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- Aug 25, 2012
I have been trying to work up a system help me identify the various Hunting shirts worn during the Civil War. I am still in the very early stages of doing this. I was wondering/hopful if anyone had seen a existing classification of Hunting shirts. I am also seeking input on the direction I am pursuing. Try not to be too harsh as this is still in the planning stages for me and much work still needs to be done but I hate to get to involved if I am not on the right track.
Hunting Shirts
Early in the war many units wore various hunting shirts particularly in the southern States butt also in Northern states. The term 'battle shirt' is often used to describe the type with trim, but battle shirt is also a generic term for any shirt used as an outer garment.These were often made by hometown societies or even by a soldier's wife or girlfriend and of course varied to the point of being difficult to categorize. Some units like the 1st Rhode Island had large numbers of identical shirts. The issue is complicated by many photographs of soldiers being photographed without their jackets on, wearing civilian type shirts around camp. These shirts could be tucked in or worn out side the trousers
Type 1 Pullover shirts. This was the most common type of the southern soldier. It was made from a civilian shirt or made like a civilian shirt. Most had small collars with sleeve seams at the shoulder as opposed to drop shoulders. The cuffs were often gathered. These were trimmed in various ways. Type 1a, the most common were with colored collars and cuffs with a piece down the front to the end of the button holes. Some had shoulder straps. There were shirts with two slit pockets with strips of cloth. Some shirts lacked the colored collars. Type 1b, which was very common, had trim around the collar and down the front. Often there were large pockets with trim around them. Trim might be on the top or top and bottom of the cuffs. Some had a piece of trim vertical across the chest.
Type 2 Button to Waist shirt. Type 2a was as Type 1a Pullover shirt except the shirt buttoned for the full length. Type 2b was identical to Type 1b Pullover shirt except the full length buttons. Type 2c had three vertical stripes of trim with ten or more buttons down the trim.
1. Co. A. 10th Texas Cavalry wore a green shirt with yellow trim.
2. Dallas Light Infantry of Texas ore a red shirt with light blue trim.
3. Brown Tigers Co. E 3rd Tennessee Infantry wore gray shirts with light blue trim.
Type 3a Plastron a.k.a, Piedmont shirt. This type had a removable front bib (plastron). The most common type had a tapered plastron thin at the top flaring out and the narrowing at the waist. Some had rectangular fronts the plastron was usually a different color. They might have trim on the lower edge of the collars. At least one example of this shirt had shawl type collars. There was often thin 'v' shaped tape on the cuffs and could have tape at the bottom of the collar. These often had tape trim down the buttons when the plastron was removed. The shirts often had drop shoulders and strait sleeves without cuff.
1. Lynchburg Rifles, 1tth Virginia Regiment Company E; A dark gray shirt with black plastron and cuffs. The shirt had black tape around the bottom of the collar.
2. Lynchburg Artillery
3. Beauregard Rifles a.k.a. The Zouaves a.ka. Lynchburg Beauregard; Gray shirt trimmed black with green plastron..
4. Southern Guards, 11th Virginia Infantry Company B; Dark gray shirt and lighter plastron.
5. Lynchburg Rifle Grays; Gray shirt with dark blue or black plastron and cuffs
6. Appomattox Ranger, Company H, 2nd Virginia Cavalry; Gray shirt with light colored plastron.
Type 3b Bib Plastron. Rectangular bib plastron. These were similar to period fireman shirts.
1. Sussex Light Dragoons Company H, 13th Virginia Cavalry. Gray shirt
Type3c Fireman shirt. A shirt with a rectangular plastron. The usually shirt was red in color, but other colors are known. Period firemen wore this style of shirt.
Type 4 Hunting shirt. This style is based on the Hunting shirt or Hunting smocks that were popular during the American Revolution.This type of shirt had fringe around the chest cap and around the bottom. Some had fringe on the sleeves.
1. 179th regiment Virginia Militia; Blue flannel cloth hunting shirt with blue fringe to include sleeve fringe.
2. Orleans Rifle of Louisiana wore green Fringed Hunting shirts.
Type 5 Pleated shirts. Shirts that had a seam across the chest and pleats below the seam. Type 5a this type button to the waist and were often worn tucked into the trousers.
1. Bourland's Battalion of Cavalry form Texas wore this style in blue.
Type 6 Long shirt. Type 6a long pull over shirts that buttons only part way down.
1. 1st Rhode Island Infantry.
Type 6b these button down the front and in general resemble frock coats.
1. Secession Guards, 13th Tennessee Infantry wore this style in gray with light blue trim down the front and around the bottom and around the bottom of the sleeves.
Type 7 Guerilla shirt. A pull over shirt with a deep 'V' neck which exposed the shirt. These were often rather fancy and the "V" neck trimmed, often with elaborate print or fringe. The term is also used for a pullover shirt with a scalloped front trim. These scalloped shirts are more like battle shirts.
Waumpu or wamuss the loose-fitting frock worn in Iowa much like a Hunting shirt.
Hunting Shirts
Early in the war many units wore various hunting shirts particularly in the southern States butt also in Northern states. The term 'battle shirt' is often used to describe the type with trim, but battle shirt is also a generic term for any shirt used as an outer garment.These were often made by hometown societies or even by a soldier's wife or girlfriend and of course varied to the point of being difficult to categorize. Some units like the 1st Rhode Island had large numbers of identical shirts. The issue is complicated by many photographs of soldiers being photographed without their jackets on, wearing civilian type shirts around camp. These shirts could be tucked in or worn out side the trousers
Type 1 Pullover shirts. This was the most common type of the southern soldier. It was made from a civilian shirt or made like a civilian shirt. Most had small collars with sleeve seams at the shoulder as opposed to drop shoulders. The cuffs were often gathered. These were trimmed in various ways. Type 1a, the most common were with colored collars and cuffs with a piece down the front to the end of the button holes. Some had shoulder straps. There were shirts with two slit pockets with strips of cloth. Some shirts lacked the colored collars. Type 1b, which was very common, had trim around the collar and down the front. Often there were large pockets with trim around them. Trim might be on the top or top and bottom of the cuffs. Some had a piece of trim vertical across the chest.
Type 2 Button to Waist shirt. Type 2a was as Type 1a Pullover shirt except the shirt buttoned for the full length. Type 2b was identical to Type 1b Pullover shirt except the full length buttons. Type 2c had three vertical stripes of trim with ten or more buttons down the trim.
1. Co. A. 10th Texas Cavalry wore a green shirt with yellow trim.
2. Dallas Light Infantry of Texas ore a red shirt with light blue trim.
3. Brown Tigers Co. E 3rd Tennessee Infantry wore gray shirts with light blue trim.
Type 3a Plastron a.k.a, Piedmont shirt. This type had a removable front bib (plastron). The most common type had a tapered plastron thin at the top flaring out and the narrowing at the waist. Some had rectangular fronts the plastron was usually a different color. They might have trim on the lower edge of the collars. At least one example of this shirt had shawl type collars. There was often thin 'v' shaped tape on the cuffs and could have tape at the bottom of the collar. These often had tape trim down the buttons when the plastron was removed. The shirts often had drop shoulders and strait sleeves without cuff.
1. Lynchburg Rifles, 1tth Virginia Regiment Company E; A dark gray shirt with black plastron and cuffs. The shirt had black tape around the bottom of the collar.
2. Lynchburg Artillery
3. Beauregard Rifles a.k.a. The Zouaves a.ka. Lynchburg Beauregard; Gray shirt trimmed black with green plastron..
4. Southern Guards, 11th Virginia Infantry Company B; Dark gray shirt and lighter plastron.
5. Lynchburg Rifle Grays; Gray shirt with dark blue or black plastron and cuffs
6. Appomattox Ranger, Company H, 2nd Virginia Cavalry; Gray shirt with light colored plastron.
Type 3b Bib Plastron. Rectangular bib plastron. These were similar to period fireman shirts.
1. Sussex Light Dragoons Company H, 13th Virginia Cavalry. Gray shirt
Type3c Fireman shirt. A shirt with a rectangular plastron. The usually shirt was red in color, but other colors are known. Period firemen wore this style of shirt.
Type 4 Hunting shirt. This style is based on the Hunting shirt or Hunting smocks that were popular during the American Revolution.This type of shirt had fringe around the chest cap and around the bottom. Some had fringe on the sleeves.
1. 179th regiment Virginia Militia; Blue flannel cloth hunting shirt with blue fringe to include sleeve fringe.
2. Orleans Rifle of Louisiana wore green Fringed Hunting shirts.
Type 5 Pleated shirts. Shirts that had a seam across the chest and pleats below the seam. Type 5a this type button to the waist and were often worn tucked into the trousers.
1. Bourland's Battalion of Cavalry form Texas wore this style in blue.
Type 6 Long shirt. Type 6a long pull over shirts that buttons only part way down.
1. 1st Rhode Island Infantry.
Type 6b these button down the front and in general resemble frock coats.
1. Secession Guards, 13th Tennessee Infantry wore this style in gray with light blue trim down the front and around the bottom and around the bottom of the sleeves.
Type 7 Guerilla shirt. A pull over shirt with a deep 'V' neck which exposed the shirt. These were often rather fancy and the "V" neck trimmed, often with elaborate print or fringe. The term is also used for a pullover shirt with a scalloped front trim. These scalloped shirts are more like battle shirts.
Waumpu or wamuss the loose-fitting frock worn in Iowa much like a Hunting shirt.
Bringing the