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Hi there Folks!
Not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes.
Yesterday I read with interest a thread posted by Paul Calloway which quoted an article by Chris Sullivan with regard to the Federal Issue Shirt. I was particularly interested to read that many of the shirts produced by J T Martin were made of Canton Flannel instead of Domet Flannel.
What I am trying to find out is how common was it for issue shirts to be made from canton flannel. I know that underwear was made from this during the civil war, and so the material must have been commonly available. Do any existing Canton Flannel Issue shirts survive or are their any references to such items. Was the so called Contract Varient Shirt produced from canton in any great numbers. To my mind a contractor would make them from any flannel material available to him at the time in order to meet deadlines whether it be domet, canton or any other variety.
I live in the United Kingdom so sources can be a little thin on the ground at times and I certainly cant view any originals. I am fairly new to the Campaigner/Authentic side of things having done mainstream up untill about 18 months ago.
I would greatly appreciate any and all information regarding this subject.
Regards
Alistair
Not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes.
Yesterday I read with interest a thread posted by Paul Calloway which quoted an article by Chris Sullivan with regard to the Federal Issue Shirt. I was particularly interested to read that many of the shirts produced by J T Martin were made of Canton Flannel instead of Domet Flannel.
By June 30, 1865 the Quartermaster's Department had purchased 1,203,548 'flannel shirts' and manufactured another 1,249,404. Knit shirts numbered 261,229 (Strayer and Adolphson, 1994). It is evident that a tremendous amount of 'Canton Flannel' was purchased by the government during the war for the manufacture of 'shirts and drawers' (Strayer and Adolphson, 1994).
On September 3, 1864 the 'Cincinnati [supply] Depot' awarded New York contractor J.T. Martin an order for 400,000 'G.F. (gray flannel) shirts.' Reports further describe the fabric as: 'Flannel, Canton, 3/4 '; Flannel gray twilled 3/4 and gray and blue , 3/4' (Strayer and Adolphson, 1994). The '3/4' refers to the width; in this case that means 27 inches (Huntoon, 1898). In February, 1864 a similar contact was given to Alex T. Lane of Philadelphia for 100,000 shirts of blue twilled flannel (Brewster, 1994). Thus shirts of various shades of gray were also manufactured, accepted and issued (Strayer and Adolphson, 1994).
On September 3, 1864 the 'Cincinnati [supply] Depot' awarded New York contractor J.T. Martin an order for 400,000 'G.F. (gray flannel) shirts.' Reports further describe the fabric as: 'Flannel, Canton, 3/4 '; Flannel gray twilled 3/4 and gray and blue , 3/4' (Strayer and Adolphson, 1994). The '3/4' refers to the width; in this case that means 27 inches (Huntoon, 1898). In February, 1864 a similar contact was given to Alex T. Lane of Philadelphia for 100,000 shirts of blue twilled flannel (Brewster, 1994). Thus shirts of various shades of gray were also manufactured, accepted and issued (Strayer and Adolphson, 1994).
I live in the United Kingdom so sources can be a little thin on the ground at times and I certainly cant view any originals. I am fairly new to the Campaigner/Authentic side of things having done mainstream up untill about 18 months ago.
I would greatly appreciate any and all information regarding this subject.
Regards
Alistair
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