregoing figures will no doubt astonish you and your readers, and I give them in order that other parts of the Confederacy and the army may be encouraged and that other officers may be incited to deserve the mead as Major Anderson does, of "well done good and faithful servant." More anon. Rip Van Winkle."


Will MacDonald

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Great thread fellas. Best one in months.

[daveray84]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Thanks to the godless blue horde, the Bankston mill went up in smoke, and thereby leaving these holes in our research. Thanks for nothing, Yanks!! :(

[Mississippian]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

Yep, nothing, at least that we know of.

There used to be a uniform made from that factory in existence. It belonged to my girlfriends GGG Grandfather, who had been a private in the 11th Mississippi Infantry until he was badly wounded at the Wilderness. Sent home to recuperate he was too crippled for active service and was sent to the Bankston factory to make shoes until it was destroyed. He left just before the Federals arrived and took his uniform with him. It was kept in the family until the 1930's when it was burned due to insect infestation. I've spoken to his Granddaughter and she remembers seeing it as a little girl. His wartime shoes are supposed to be with a separate branch of the family but I've never gotten a chance to see them.

Will MacDonald

[roundshot]

Re: Department Of Alabama Jackets issued/worn during the Atlanta Campaign

My favorite photo of a CS soldier in this style jacket. This fellow gives new meaning to the word 'rakish.' The top of his hat looks like the cone of a volcano!