Clothing allowances in 1863

[Stateline]

This is from a letter written by Jackson Lowrey,Co. A,44th GA, written on Sept. 23, 1863 from "The bank of the Rapidan River". Mr. Lowrey writes to his wife, "You wrote that you had wool to make cloths if so you had better make the cloths and let my cloths stay untell you may see that I need them, we will draw clothing money next month that is our time for drawing......" the letter is damaged after this portion & I cant make it out for a few lines.
If possible could someone shed some light on how common a clothing allowance would have been at this time of the war as opposed to a regular issue of clothing from the government?

George Eason/1st Ga. Stateline

[markj]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Hi,

I'm a little confused by your question. Are you, instead, referring to the commutation system for clothing? If so, this was formally abolished by act of the Confederate Congress effective 8 October 1862.

Government clothing allowances for Confederate troops are discussed in paras. 1028-1048 (pages 107-108) of the C. S. Army Regulations of 1863. I didn't see the monetary amount allowed annually for enlisted clothing but I think it was CS$50. What is interesting is that I recently examined the clothing account books for Company F, 54th Virginia Infantry and a significant percentage of its men were absolute spendthrifts. Some were charged 2-3 times their annual clothing allowance for items they drew! One guy drew over CS$150 worth of clothing in less than a year. Somehow I don't think he ever settled his account.....

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[GACornbread]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Howdy george:
I have a copy of Brassey's History of Uniforms ACW Confederate Army by Ron Field. This information is referenced to the Georgia Archives and here is what is stated on pp. 47-8 under the Georgia Chapter:

" As a result of the call for twelve additional (GA) regiments in Febuary 1862, the Confederate government agreed to furnish all clothing and equipment. By the fall of that year the supply system had broken down, and Governor Brown reported to the lesgislature on 6 Nov (1862) that "Georgia troops in confederate service are almost destitute of clothes and shoes, and must suffer terribly this winter...' This led to the passage of "An Act to appropriate money to procure and furnish clothing, shoes, caps or hats, and blankets for the soldiers from Georgia...' and the establishment of a state clothing bureau at Augusta under the supervision of Captain George W. Evans, and a shoe manufactory run by Captain E. M. Field at Marietta. Based upon the appropriation of $1,500,00, Quartermaster General Ira R. Foster was able to report on March 25, 1863 that the following had been supplied to Georgia Troops in nineteen regiments and 2 battalions in confederate service in VA. TN and SC: 4,556 coats, 5,288 pants, 4,646 hats, 5,446 shirts and 5,744 shoes. These items were mostly shipped to their destination in charge of bonded State Agents. In a few cases, the Quartermasters of Regiments had personally collected them from storehouses. At that time, Foster stated that manufactured clothing still on hand amounted to 7,272 coats, 9,257 pants, 129 hats, 10,400 shirts and 5,878 shoes. Also avaliable was 12,983 yards of osnaburgs, 18,850 yards of shirting, 6,410 yards of kersey, 970 yards of duck, and 36,063 pounds of leather. Despite the later, he warned that GA troops would 'suffer more the coming winter than they did in the past...' unless further appropriations were made whilst materials were still available. Consequently, on April 26, 1863 Govenor Brown directed that a further $ 2,000,000 should be expended on the purchase and manufacture of clothes and shoes.
By Nov. 1863, Foster was able to report that his bureau had issued hats, clothing, and shoes to 44 regiments, seven battalions and two companies as follows: 4,719 hats, 7,291 jackets, 8,828 pants, 9,185 shirts, 8,036 drawers, 12,294 shoes, 7,517 socks.' He also had on hand nearly: 'fourty thousand suits of clothes, which are ready for distribution among the troops as necessities may require.'
Despite increasing problems with shortage of supply and difficulties with labour, especially after the fall of Atlanta, Quartermaster Foster maintained a supply of clothing for the GA troops during 1864. A considerable amount of the uniform cloth, and other goods, continued to be run through the blockade, whilst 'raw wool' was acquired in Texas in exchange for 'colored osnaburg'. During the closing months of the war, sufficient clothing remained on hand to ensure that GA's contingent in the Confederate Army, which totlled between 25,00 and 30,000 men, remained well clad whilst access remained to supply routes."

Based upon this quotation, Georgia managed to replace the earlier "money based" comutation system with actual issues of supplies beginning in 1862. I have always been amazed at how well this indicates that GA was able to do in supply of our troops. Of course they were trying to clothe between 25,000 and 30,000 men at least once annually a very large job at the least.

Houston White
Cpl. 42nd GA
Pvt 10 Texas

[Stateline]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

[QUOTE=markj]Hi,

I'm a little confused by your question. Are you, instead, referring to the commutation system for clothing? If so, this was formally abolished by act of the Confederate Congress effective 8 October 1862.


What I was wanting to know was if it was unusual for a soldier to be recieving a clothing allowance in September of 1863. As you know this almost a year after the commutation system had ended but Mr. Lowrey clearly states that he was about to draw a "clothing allowance" & he wants his wife to make him some clothing.

George Eason/1st Ga. Stateline

[markj]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Hi,

Hmmm, quantities of clothing were still being provided by private organizations throughout the war. You might want to do a little surfing around Vicki Betts' newspaper site as the odds are good you will find numerous appeals for clothing or shipping lists published in the Southern newspapers.

http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts/newspaper_titles.htm

I have also attached an old journal article, Adobe pdf, discussing soldier relief efforts within the Confederacy. This might be of interest to you as well. WARNING: THIS IS A VERY LARGE FILE. If you can't download it, let me know and I'll send it to you privately.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Stateline]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Since some soldiers wore clothing sent from home sometimes due to personal preferences I was wondering if a soldier would be allowed to use his clothing allowance to pay for clothing made by his family instead of receiving government clothing. In the letter by Mr. Lowrey that I was quoting from he does say that he wants his wife to make him clothing but to wait until he draws his clothing allowance.

George Eason/1st Ga. Stateline

[Adjutant]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Instead of necessarily being issued so many pairs of trowsers, caps, etc. each year soldiers recieved a yearly clothing allowance which stated how much money the governement was willing to pay for thier clothing. If a soldier drew extra clothing during the year and exceded his allowance the difference was deducted from his pay. If the opposite is true the soldier would recieve the extra money in their pay, but I have yet to see a reference to that. I think in this letter he is merely asking his wife to make up a spare set just in case he needs them in the future, not necessarily at this moment.

[Wild Rover]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Andrew,
Great to see you here.

[GACornbread]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

This quotation is from the letters of Marion Hill Fitzpatrick of Hickory Grove, Crawford County Georgia. His letters are published in: "Red Dirt and Isinglass, A Wartime Biography of a Confederate Soldier" by Henry Vaughan McCrea Library of Congress # 92-93548 c1992. I purchased the book in Macon GA.

Camp near Berryville, VA
Nov 7th, 1862

"....I am looking everyday now for my new clothes. I wrote to tell you not to send the vest, but I did not know whether you got the letter in time or not. The reason I did not write for bedclothes is that I feared you would have none to spare and also feared if I got them before we stopped moving so much, I would lose them. And another thing, our wages are raised to $15.00 a month and we are to be clothed by the government and not draw any more computation money. ...If that is the case, I will get no credit or anything that you send me and it will be best to draw altogether from the government except socks I wrote Lou in my last letter to her to send me an overcoat, but now I countermand that order, for I suppose I can draw. If not, I can make out very well without it. We can draw clothing here much cheaper than they can be bought in GA. Some of the boys have already drawn good clothing at reasonable prices and excellent blankets for $4.00."

Marion was in the 45th GA of Anderson Brigade in 1862.

Houston White

[Stateline]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Instead of necessarily being issued so many pairs of trowsers, caps, etc. each year soldiers recieved a yearly clothing allowance which stated how much money the governement was willing to pay for thier clothing. If a soldier drew extra clothing during the year and exceded his allowance the difference was deducted from his pay. If the opposite is true the soldier would recieve the extra money in their pay, but I have yet to see a reference to that. I think in this letter he is merely asking his wife to make up a spare set just in case he needs them in the future, not necessarily at this moment.

That does make sense & its probably what he was referring to. I am currently reading over the other letters from Jackson Lowrey that I have in my possession & maybe there will be some more references to the clothing matter. I read them years ago before I was reenacting but I am now reading them again much more closely & its a bit of a chore at times due to his handwriting style & the ink having faded along with the fact that sometime in the past someone decided to use scotch tape to hold some of the letters together,what a shame. I also have letters from his son & daughter that were mailed to him & somehow survived despite the fact that he was killed in action somewhere in Virginia.

George Eason/1st Ga. Stateline

[GACornbread]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Here's another quote from a letter home from Marion Fitzpatrick. This one is written shortly after the "death of our brave and beloved General Stonewall Jackson" where he talks to his wife about that "glorious victory" :

Camp near Guiney's station, VA
May 16th, 1863
"....I have plenty of clothes again in fact more than I can carry on a march. I wrote Lou about getting an overcoat and a bedquilt. We are well fixed up in the sleeping line now. Drew, Webb and myself have a yankee tent just large enough for the three of us to sleep under. we put up a few logs and covered them with the tent and have a snug little place. Each of us has an oilcloth and then my old quilt to sleep on. I have one good blanket that I expect to keep, the one I carried home with me. Doc gave me an oilcoth. It is light and the very thing to keep my blanket dry on the march."

Houston White

[GACornbread]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Another quotation from Marion that speaks to what may have been happening for many soldiers:

Camp near Orange Courthouse, VA
Sept 10, 1863

"...Well, Cout, like a true and heroic southern woman, I suppose you are making my clothes anyhow. I shall appreciate them the more when I get them because you worked and made them for me, but really I do not intend to burden you with the task, but you say and I know it is a pleasure for to you to fix my clothes for me. I am proud of you and often say and know you are the best wife in the world. Do not send them to me yet as we may have much marching to do before we go into winter quarters and I do not need them nohow. You need not make me a coat as the one I have will last me another winter. There is not a crack in it yet except a small hole in the tail which I neatly patched. I will need a vest, make it military style buttoned straight up the front. As to overshirts, I believe I have had rather you would not make any atall, for I will have to throw them away when we start to march and when I pull them off catch cold sure so I had rather do without them altogether. I will tell you the less a soldier is burdened with the better he can get along."

Marion H. Fitzpatrick, 45th GA from "Red Dirt and Isinglass"

What more can one say! Marion served until April 2, 1865 when he died from wounds received seven days before Lee surrended.

Houston White
Cpl. 42 GA
Pvt 10 Texas

[Stateline]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Your posts contained a lot of very interesting info Mr. White & I appreciate your interest in the subject. I have always been very interested in the fact that some of the men liked their clothing homemade. My unit portrays the Stateline troops that Joe Brown raised up to defend Georgia & we do some reserve,militia & homeguard impressions from time to time so most of us wear homespun clothing anyway but I also like my civilian coat when doing AOT impressions here in Georgia. There is an interesting observation made by an official from the Georgia state government while observing some of the Stateline troops, "They wore brown jeans, country made & country worn."

George Eason/1st Ga. Stateline

[Reserve]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

George,

I have spent some time going through the CSR's the FL. State Archives has and have found that it was pretty common for Confederate troops at least in the CSR's I have seen for troops to actually "double dip" and that is to draw clothing from the goverment post- Oct. 8, 1862 and get "Commutation for Food and Clothing" which was an allowance for food and clothing/supplies sent from home. If you cross-reference that with the kind of letters you have and have been kindly posted I think the inference can be made that homespun and civilian clothing was pretty common in BOTH the eastern and western theater.

http://docsouth.unc.edu/ has some good and easily accessible primary sources that show that making homespun clothing was common, and that when soldiers would draw their clothing and receive clothing from home they were more than set, and then they would sometimes sell what they didn't need to soldiers with more worn clothing than their own. Here is how one ANV fellow stole a civilian coat.

“We crossed South Mountain at Monteray Gap. When we came to the above town I pressed into service a citizen's coat, in this way: We were ordered to rest, and, as usual, we would sit on fences and lay about the road. Some of the boys jumped on an old hog pen. It broke through. They fell in, and, lo and behold, there were boxes of clothing, dresses, shawls, blankets, and, in fact, everything in the line of wearing apparel. I, being a little fellow, crawled through some of the boys' legs and captured the coat. If the fool citizen would have left his things in his house they would have been safe, but to put it in our way was too much for us to leave behind.”Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier (L. Leon) p. 39

Not saying this was the most common occurence post-commutation but in some cases as you know homespun stuff should be perfectly acceptable.

[GACornbread]

Re: Clothing allowances in 1863

Thanks Ethan. Marion has a letter where his talking about just that point:

Camp Near Rappahannock Station, VA
Nov 2nd, 1863

"...I drawed $46.00, and twelve dollars of back rations which I should have drawn while at the hospital. I have collected what was oweing to me and paid what I owed, and have $34.00 left. .... I will send you some money by first chance. They owe me two months wages now and over one hundred dollars commutation money for clothing which we will get next January, forty dollars transportaion money, home and back, which I do not know when I will get. Some blankets and coats have come to the regiment but I will not get any I suppose as there are others needing them worse than I am."

There's your double dipping in some ways I had not heard of before.
Plus, I just have to provide this one:

Ferguson Hospital
Lynchburg, VA
July 6th 1863

"...I have two shirts, two pr. drawers, 1 pr. pants, one blanket, one small oilcloth, and my overcoat with me. I have the last pants you sent me. They gave our boys in our Reg. just before the last march a choice to have their tents hauled or a portion of their knapsacks. Of course they all preferred the knapsacks. They carried one knapsack for every five men. I put a pair of pants and some other little tricks in one and sent them on. I think one of my company will get a furlough before long. If he does he will carry my overcoat home for me or will carry it to Knoxville and you can get it from there. I shall leave it here with him and if he does not get off home he can sell it for something and save the money for me. There was a general waste of things when our Reg. left camp. I picked up a nice light blanket and brought it here with me, besides the heavy blanket of my own, but knowing I could not carry it on the march, I sold it the other day for $2.00. "


Marion's writings are full of great stuff like this. I think this backs up both points above. Plus, I love the part about everyone choosing to put their knapsacks on the wagon and only carring one knapsack per five men.

Houston White
Cpl 42 GA
Pvt 10 Texas