Gloves or mittens?

[major bill]

Dress gloves were common at the start of the Civil War, but for soldiers to keep hand warm were winter gloves more common than mittens? Soldiers could not fire their muskets wearing mittens. I am not sure if they could fire their muskets wearing winter gloves. Could a soldier wearing winter gloves get their trigger finger in the trigger guard? I am assuming many forum members have fired modern military arms while wearing mittens with separate trigger finger. The Army 9 mm pistol does not slide as back as far on you skis as a .45 Colt does. Even firing an M16 on auto will slid you back while wearing skis. Firing the M60 wearing mittens while on skis requires one to kneel. You can fire slugs from a 12 gauge shotgun while wearing mittens, but you will slid backwards a bit if you are wearing skis.

 

[Old Breck]

Huh? Skis?

Trigger finger mittens certainly existed during the period and I have no issue firing my M1816 or M1861 wearing them.

This a pair of reproductions from South Union Mills. I believe there is a pair ob the Federal volume of EOG

Mittens- Civilian style snowflake pattern with trigger finger

Hand knit from 100% wool yarn, in period civilian design of the snowflake pattern. Various dark colors available, please email if you require a specific color.

www.southunionmills.com

 

[Package4]

Dress gloves were common at the start of the Civil War, but for soldiers to keep hand warm were winter gloves more common than mittens? Soldiers could not fire their muskets wearing mittens. I am not sure if they could fire their muskets wearing winter gloves. Could a soldier wearing winter gloves get their trigger finger in the trigger guard? I am assuming many forum members have fired modern military arms while wearing mittens with separate trigger finger. The Army 9 mm pistol does not slide as back as far on you skis as a .45 Colt does. Even firing an M16 on auto will slid you back while wearing skis. Firing the M60 wearing mittens while on skis requires one to kneel. You can fire slugs from a 12 gauge shotgun while wearing mittens, but you will slid backwards a bit if you are wearing skis.

As I recall Tim and Debbie Sheads, of S&S Sutler, purchased a pair of just such trigger finger mittens at auction some years ago. They were I'd and IIRC from the Kurtz Collection.