Confederate Sharpshooter's Jacket

[Klaudly]

Not even know on which front the jacket was captured?

 

[Package4]

Amazing jacket, thanks for sharing. Now I hate you, I had just sewed a different badge on my jacket

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Great kit, I'm still partial to that badge, in fact we went to a period sharpshooter's school at Ft Washington, along the Potomac, a few years back and those that attended were given badges copied from the Wise specimen. Mine is still sewn onto my late war Tait.

 

[BTWhite61]

I spoke with the person who alerted me to this jacket several weeks ago (and also shared photos) and pointed out a couple of interesting details. It came from a large group of items compiled by an officer in the 29th Mass. Infantry, a Ninth Corps regiment. Based on the condition of the jacket as well as the currently-unknown CS sharpshooter battalion patch on the sleeve I wonder if this jacket was picked up after the battle of Ford Stedman or taken from a POW there. When I looked into the 29th Mass. history I learned that they were involved in fairly intense struggle there and stayed at the front to help oversee 1,949 CS prisoners from Gordon's ANV Second Corps. Historically, Gordon deployed pioneers ahead of his divisions to clear obstacles for his advance which were closely followed by the CS sharpshooter battalions from his corps. The battalions most likely in the vicinity of the 29th Mass. Infantry during the battle were those from Grimes' and Evans' divisions, specifically drawn Baker's (Georgia), Terry's (Virginia), Cox's (North Carolina), and Doles-Cook's (Georgia) brigades. The latter battalion of Doles-Cook's brigade apparently did not have their own special badges and were issued white strips of cloth to tie around them an hour before the assault.

Another interesting piece of the puzzle is the surviving original jacket of Alfred May, 61st North Carolina State Troops, who was stationed in Virginia from Feb. 1864 to January 1865. May's jacket has some alterations (buttons/buttonholes added) but is identical in pattern, construction, and material to the unidentified CS Sharpshooter's jacket. Accompanying May's jacket is a Richmond Depot-produced confederate copy of a Federal shelter half, the only one known to still exist. It's possible that May's jacket was either drawn from Richmond or from a NC state source. If from Richmond, the May and Sharpshooter jackets could represent a previously unknown variant from the depot; if from NC then they could also be a pretty unique variant of the typical "NC state jacket." Both garments feature a 3-piece body, 1-piece sleeves, hand and machine stitching, 6-button fronts "from factory" and raw-edged belt loops that were most probably meant to be epaulets. Below are some images of the Alfred May jacket courtesy of the NC Museum of History.

 

[BTWhite61]

Another possible CS sharpshooter's jacket was worn by Francis Freeman of the 2nd Battalion GA Infantry and resides at the Cannonball House Museum in Macon, GA. Freeman's jacket is a typical product of Richmond Depot and made from vegetable dyed domestic jeans (now oxidized to tan). The collar and cuffs are trimmed on the outer edges with green worsted wool tape (now deteriorated) and the jacket has Federal rifle officer buttons on the fronts and three added to each cuff. I haven't been able to determine if the 2nd Battalion GA Infantry provided sharpshooters to a brigade battalion, or if Freeman was one of them, but the possibility is intriguing.

 

[Package4]

I spoke with the person who alerted me to this jacket several weeks ago (and also shared photos) and pointed out a couple of interesting details. It came from a large group of items compiled by an officer in the 29th Mass. Infantry, a Ninth Corps regiment. Based on the condition of the jacket as well as the currently-unknown CS sharpshooter battalion patch on the sleeve I wonder if this jacket was picked up after the battle of Ford Stedman or taken from a POW there. When I looked into the 29th Mass. history I learned that they were involved in fairly intense struggle there and stayed at the front to help oversee 1,949 CS prisoners from Gordon's ANV Second Corps. Historically, Gordon deployed pioneers ahead of his divisions to clear obstacles for his advance which were closely followed by the CS sharpshooter battalions from his corps. The battalions most likely in the vicinity of the 29th Mass. Infantry during the battle were those from Grimes' and Evans' divisions, specifically drawn Baker's (Georgia), Terry's (Virginia), Cox's (North Carolina), and Doles-Cook's (Georgia) brigades. The latter battalion of Doles-Cook's brigade apparently did not have their own special badges and were issued white strips of cloth to tie around them an hour before the assault.

Another interesting piece of the puzzle is the surviving original jacket of Alfred May, 61st North Carolina State Troops, who was stationed in Virginia from Feb. 1864 to January 1865. May's jacket has some alterations (buttons/buttonholes added) but is identical in pattern, construction, and material to the unidentified CS Sharpshooter's jacket. Accompanying May's jacket is a Richmond Depot-produced confederate copy of a Federal shelter half, the only one known to still exist. It's possible that May's jacket was either drawn from Richmond or from a NC state source. If from Richmond, the May and Sharpshooter jackets could represent a previously unknown variant from the depot; if from NC then they could also be a pretty unique variant of the typical "NC state jacket." Both garments feature a 3-piece body, 1-piece sleeves, hand and machine stitching, 6-button fronts "from factory" and raw-edged belt loops that were most probably meant to be epaulets. Below are some images of the Alfred May jacket courtesy of the NC Museum of History.

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I was thinking along the NC path, but since it is almost a one off was hesitant to proffer an opinion. I am glad you filled in the details as I said that I would not until the owner gave permission. I was also wondering if it could have been a medical steward's jacket, but did not want to upset anyone considering what was paid for it.

 

[BTWhite61]

I was thinking along the NC path, but since it is almost a one off was hesitant to proffer an opinion. I am glad you filled in the details as I said that I would not until the owner gave permission. I was also wondering if it could have been a medical steward's jacket, but did not want to upset anyone considering what was paid for it.

The patch is most definitely one of the several designs worn by the mid to late war CS sharpshooter battalions. I wish we knew which one though. Others were described as being "red cloth" in the shape of trefoils, quatrefoils, stars, and a star above a half-chevron.

 

[Package4]

The patch is most definitely one of the several designs worn by the mid to late war CS sharpshooter battalions. I wish we knew which one though. Others were described as being "red cloth" in the shape of trefoils, quatrefoils, stars, and a star above a half-chevron.

There was another jacket with green trim and federal rifleman's buttons that Dave Taylor sold some years ago, it came out on his web page and unfortunately I was the second caller. Sold very low as he couldn't say for sure what it was.....I'll try and find the pics, but it looked righteous...….

 

[Package4]

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

There was another jacket with green trim and federal rifleman's buttons that Dave Taylor sold some years ago, it came out on his web page and unfortunately I was the second caller. Sold very low as he couldn't say for sure what it was.....I'll try and find the pics, but it looked righteous...….

That sounds like a jacket I've seen a couple of times, my suspicion is its federal. I'd be happy to send pm a picture to see if they're the same jacket.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Never mind, they're the same...

 

[UCVRelics]

I do and will post them after I send them to Les Jensen as promised during the Richmond show. Hopefully later today, work just seems to mess things up...…..

If you don't mind telling what did it sell for?

 

[Package4]

If you don't mind telling what did it sell for?

Just sent you a PM

 

[Package4]

To my knowledge, this is the only known Southern Sharpshooter's jacket, there are others whose owner was a sharpshooter, but this jacket with the green cuffs, collar and sharpshooter's badge was made specifically for the unit. Unfortunately/fortunately the jacket was captured/picked up off the battlefield and sent North. Unfortunately, because there was no unit ID, fortunately because it was preserved in impeccable condition. The coat was found in a trunk with period military papers completed wrapped, in brown wrapping paper and stored in such a way as to save from insect damage.

The coat is made of English Army Cloth, has US general service buttons, osnaburg lining and belt loops, though I feel that the belt loops are actually the epaulets detached from the shoulder and resewn to the rear waist area. The red heart sharpshooter's badge is still fairly vibrant and there is no doubt in my mind that there will be plenty red hearts soon to be sewn on jackets in the re-enactment community!

You asked...….

Photos removed per request

 

[UCVRelics]

Great CS jacket and I love the yankee eagle I buttons.