Uniforms 8th Texas Cav shirt

[Gillam&Miller]

anyone ever heard of the red flannel shirt with blue or black trim the boys of the 8th Texas cav wore ? Photos below for reference

 

[FedericoFCavada]

Probably not altogether different from the red flannel shirts worn by the midwestern farmers' sons in the 1st MN at the start of the war... Presumably, some may have had plastron fronts, since that style was already in use by cowboys and volunteer fire companies?

The whole "shirt" thing originated in the amateur military tradition from the Garibaldini of Italy. The basic idea was that a "uniform" colored shirt was an inexpensive and relatively easily obtained item, and also eminently practical. Some of the so-called "battle shirts" are of a piece with this Italian-derived identifying garment. Often the shirts would be worn un-tucked with a belt.

Once upon a time, some years ago, there was a storied Texas smooth-bore team at the N-SSA in Winchester, VA that rocked red flannel shirts and blue wheel caps while sweeping the targets with various smooth-bore muskets. It was, of course, a tribute to Terry's Texas Rangers and perhaps some other trans-Mississippi Texas units.

 

[James N.]

anyone ever heard of the red flannel shirt with blue or black trim the boys of the 8th Texas cav wore ? Photos below for reference

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I believe that all such reconstructions like these are based on a single painting by Samuel Maverick - of maverick steer fame who was also supposedly a member of the unit - and that no other evidence for them exists, especially whether or not they were actually "uniforms" per se or just one-offs he may have seen somewhere. Welcome to the forums!

 

[Lampasas Bill]

I believe that all such reconstructions like these are based on a single painting by Samuel Maverick

I agree with James N. The painting depicts Sam, in red shirt, and three companions outside of San Antonio soon after they enlisted. Each wears a different shirt or jacket. There's no information that any of their garments were typical of the unit. The painting was not made by Maverick, however, but by Carl Iwonski, a Prussian emigrant and self taught artist who settled in San Antonio. During the war Iwonski made sketches and paintings of troops stationed in south Texas, one of these was his painting of Maverick and three companions in the 8th Texas Cavalry. The original painting is now in the Witte Museum in San Antonio.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

For some odd reason, red flannel shirts were popular with Texas troops, cavalrymen especially. Arthur Fremantle makes mention of it.

They were most likely simple everyday overshirts tucked into their trousers. There may have been outer pockets, but I highly doubt they were anything like illustrated.

 

[major bill]

The 2nd image in post #1 came with an accompanying text. One might want to read that text.

 

[FedericoFCavada]

I don't think I can make any claims about continuity between the uniforms and equipage (what Brits call "kit") between the Lonestar Republic's armed forces--such as they were--and later Texas Confederates, but it is a fact that many ready-to-wear red flannel shirts, and others of linen "Russia duck" were purchased by Texas purchasing agents in New Orleans after San Jacinto... That, and an initial order of 500 leather caps, followed a bit later by fully 1,093 leather caps, which are commonly thought to have been the hideous and impractical Model 1833 leather forage cap that the U.S. army was using--however briefly--at the time. There is also evidence--much of it conjectural or speculative--that the Texas Republic army used red wool blankets. So while the fatigue uniforms were gray with black trim, or white, and the dress uniforms were dark blue and white for infantry, there was a "flash of red" here and there. The Texas army's NCOs tied their red sashes up on the right side instead of the left. When the Civil War began, there was considerable use in Texas of the materiel surrendered by David Emanuel Twiggs, which was supplying about 1/5th of the total U.S. army in distant frontier posts. Many Texas CSA uniforms were, wait for it, gray with black trim, albeit in a more modern cut. The State Penitentiary in Huntsville had looms and textile mills, which produced undyed woolens and jean cloth, which were the color of the sheep that produced it... Typically off white, white, or a very light gray. I know that the 6th TX infantry, CSA wore mostly butternut jean cloth uniforms when they were with the Army of the Tennessee.

I also might add, that in the various pre-modern and un-scientific thinking that was still very common in the 19th century, the color red as used in drawers like the so-called drop-seat "union suit" was thought to be healthier for the wearer. So if red long johns, presumably red shirts too?

 

[James N.]

Here's another interpretation of the Terry's "uniforms" by artist Tom Parker in 1958.

 

[major bill]

This version of the 8th Texas Cav. is on my wall.

 

[major bill]

The postcard size uniform guide for the I/S Miniature that came with the 8th Texas Cavalry. I suspect several of our forum members painted one of these I/S models. The same postcard came with the other soldiers shown and the 8th Texas is on the right. I bet we have forum members who not only can identify the other three uniforms but once painted the models.

 

[1st New Jersey Brigade]

Interesting uniform but can any uniform beat the 3rd N.J. Cav. / 1st U.S. Hussars ?

 

[RedRover]

Here is the original image upon which the various artists's views are based...

While the 20th Century artists show a red single-breasted jacket, with the blue trimmings, it looks more like a trimmed "battle shirt" to me. Below is a soldier of the 18th TX cavalry in such a shirt...

From Military Collector & Historian, the journal of the Company of Military Historians, the following has been determined regarding the units' outfit...