Late War Jackets

[PrettyBoyDonovan]

I've been thinking of adding a late-war ANV impression to my kit. I'd be curious to know which jacket those of you who already portray this wear.

For me it's a toss up between getting a new Tait jacket, or a new RD III.

Thanks

[texandrummer61]

Re: Late War Jackets

If it were me, I'd do the Tait, because in 64-65, they were shipped over from Limerick, Irelank by the thousands.

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Late War Jackets

I've been thinking of adding a late-war ANV impression to my kit. I'd be curious to know which jacket those of you who already portray this wear.

For me it's a toss up between getting a new Tait jacket, or a new RD III.

Thanks

I don't think you should base your decision on what "those of you who already potray this [period] wear." You'll get a flawed data sample based on non-historical factors. You shouldn't care what anyone else wears...

Rather, do some research to back up your specific needs for the regiment you are planning to portray. Find out through this research what actual men were wearing then... there is plenty out there.

In any event you should find that the Richmond Clothing Manufactury was cranking out tons of jackets in the late war period as well as importing a good number of foreign made jackets.

Start here:

http://www.military-historians.org/company/journal/confederate/confederate-1.htm

Good luck,

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Late War Jackets

Ryan's post is quite correct. Your first step should be to read Jensen (if you haven't already.) Since there are so many surviving Type III jackets (Jensen's typology), he is able to discuss them in significant detail.

Regarding Tait jackets vs. Richmond Clothing Manufactury jackets, the numbers aren't even close. Richmond was outproducing imports by a huge margin.

Also, I've always considered the Tait a very late war jacket. While there is strong evidence to suggest earlier usage, the earliest documentable shipment of Tait clothing is Christmas 1864. So, based on what you can solidly document, you have about 4 months of war to wear that.

Last, don't overlook the transitional Richmond jackets. There is at least one extant Richmond jacket made of kersey and having shoulder straps but no belt loops. It is id'd to William Ramsey of the 17th Virginia and is the jacket he wore home from Appomattox.



This jacket is extremely versatile and garments of this pattern and material can be documented as early as fall 1863.

[PrettyBoyDonovan]

Re: Late War Jackets

Thanks for the input.

The Qaurtermaster records that I've come across for my unit are rather sketchy for the late war period (probably just because I haven't looked hard enough) so I just wanted to see how others felt on the issue.

I agree with Mr. Stillwagon that the Tait jacket was very late in the war, and that there may also be some "non-descript" ( can't think of the right word) jackets that would prove to be more versatile.

Any more imput about anything late War ANV jackets would be appreciated.

Thanks Again,

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Late War Jackets

Research conducted by Eric Mink indicates that the Stonewall Brigade had recieved some type of English uniform goods by May of 1863. In a letter written by Alexander Tedford Barclay, a member of Company I, 4th Virginia, dated May 26, 1863, Barclay wrote to his sister that:

"as I was getting tolerably ragged, the brigade secured a supply of English clothes. So as I was one of the needy ones, I am rigged in a splendid suit of blue."

Ted Barclay, Liberty Hall Volunteers: Letters from the Stonewall Brigade. 1992.

It is also interesting that one of the transitional type II jackets is ID'ed to a member of the 17th Virginia. In the New Market Battlefield Museum there is an officer's jacket ID'ed to a member of the 17th Virginia which appears to be manufactured of imported kersey. This officer (can't remember the name) was killed at Sharpsburg. The fabric of this jacket is a dead ringer for the "English imported cloth" of a jacket currently on display at the GNMP museum.

I agree that the transitional type II is a very versatile and I believe underrepresented item.

On March 19, 1862, the cargo of a captured blockade runner was appraised by Orison Blunt. The schooner Stephen Hart was owned by S. Isaac, Campbell & Company. The vessel's cargo consisted of large quantities of small arms, ordnance supplies, accoutrements, cloth, and other military necessities to include shoes.

Among the captured cargo was listed: 1,546 yards of gray army cloth; 11,453 yards of "steel-mixed gray army cloth, for uniforms;" the 625 gross of CSA buttons previously mentioned; 2,220 "water-proof covers for mess tins;" and a huge quantity of "buttons for army uniforms and clothing, as follows:" black silk vest buttons, white linen vest buttons, black wooden buttons, white agate buttons, pearl buttons, bone buttons, horn buttons, and white and black bone buttons.

I believe that we still have a lot more to learn about the importation of English goods and their use among the Confederate armies.

[Skeet]

Re: Late War Jackets

You could always go with a civilian sack coat. They were all throughout the war. Cpl Dan Morgan 10thVA(IVR)

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Late War Jackets

You could always go with a civilian sack coat. They were all throughout the war. Cpl Dan Morgan 10thVA(IVR)

While technically correct, I don't always agree with this statement. It really can't be given a blanket endorsement. We really have to look at specific impressions and time periods to accept or not accept the usage of such a major piece of civilian equipment as a main tunic/garment.

Especially in the later war ANV, which did keep it's frontline soldier's well clothed . . . you really need to rely on research for specific unit/time period portrayals. Much of the photo evidence and well known quotes show that ANV troops were well clad and some references even refer to CS troops better clothed than Federals.

After the action at Kelly's Ford Nov/1863:

"The prisoners here taken were better clothed than any we had before seen; all were provided with overcoats and jackets of much better material than our own. They were of English manufacture, a much darker blue than the United States uniforms, and they furnished conclusive evidence of successful blockade running. "

from: p. 134 Music on the March 1862 - 1865 with the Army of the Potomac. 114th Penna.Vols., Collis' Zouaves. By Frank Rauscher

[GBaylor]

Re: Late War Jackets

I must concur with Mr. Weddle. The ANV was very well uniformed as the war progressed. Aside from the evidence from Mr. Barclay, there other accounts of ANV troops receiving clothing made from English goods at the same time period. Davey Holt of the 16th Mississippi comments on receiving a suit of English goods after Chancellorsville. There's a photo of the 5th Virginia Cavalry taken around Aldie, VA in June of 1863 after the battle of Aldie where the far end of the line appears to have indentical trousers and jackets. This was Captain Boston's company that was just about captured en masse.

Further, from evidence of photos of Confederate dead in the trenches of Petersburg you'll see that each soldier is well uniformed (some in Tait jackets), but all in military clothing; ditto photographs of the captured Confederates in the "Punch Bowl and Belle Plain"

John Sweeney