Confederate shirt help

[TS6014]

Hi guys after quite a few years reenacting WW2 I have been getting some confederate civil war kit together.

Can anyone advise on what style of shirt I'd need for under the shell jacket? 43rd north Carolina.

Would something civilian style suit? Or a battleshirt

 

[RedRover]

Dan W. of Wambaugh and White sells a simple CS soldier's cotton shirt, in kit, or finished.
Wambaugh and White, CSA shirt...

Andy K. at Beauregard's Tailor sells a repro CS soldier's shirt...
Beauregard's Tailor, 39th Mississippi shirt...


For the do it yourselfer...

Charlie Childs at County Cloth sells two patterns based on original shirts...
County Cloth, CSA patterns...

Ben Tart sells replica shirting, from CSA examples...
Tartex, Shirting...


Here's an interesting description of the under-garments produced at the Richmond clothing depot...
Milstead: Richmond Depot undergarments; liberty rifles...

 

[nc native]

Hi guys after quite a few years reenacting WW2 I have been getting some confederate civil war kit together.

Can anyone advise on what style of shirt I'd need for under the shell jacket? 43rd north Carolina.

Would something civilian style suit? Or a battleshirt

I had an direct ancestor in Company C of the 43rd North Carolina Infantry. His name was Thomas R. Lamm and he enlisted in March of 1862 as a private. He was with his regiment until the time of his capture during the Mine Run campaign in November 1863. He was imprisoned at Fort Delaware until his release in March 1863. After the war he fathered nineteen children and became one of the richest and most controversial citizens in Wilson County, North Carolina where he lived until his death in 1915. I am also in the process of putting together a Confederate uniform because I have been elected color sergeant in my SCV camp. I am going with a civilian style shirt with a homespun look and a banded collar probably. The fold down collar might be hard for me to get straight.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

This shirt was issued to Private Henry Hollyday, Company A, 2nd Maryland Infantry in the fourth quarter of 1864.

2nd Maryland Infantry, C.S.A. | Regimental Histories

The 2nd Maryland Infantry was mustered into service in September of 1862. Initially, the unit was designated as the 1st Maryland Infantry Battalion.The 1st Battalion was formed around the survivors of the 1st Maryland Infantry Regiment which saw service from the summer of 1861 until the summer...

civilwartalk.com

 

[captaindrew]

For an enlisted man a simple hand sewn white cotton issue shirt should be your first choice like the example above and the links @RedRover already provided. I have a couple of them from Wambaugh and White who is always my first clothing choice. I'll add another to that list, South Union Mills also offers some nice hand sewn shirts.

 

[TS6014]

Thanks guys. I'll grab a plain Cotton shirt then

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

South Union Mills has options on period shirts.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

A civilian shirt, handsewn, in a "sent from home" style would be a good bet. Even with depot items, it's well documented the CS men preferred homemade clothes. Depot issued like above is still a good idea though, I'd grab one of each(many men carried at least one extra shirt, socks, and drawers with them).

 

[Dan Kohli]

South Union Mills sells a pair of C.S. associated shirts along with a few other types of shirts.

Confederate Style Shirt with Pockets - all visible stitching by hand

Excellence in Authentic textile recreations and straw hats

www.southunionmills.com

Osnaburg Cotton Workman's or "CS Issue" Style Shirt

Excellence in Authentic textile recreations and straw hats

www.southunionmills.com

Men's Clothing & Footwear - Shirts - South Union Mills

www.southunionmills.com

 

[PrivateBrooke]

For an enlisted man a simple hand sewn white cotton issue shirt should be your first choice like the example above and the links @RedRover already provided. I have a couple of them from Wambaugh and White who is always my first clothing choice. I'll add another to that list, South Union Mills also offers some nice hand sewn shirts.

My only issue with white is, being of the incorrect gender for a soldier of the period, I wear a chest binder underneath and am afraid it might show through when I take my jacket off.

 

[captaindrew]

My only issue with white is, being of the incorrect gender for a soldier of the period, I wear a chest binder underneath and am afraid it might show through when I take my jacket off.

An understandable dilemma

 

[PrivateBrooke]

An understandable dilemma

Yeah I've floated the idea of getting a proper issue shirt for a while, but that seems a lot of money to pay for something I may not wear more than once because of this issue. So my blue and black striped civilian shirt it is. lol

 

[Seduzal]

Welcome to CWT from the Smoky Mountain side of North Carolina. Just jump right in and enjoy. To get a better overview of these form s you can look here: https://civilwartalk.com/forums/

 

[captaindrew]

Yeah I've floated the idea of getting a proper issue shirt for a while, but that seems a lot of money to pay for something I may not wear more than once because of this issue. So my blue and black striped civilian shirt it is. lol

Honestly the good quality shirts are a much heavier cotton than the sutler row white shirts, you can't see through them unless you're completely soaking wet. I can certainly understand your thinking though.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Honestly the good quality shirts are a much heavier cotton than the sutler row white shirts, you can't see through them unless you're completely soaking wet. I can certainly understand your thinking though.

I may have to try one at some point then. For now I have other things to improve on, I'm not especially worried about something that isn't technically "wrong" at the moment.

 

[Rhea Cole]

I suggest referring to Col. Freemantle's comments on the clothing Hardee's corps wore. He witnessed a review near Wartrace TN. Even though the corps had recently been outfitted with new clothing the soldiers preferred shirts from home. The many colored shirts, eccentric hats & no bayonets caught the colonel's eye.

My question is why would you want a boring issue shirt when there is a world of gingham & plaid out there to choose from?

Note: Fremantle also noted an affectation peculiar to the Army of Tennessee, as far as I know. The soldiers sported a toothbrush stuck in a buttonhole of their sack coats. I always do, too.

 

[TS6014]

I'll buy two shirts for multiple day events, probably a civilian and issue shirt cheers guys

 

[captaindrew]

I'll buy two shirts for multiple day events, probably a civilian and issue shirt cheers guys

A good plan, you'll definitely want a spare shirt, especially in hot weather.

 

[TS6014]

A good plan, you'll definitely want a spare shirt, especially in hot weather.

Ha I'm from England Mate, we don't get too much of that round here

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Ha I'm from England Mate, we don't get too much of that round here

Hey Beauregard's Tailor makes a REALLY nice British import shirt....