Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

[Vicksburg Dave]

The Mississippi Agricultural Museum has a pair of trousers and a shirt belonging to a Jasper C. Parkman that they attribute to the Civil War. A document displayed with the pants mentions the 2nd Louisiana Vols. I am interested in hearing your opinions of these items.

[markj]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Interesting items--thanks much for sharing the photos.

It's difficult to say whether this individual actually served in the 2nd Louisiana--a document signed by a 2nd LA officer (especially one that may have a portion missing) does not automatically guarantee Jasper Parkman was in that particular (or any) unit. I did a search on the "Soldiers and Sailors System" and was unable to pull up anyone by that name.

Assuming Parker served in the 2nd LA, then he did most, if not all, of his time in the ANV:

http://aotw.org/officers.php?unit_id=634

http://members.aol.com/CAinswo621/index2.html

However, unless there is other information out there, I would cast cold water on Parkman's enlistment in, at least, the 2nd LA. Parkman was from Lawrence County, MS (county seat: Monticello), which is, as the crow flies, about 150 miles north of New Orleans. Multiple units were raised in Lawrence County, and adjacent counties, so, unless Parkman had a specific reason to enlist with the 2nd LA, logic would dictate he joined a unit raised in his locale (assuming he joined at all). Needless to say, given his occupation of "farmer," Parkman may have instead enrolled in a local militia unit.

Thoughts?

Mark Jaeger

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Your guess is as good as mine. I could not find him in Broadfoot's roster, nor in google anywhere.

[Joe Walker]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

David- those trousers appear to be cotton. Can you verify? How about other details?

Thanks,

Joe Walker

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Yes, they are definitely cotton, but that's about all I know about them. They were behind glass and difficult to shoot.

[boreguard]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Did you check Booth's (Listing of Soldiers from Louisiana, though not perfect) book for his name or For Dixie I'll Take My Stand which is the same for Mississippi soldiers ?

Just Curious.

[boreguard]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

The document that you photographed and posted is interesting. Having looked and hundreds of various sorts of documents from the period and specific to Louisiana I don't quite recognize this format as specific to any one format in particular. I've been involved with the Camp Moore Confederate Museum and Cemetery for years and as you would imagine our focus was Louisiana troops, their movements, the men, their descendants, and finally anything used to verify something about them from muster rolls, pension applications, and etc.

For more on Camp Moore visit the web site at www.campmoore.com

In the mean time I'm gonna look for this guy, you got my curisoity up !

[DougCooper]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Those garments are fantastic - note the pocket and fly pattern style on the cotton jean trousers - and see here: http://www.crchilds.com/id46.htm

[boreguard]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Dave I checked Booth's Books for Parkman and even the spelling of Parkmon and our guy isn't there. While not infallable, the books are a strong source for information on Louisiana soldiers. I'm gonna go look at this sometime end of this week or next, this would be fun to solve.
I'll keep you posted.
Regards,

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Thanks.
Any chance that that the document may be a civilian pass of some kind? I've spent more than my share of time in the archives and have not seen anything exactly like it. It suppose it would have helped if the museum had the other half of the document. It would be nice, however, if the trousers could be verified, or not, as worn by a soldier. Both the shirt and trousers are in nice condition, almost too well preserved.

[boreguard]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Good question, but I just don't remember seeing anything like that in the form of a pass, however that's not one of those run of the mill surviving relics, a pass that is. I'm inclined to think just by looking at the britches that they are post war, but please dont think I'm sayin they are...juuuust a suspiscion.

do you have access to a copy of "For Dixie I'll Take My Stand" at the park, if so you'll be able to look him up before I will. We have a copy down at Camp Moore, but it'll be a week or so before I'm down there again.

I'm sure you asked, but does the museum have any donation information that may lead to a contact ?

Talk to ya soon,

[boreguard]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

Dave something hit me when I went back and looked at that document again, I printed it out and can't help but suspect that this is post war, maybe SpanAM period...maybe. Dog gone it man you got my interest up on this as if I didn't have enough to do :)
See ya

[boreguard]

Re: Trousers and Shirt in Miss. Ag Museum

One more theory. This could be a Federal unit. There were a few Federal units raised in Louisiana. Maybe Parkman was a prisioner, maybe this is form used to describe a prisioner. There was a couple sites in New Olreans that held prisioners and the 2nd Louisiana (Federal did garrision duty there till 63) Just another thought.

Note the following.
Organized at New Orleans, La., September 29, 1862. Attached to Grover's Division, Dept. of the Gulf, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. Gulf, to May, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Army Corps, to July, 1863. District of Baton Rouge, La., to September, 1863. Unattached, Cavalry Division, Dept. Gulf, to November, 1863. 3rd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf, to January, 1864. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. Gulf, to August, 1864. District of Port Hudson, La., to September, 1864. District of Baton Rouge, La., to April, 1865. Provisional Brigade, District of Baton Rouge, La., Dept. Gulf, to September, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty in the Defences of New Orleans, La., until January, 1863.