Confederate 'CSA' general Service Buttons

Klaudly

Sergeant
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Location
Italy
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A friend of mine here in Italy asked me if he could use the general service 'CSA' buttons in his infantry jacket.
At this point I confessed my ignorance, that of buttons is a topic that I have never explored. I don't know if they were imported from England or manufactured in Confederate depots, if they were intended for a specific Corps, Department or Army or if they were used universally among the Confederate troops.
 
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A friend of mine here in Italy asked me if he could use the general service 'CSA' buttons in his infantry jacket.
At this point I confessed my ignorance, that of buttons is a topic that I have never explored. I don't know if they were imported from England or manufactured in Confederate depots, if they were intended for a specific Corps, Department or Army or if they were used universally among the Confederate troops.
They were used by the infantry so he can wear it. Most were imported but the solid cast ones were local made. What is the back-mark?
 
Excerpts from the reminiscences of two soldiers in the 33rd Alabama Infantry, note;

"arriving at Knoxville about October 24th [1862] we had [issued]… a suit of clothes each, woolen gray jeans, jacket lined with white cotton sheeting, with four C.S.A. brass buttons, a pair of unlined gray jeans pants, white cotton sheeting shirt and drawers and white cotton machine knit sleazy socks and pair of rough tan brogans, hand made wooden pegged shoes. Some drew gray hats…Most, or all of us had been using finger knit woolen socks which were sent to us from home."

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"Most, or all of us had been using finger knit woolen socks which were sent to us from home."
Such was very common.

Even after receiving new CSA government issued uniforms ( socks included) ... within a few days, most guys had
reverted back to wearing their much more comfortable clothes sent from home.

Most officers wisely didn't say much about the clothes/uniforms ... provided all of their weapons were well maintained.
 
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Excerpts from the reminiscences of two soldiers in the 33rd Alabama Infantry, note;



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90,000 stamped "CSA" uniform buttons coming in on one British blockade runner ?

Wow !
( and that shipment was even intercepted )

I wonder how many more London buttons successfully passed through the Union blockade ?
 
90,000 stamped "CSA" uniform buttons coming in on one British blockade runner ?

Wow !
( and that shipment was even intercepted )

I wonder how many more London buttons successfully passed through the Union blockade ?
There were 100,000's of buttons imported by the South from England during the early days of the war. Some of these shipments were intercepted by the yankees. The makers marks told the tale of England providing the South with war material and the north took notice of the English makers of captured items and issued protest to the English Gov. After that the English makers changed their back-marks to "Superior Quality" Below are the backs of 2 CSA buttons made by the same English Co.

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Do you know in which department the 'CSA' buttons were distributed? Were they present on all fronts? For example, can they be sewn on either Columbus, Richmond or Alabama Depot Jacket?
 
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