Confederate Cavalry Cloth Insignia Question

[jaxenro]

Hi
I have a late 1800's wooden cutlery case I am relining to hold two repro defarbed Spiller & Burr revolvers. I am lining the case with cut up confederate uniform cloth. What I am trying to acheive is as if someone post war used an old uniform jacket or pants to line a period wooden case to hold and protect his revolvers and some civil war uniform accessories. I know not authentic (although I have seen examples of interesting period made cases) but I am not useing it to reenact but for display at home. In place of a manufacturers label on the lid lining which S&B probably never had for cased sets I would like to use some type of confederate cloth insignia appropriate for cavalry if such a thing existed as if the intent was to preserve the insignia in the case as well. Officer or enlisted doesn't matter and it could be a hat or uniform insignia or both. What I am trying to avoid is the farby looking things you see on eBay as badges. What I was thinking was maybe some sort of rank insignia, maybe nco or captains badges or something, and some sort of hat insignia? So my my question is what are some authentic reproductions that would work and where do I get them?
Thank you
Joel Axenroth

[Mark Choate]

Re: Confederate Cavalry Cloth Insignia Question

Hi Joel,

While I applaud what you are trying to accomplish, I don't know of any example of how a veteran might have displayed something like this so maybe you could back up and look at some facts:

a) The Spiller and Burr were made in the deep south (Atlanta) and there were not many made (I think only around 1,200 or so), so they were rare. Having two would have been even more rare.
b) Due to where they were made and likely distributed, most would have been used by western theatre cav or officers, etc. You would not want to use hat insignia or most likely even rank insignia due to their limited usage, in majority of cases.
c) Doubt very seriously that they would have used cloth from uniform, as if they did actually save the uniform or clothing then they would probably not have saved it only to cut it up for such usage. Remember, after the war, many items brought back were just converted into items for usage back home due to the deprivations of a post-war south and reconstruction. We are the ones who have added the romance and the glamour......

So, since your examples for pattern are limited, if not non-existent, then you might just use your imagination along with some of the guidelines above. Personally, I think just a black felt lining with perhaps a brass plate of description at the bottom would look nice and respectful. Also, in place of a manufacturers label in the lid, and remembering that any such display would be well late of the war and once a time for reflection had settled on the owner, you might do research of any reunion badges or pins that may have been created for veteran reunions and reproduce one of those for the lid. Just an idea.....

However you choose to do this, make sure that the defarb work has been thoroughly and accurately done as those were rare and beautiful weapons and all of the display efforts are for naught if they are not properly represented.

thanks,
Mark

[jaxenro]

Re: Confederate Cavalry Cloth Insignia Question

I like the reunion badges idea and will research some. Dark gray felt would also be an option. Most of my repro pistols are cased usually in Bills Cases but I am trying something different here and trying to keep it from looking cheap and shoddy. Thank you for your input
Joel

Mr. Axenroth, please remember to sign all your post with your full name. This is the second violation of yours I have noticed over the last week. Silas Tackitt, one of the moderators.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Confederate Cavalry Cloth Insignia Question

Hallo!

There is no rule for it, but most commonly the colors for cased revolvers tended to be green, blue, and red.

Spiller & Burr was an interesting story often time repeated where enterprising businessmen saw a way to help their Cause as well as make some money form the government. Securing a contract for 15,000 but not having the means top produce them so being hopeful that the contract would be for future arms at some future date. Especially for pistol producers.
Being desperate, the CSA gave out start-up or seed money hoping to prime the pumps., adding production schedules and delivery dates of X number of arms. And especially in 1861, with S & B needing to deliver 4,000 for December of 1862.

Long story short, S & B had troubles, and the first contract was voided an replaced in March of 1863 for only 600 pistols to be delivered in February of 1863 and then 1,000 per month until the 15,000 were done. They managed to deliver 40 in May. They were so flawed only seven passed inspection.

The CS government finally gave up in January of 1864 and bought S & B out, their having made about 600 pistols. . In March of 1864. Burton acknowledged a request for 924 revolvers of the Army of Tennessee. Wit Sherman bearing down on Atlanta, the machinery was crated and slated to be sent to Savannah for storage but transportation could not be found. In October it was unpacked and reset up as the Macon Armory had not work of its own. In mid November Sherman was getting close and it was boxed again, Burton wanting to ship it to Columbia, SC.. But Sherman cut the rail lines first. So with some of the machinery on either side of the cut... revolver production was over.

All in all, there appears to have been about 600ish S & B made S & B revolvers I late 1863 , and 600ish CSA made S & B revolvers made in 1864- the larger percentage appearing to have (likely) gone to the Army of Tennessee.

There is no historical precedent for cased, presentation S & B revolvers. However, in the Modern World one can certainly create a fiction or fantasy as a nice way to imaginatively display or present a pair.

Curt