Richmond Depot jacket

Yeah, lol, not much of a chance of a downpour here, we're in a serious drought! Lol. Six to seven mile March? Good lord man! What do ya'll do, park and force march to event?
I've done several preservation marches where we raise coin for preservation of monuments.

Miroku M1861.jpg
 
But aren't you still portraying someone who carried greasy food in his haversack?
This quote is from Major Cotter of the U.S. Army who was captured at Perryville. He gave an incredible and believable description of Rebel soldiers there:

The Major found the Confederate soldiers in a condition of great filth and destitution. Some of them had shirts made of carpets, table cloths, old calico dressed, blankets, &c. They were greasy from head to foot. They carry their rations of pork in a haversack by their side, and the grease running down their pantaloons, which are worn as long as they will hang together, gives them a filthy appearance, besides creating an odor perfectly sickening. The Major says it “turned his stomach.” Field officers can be distinguished, but line officers cannot. Colonels have three stars on the shoulder, Lieutenant Colonels, two, and Majors one. Sometimes a line officer has a sword or a sash, captured from a Federal officer, and he is usually very proud of it. The men look pale and sallow on account of hard marching, short rations, &c. They told the Major that when they came from Chattanooga they marched seven days with rations of three ears of corn each, picking up a little something on the way. They are desperate, and fight desperately.​
 
PSA: 0200 post while hopped up on pain killers. Grammer nitpickers and editors you have been warned.

One of the more eye opening things I have ever done as a Living Historian was a 10 mile route march to raise money for preservation. I think there were about twenty of us (most of us were in decent shape) and we walked most of the way in a roadside ditch. After that first mile I had figured out that I needed to readjust my cartridge box to ride on my right tail cheek instead of further forward partially on my hip. I also figured out that while the canteen riding high almost under my armpit was a mistake because I just couldn't easily get to it while moving. Thank God it was in the fall with nice weather. I also discovered it was just about impossible to get my pipe lit while marching.

At our first rest break I watched several guys drop items of gear into the escort truck. The most noticable was the Lt we had along stripping his pistol and all associated leathers and tossing it in the truck. He did the rest of the march w/ his sword & scabbard on his shoulder instead of his hip. The bed of the truck was littered with things guys had figured they didn't need. About half way through we had our first drop outs; one fella literally walked out of his brogans losing the heel on his right foot. He tried to march that way for a little while but it didn't work and he went the rest of the way sitting on the tailgate of the escort truck. Another fella stepped in a hole and twisted his ankle but good.

I remember being really startled to find that we were all in step, at least everyone I could see was, within a mile of being put at the route step. I think about half of us were using blanket rolls instead of knapsacks. One fella had figured an ingenious way to sling his musket tieing it to his knapsack great coat straps. It was wonderful until he turned sharply and accidently butt stroked his filemate in the head. Those of us who wore blanket rolls used them to good effect whenever we stopped for a rest break as it was tossed on the ground and used as a nice impromptu pillow. By the half way point those who hadn't shortened haversack or canteen straps did so to stop the thing from banging against their thigh.

While in the USAF at basic & the follow on tech school I had become quite capable of sleeping while on the march and at some point towards the end of the march I nodded off. I was woke up by some rather incessent giggling as we passed a group of onlookers, apparently I was snoring. The gift though was that several guys attempted feats they had read of in period accounts. Several men did manage to read while marching but the two who tried to write a letter just couldn't do it. Those who had Enfield style bayonet scabbards all purchased Springfield style bayonet scabbards shortly after.

The march was certainly an ersatz one in that the ditch was fairly even, vaguely straight with only a handful of small hills and with nice weather. We all had a better understanding of what it took to do a route march and certainly more respect for those who did so as a regular occurance. I think we did the march in three-four hours but I don't really remember. What I do remember is being just plain beat.

That first route march gave me a very real appreciation and understanding of what it meant when I read of or spoke of 10 mile in two hour marches or the 118 miles in three day march. Now whenever I see a young man with his traps riding down around his knees I make an effort to educate him and I do firmly believe whoever came up with right shoulder shift was brilliant as it is amazingly comfortable on a long march, certainly more so than marching with a slung Enfield. I certainly appreciated my Miroku manufactured M1861, enough so that I will never go back to an Italian.
Where was there a ten mile march in two hours? I was in the Corps and we would force march at 4 miles an hour which was an incredible gate - nonstop.

Someone actually did 40 miles a day on foot for three days?

Not that I don't believe you, but where was this?
 
Where was there a ten mile march in two hours? I was in the Corps and we would force march at 4 miles an hour which was an incredible gate - nonstop.

Someone actually did 40 miles a day on foot for three days?

Not that I don't believe you, but where was this?
4th MN VI did 10 miles in 4 hours during the early stages of the Vicksburg campaign. IIRC on their way to Raymond or Champion Hill. At Raymond they double quicked over a mile to reach the extreme left flank of the US line losing several men to the heat.

The 3rd IA VI did the 118 miles in three days during the Vicksburg campaign. I don't recall the particulars but they marched almost 10 miles more than any other Regt in the Brigade... and they were quite proud of the fact.

Several AoP units passed the 40 mile mark in a day getting to Gettysburg.

There were several CS units that accomplished similar marches; the first that comes to mind would be Jackson's "foot cavalry" of the Valley campaign.
 
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Alright fellers, posting an updated photo of this jacket. Did some hand stitching on button holes, replaced buttons with VA buttons. Oh, earlier I posted no belt loops. My mistake, when it arrived, thee were two on the back. Before and after photos.
View attachment 81606 View attachment 81607

Good job.. definitely brings up the authenticity meter up a few notches with some better buttons on it.. If you desire to add a bit more... I would do some hand stitching over the existing button holes with a lighter or natural thread as most originals are found to have... and some straight line hand top stitching on the edges... This jacket looks quite similar in fabric and jacket pattern to one that Blockade Runner was offering a couple years ago... Have one identical in the closet that was donated by an outgoing unit member for use as a loaner... I put Block-I buttons on it so it would be a bit more generic...
 
Alright fellers, posting an updated photo of this jacket. Did some hand stitching on button holes, replaced buttons with VA buttons. Oh, earlier I posted no belt loops. My mistake, when it arrived, thee were two on the back. Before and after photos.
View attachment 81606 View attachment 81607
That is a lot like one of mine. I went with the "I" buttons, and its trimmed but very similar.
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Thanks Frederick, some of that has been done, but with a navy blue shade of thread. I plan on doing more, i.e. the shoulder seams.

What are you planning to do to the shoulder seams? On a typical Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket the only visible external stitching is around the perimeter of the jacket body, cuffs and collar (top stitching), the epaulets and button holes.

There are a couple of other styles of coats that have some different sewing techniques. "Mystery" jackets, speculative Mobile production, have an extra row of stitching around the perimeter that some folks call "double totstitching". It is not, the extra row nearest the edge is a modified whipstitch that binds the edge and shows through on the top of the coat and side. If I recally correctly there is at least one of the 4 button jackets that also employs a similar stitching method. The Trioani 3rd Louisiana jacket has the long seams machine felled to the body on one side of each seam to help prevent the loosely woven cloth it was made of from unraveling. That is a most unique feature, and I believe that is the only surviving CS garment constructed as such. The jacket is also nearly entirely sewn with a chainstitch.
 
IMHO you are wasting your time whipstitching the buttonholes. Original garments have a very distinct stitch method used to secure the buttonholes. Whipstitching them is a cop-out and is no more authentic than having machine sewn buttonholes in the first place. Since this isn't your go-to jacket there is no reason why you shouldn't try your hand at a proper buttonhole; if you mess up or they look sloppy it's no skin off your nose.
Here is a link to a good article on how to sew correct buttonholes from the Authentic Campaigner Forum: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com...for-Hand-sewing-buttonholes-by-Chris-Sullivan I have attached an image from the AC post showing the construction method in case there are folks here that can't open the AC thread.
buttonhole.gif

A variation on the method shown uses a bar tack at the back side of the buttonhole to secure the stitch, and is the method that I generally use myself. I perfer a medium weight thread for buttonholes or topstitching. I've had good luck with Burnley and Trowbridge's 35/2 and some 3 ply threads from Ben Tart and others.
 
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Hey Squirrel, one problem, Tait had 8 buttons, my mystery jacket has 9. This I think is a jacket made by an individual. It's decent heavy wool, not sure the "blend". But I agree, it's not an RD. At least not a high end maker.
YT, Your jacket is similar to, 9 button Richmond (Type "II' April 1862) shell Jacket. (Pick I posted). The jacket I posted wasn't cheap. You got a really good deal, on your jacket, IMO.

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Above Photo: http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg12.htm
 
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I suggest that you pick up a copy of Lon Webster's Entrepot if interested in imported goods in the Confederacy. True, Tait did receive a large contract for uniform sets in 1863. Deliveries started to the ANV in December of 1864 if I am not mistaken. Major Tait's letters show that he was unimpressed with imported kersey already in the Confederacy when arranging the terms of their contract. This raises the possibility of substantial quantities of imported cloth in the ANV prior to the re-equipping of the ANV after Gettysburg. Ross and Collie also contracted for uniforms, some of the surviving "Tait" jackets may in fact be their products, but since there are no definable makers markings (excepting some P. Tait marked buttons) positive identification is, as of now, impossible.
Tait jackets (and English Imports as a whole) have several consistent features that make them distinguishable from all domestically produced Confederate uniforms. 1) the jacket is nearly entirely sewn with a lock stitch sewing machine 2) the shell jacket body is composed of 5 pieces, rather than the typical 6 (the center back is cut as one piece) 3) there is a double row of topstitching on the button side of the jacket front 4) all of the facings are left raw and the bottom edge of the jacket is rolled up and whipstitched to the lining 5) the collar is closed at the bottom with a brass hook and eye closure
Trim varies from jacket to jacket with several varieties known. 1) no epaulets and no trim 2) no epaulets with collar trim 3) trimmed epaulets and collar 4) piped epaulets and collar Apart from the trim variations, internal pockets come in two styles; a vertical internal breast pocket to the side of the left lapel and a horizontal pocket on the left breast. The horizontal pockets are only found on the piped examples, which incidentally are only known to come from the AoT and may be indicative of a particular manufacturer (perhaps Ross and Collie).
Alabama also contracted with Tait for uniform kits to be sewn together by Alabama seamstresses. These kits were delivered in the fall of 1864. A surviving example generally matches the "fully trimmed with epaulets" variety described above, but is constructed in the typical CS manner, with the lining and coat body sewn together show sides together, then turned right side out and top stitched. The coat was also originally constructed with a 5 button front, 4 more were added later to make a total of 9 buttons (Federal general service buttons if I call correctly) on the coat front.
Your coat shares none of these features and is best described as a RD II, although it is a fairly mainstream reproduction. As for the color of original RD jackets; although the imported kersey used for RD clothing is not the same shade as Tait, or other ready-made goods, it does have a blueish-gray color that is fairly similar. The charcoal gray color used by many sutlers (Richmond Gray) is, in my opinion, a reenactorism.

Cheers,
Garrett
 
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Also of interest may be Frederick Adolphus's book on Peter Tait uniforms. It is full of color photographs of surviving originals as well as transcripts of letters and the like. The book is an excellent source for uniformologists, and a must for one intent on reproducing Tait jackets. Nearly as good as examining the originals yourself!
 
I suggest that you pick up a copy of Lon Webster's Entrepot if interested in imported goods in the Confederacy. True, Tait did receive a large contract for uniform sets in 1863. Deliveries started to the ANV in December of 1864 if I am not mistaken. Major Tait's letters show that he was unimpressed with imported kersey already in the Confederacy when arranging the terms of their contract. This raises the possibility of substantial quantities of imported cloth in the ANV prior to the re-equipping of the ANV after Gettysburg. Ross and Collie also contracted for uniforms, some of the surviving "Tait" jackets may in fact be their products, but since there are no definable makers markings (excepting some P. Tait marked buttons) positive identification is, as of now, impossible.
Tait jackets (and English Imports as a whole) have several consistent features that make them distinguishable from all domestically produced Confederate uniforms. 1) the jacket is nearly entirely sewn with a lock stitch sewing machine 2) the shell jacket body is composed of 5 pieces, rather than the typical 6 (the center back is cut as one piece) 3) there is a double row of topstitching on the button side of the jacket front 4) all of the facings are left raw and the bottom edge of the jacket is rolled up and whipstitched to the lining 5) the collar is closed at the bottom with a brass hook and eye closure
Trim varies from jacket to jacket with several varieties known. 1) no epaulets and no trim 2) no epaulets with collar trim 3) trimmed epaulets and collar 4) piped epaulets and collar Apart from the trim variations, internal pockets come in two styles; a vertical internal breast pocket to the side of the left lapel and a horizontal pocket on the left breast. The horizontal pockets are only found on the piped examples, which incidentally are only known to come from the AoT and may be indicative of a particular manufacturer (perhaps Ross and Collie).
Alabama also contracted with Tait for uniform kits to be sewn together by Alabama seamstresses. These kits were delivered in the fall of 1864. A surviving example generally matches the "fully trimmed with epaulets" variety described above, but is constructed in the typical CS manner, with the lining and coat body sewn together show sides together, then turned right side out and top stitched. The coat was also originally constructed with a 5 button front, 4 more were added later to make a total of 9 buttons (Federal general service buttons if I call correctly) on the coat front.
Your coat shares none of these features and is best described as a RD II, although it is a fairly mainstream reproduction. As for the color of original RD jackets; although the imported kersey used for RD clothing is not the same shade as Tait, or other ready-made goods, it does have a blueish-gray color that is fairly similar. The charcoal gray color used by many sutlers (Richmond Gray) is, in my opinion, a reenactorism.

Cheers,
Garrett

True on the RDII color. The RDIII was a darker blue/grey sorta like YT's coat. I had most of my gear custom made and paid about the same as what Kabar44 is charging for their manufactured stuff though. If someone buys here they'll pay for it, but it is quality work without a doubt.
http://www.kabar44.com/jacketsRd3Kersey.htm

I noticed your other post on Fred Adolphus. I completely agree with you on his work. That was very good advice, in my opinion. He also has a great website for research and purchase, located here: Fred Adolphus

M. Warren
 
I was under the impression that The Richmond Depot closed, or was at least not accepting orders at present. I hope that isn't the case, but if so those interested in Richmond products would do well to check with:
http://wwandcompany.com/
http://www.bnbtart.com/index.html
http://crchilds.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thehonestsutler
http://www.bristolhollow.com/category_s/1846.htm

If it interests anyone, I am currently having a run of "Tait" kersey made through Kochan and Phillips that should be delivered within the next couple of months. I have about 20 yards extra that I will be looking to sell. Those interested can contact me via PM. I personally favor this cloth over other vendors blue-gray kersies (I have some W&W 2013 kersey, new and vintage County Cloth and have used Ben Tart's kersey in the past). It has a finer finish than most cloths, while the color is still a darkish blue-gray, akin to the run of kersey Wambaugh and White had made for the 2013 Kershaw's Brigade Adjunct for the 150th Chickamauga.
 
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