Need help identifying a uniform

Andersonh1

Brigadier General
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Jan 12, 2016
Location
South Carolina
This is my GGG Grandfather, William Franklin Owen. According to my aunt, this is "the oldest family picture we have", and I've actually made contact with a distant cousin who still has not only the Owen name, but this picture as well. So it's been passed down through some fairly distant branches of the family tree.

Now I had assumed this was a picture of him in his Civil War uniform, but it doesn't look like any Civil War uniform I've seen, and while he served with a unit from North Carolina, his belt buckle appears to have the South Carolina State seal on it.

So, can anyone help identify the uniform (if that's what it is), or the belt buckle? I'm curious about how a North Carolina boy ended up with a SC belt buckle. :smile:

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Although unusual, such patterns did exist (early war).

His pleated coat is very similar to the fatigue uniform worn by Lt. General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Kentucky State Guard-CSA.

Nice, thanks for sharing that. It's good to see another example of that type of uniform. If it was mainly used in the western theatre, I wonder how William Owen ended up with one while serving in NC? Interesting.

Any idea in which regiment William Owen served?

He was in Charles Bradshaw's company, Company A, 42nd North Carolina. He mustered in as a corporal, and was promoted to sergeant, and supposedly to lieutenant, though the two service record summaries I have don't mention the last rank.

William Franklin Owen mustered into his unit on 18 Mar 1862 in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. He enlisted as a Second Corporal with Captain Charles W. Bradshaw's Company Forty-second Regiment North Carolina Infantry on 10 May 1862 in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. Captain Charles W. Bradshaw enlisted William, paid him $50 bounty for signing for 3 years or duration of the War. First Sergeant was on detached service between Mar 1863 and Apr 1863. Hospitalized with chronic diarrhea between 1 Oct 1864 and 25 Nov 1864 at General Hospital Camp Winder, Second Division in Richmond, Richmond (City), Virginia. He surrendered on 10 May 1865 in Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina.

The other is much shorter, and has an enlistment date rather than muster date, and gives the date of his promotion to sergeant.

Enlisted in Rowan County at age 22, March 6, 1862. Mustered in as a corporal. Promoted to 1st Sergeant in January-February, 1863. Present or accounted for through November 15, 1864. Paroled at Greensboro on May 10, 1865.



A reproduction of your buckle is shown on the attached website. (Second row right)
http://winchestersutler.com/STATEBKStoT.html

Thanks, it's nice to see a good detailed image of the belt buckle.
 
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The pleated front coats and jackets were a bit scarce to see employed into military uniforms, but not completely rare, nor limited to a given state, theater or time frame. If one had the means and access to a talented tailor... Gen Buckner of KY of course being the most notable wearing this style. Gen Mahone of Virginia also had a jacket version of the same style...

Buckners coat
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Gen Mahone
mahone-d6127f4e46.gif
 
Nice photograph. As for the belt buckle, its possible that he was in a South Carolina militia unit prior to enlisting in Co. A of the 42nd North Carolina after NC seceded. As I understand, that was true for Capt. Jesse Sharpe Barnes. It is thought that, due to Barnes' uniform, he was part of a SC militia unit before later returning home to help recruit the Wilson Light Infantry, which became Company F of the 4th North Carolina Infantry.
 
The pleated front coats and jackets were a bit scarce to see employed into military uniforms, but not completely rare, nor limited to a given state, theater or time frame. If one had the means and access to a talented tailor... Gen Buckner of KY of course being the most notable wearing this style. Gen Mahone of Virginia also had a jacket version of the same style...

When Gen. Leonidas Polk saw Buckner wearing his distinctive coat he is reported to have said "I like it sir... It looks rebellious!" However, they weren't limited strictly to Confederate use; here's a photo of Brig. Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher of the Union's famed Irish Brigade wearing a similar garment:

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This is my GGG Grandfather, William Franklin Owen. According to my aunt, this is "the oldest family picture we have", and I've actually made contact with a distant cousin who still has not only the Owen name, but this picture as well. So it's been passed down through some fairly distant branches of the family tree.

Now I had assumed this was a picture of him in his Civil War uniform, but it doesn't look like any Civil War uniform I've seen, and while he served with a unit from North Carolina, his belt buckle appears to have the South Carolina State seal on it.

So, can anyone help identify the uniform (if that's what it is), or the belt buckle? I'm curious about how a North Carolina boy ended up with a SC belt buckle. :smile:

wb8ha0.jpg

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That is amazing! I would LOVE to have a photo of my GG-Grandfather.
 

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Although unusual, such patterns did exist (early war).

His pleated coat is very similar to the fatigue uniform worn by Lt. General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Kentucky State Guard-CSA.

View attachment 90292


http://www.maritato.com/general-simon-bolivar-buckner-csa-1862.html

The actual uniform can be seen here:

http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-p...ate-lieutenant-general-simon-bolivar-buckners


Fantastic find! I can check off another box because I have learned something new about the Civil War!
 
Nice photograph. As for the belt buckle, its possible that he was in a South Carolina militia unit prior to enlisting in Co. A of the 42nd North Carolina after NC seceded. As I understand, that was true for Capt. Jesse Sharpe Barnes. It is thought that, due to Barnes' uniform, he was part of a SC militia unit before later returning home to help recruit the Wilson Light Infantry, which became Company F of the 4th North Carolina Infantry.
Me too. Now I know something about the uniform in the picture, and I just need to figure out why he has the belt buckle. :smile:



Could the buckle have been won in a poker game or salvaged after a battle? It also could have been a gift. Keep us posted on what you find!

You may also want to check to see if his unit was attached to any brigades, divisions, or Corps from SC.
 
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Several units (Union and Confederate) wore a pleated blouse early in the war. The following photograph shows a member of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry wearing a pleated blouse.

pleated_Blouse.jpg




The 2nd Rhode Island wore several variations of the blouse. Some were bleated and some were not. Pictured below is Colonel (later General) Burnside.
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Company A and Company D of the 1st South Carolina Infantry were issued with a pleated blouse. This soldier might be a member of the 1st SC.

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Any idea which 1st South Carolina Infantry? IIRC there were at least two, Maxcy Gregg's and Hagood's.

But yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if William Franklin Owen first enlisted in one of the two 1st South Carolina's, and when his initial 6 to 12 month term of enlistment expired he went back home and enlisted in the 42nd North Carolina.
 
Would the fact that he mustered in as a corporal with the 42nd NC indicate any prior military service? What would qualify someone to skip private and go straight to corporal?
 
Would the fact that he mustered in as a corporal with the 42nd NC indicate any prior military service? What would qualify someone to skip private and go straight to corporal?
Prior military experience could likely be a factor, but it could also be that he was better educated, was friends with one of the commanding officers, or had some social prominence in the community.
 
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