Odd trans-Mississippi uniforms

[Whitfield's Legion]

What are some interesting CS uniforms in the Trans Mississippi theatre? I know of Texians using the white Texas State Penitentiary uniforms but I'm curious as to what other ones there were

 

[RedRover]

What are some interesting CS uniforms in the Trans Mississippi theatre? I know of Texians using the white Texas State Penitentiary uniforms but I'm curious as to what other ones there were

Colonel Freemantle of the British service in 1863 was stricken by their informality more than anything else...

Fred Adolphus has written a good deal on the standard Quartermaster operations of the Confederate service in the region...

Chapter 01, Quartermaster Operations

Return to Chapter 00

adolphusconfederateuniforms.com

Adolphus Confederate Uniforms Published Article Downloads

Published Article Downloads

adolphusconfederateuniforms.com

But as for odd, the Indian troops were generally described as strikingly ragged...

The guerrillas in Missouri adopted a unique over-shirt....

From Quantrill and his border wars, 1909.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

What are some interesting CS uniforms in the Trans Mississippi theatre? I know of Texians using the white Texas State Penitentiary uniforms but I'm curious as to what other ones there were

A few accounts suggest imported cadet gray kersey cloth and uniforms from Peter Tait (uniform supplier to the British Army) successfully eluded the Union Blockade at Galveston,Texas. It's well known his uniforms also made it through the blockade on the Atlantic coast to the ANV/AOT during the last years of the War.

These were sharp looking jackets that would have been very interesting among the various "uniforms" worn by the guys in the Trans-Mississippi Theater.

I used to have links to sources ... but such links are now broken.

However, I did find an old thread that mentions such imports:


An Overview of the Man
The Company
and The Uniforms

By David C Burt, Co.G 18th Virginia Inf.

Peter Tait was born in Lerwick, Scotland in 1828 and married into the Abraham family of Limerick, Ireland.
Dismissed as an "unprofitable servant" from a local company, he quickly spotted the opportunity, brought about by the new sewing machines. In 1852 Tait set up one of the first mass production textile factories in Europe, from which he sold shirts and other clothing.
His big break came with the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854 where Tait won contracts to supply the British army with uniforms.
By the time of the civil war he had a large factory in Limerick that were described as a set of "mean cheap buildings" which employed at least nine hundred operatives.
He also had another factory in London near Blackfriars Railway Bridge. This factory had painted on it in enormous letters "Tait and Co Army Contracts".
In late 1863 the firm contracted with the Confederate Government for the supply of jackets and trousers.
At least seven jackets made by Tait are known to survive. Most Tait jackets and trousers were issued to the Army of Northern Virginia although a large number were issued to units in the Army of Tennessee and the Garrison Units along the East Coast.
As well as his contract with the Central Government, Tait also had a separate contract with the State of Alabama.
A newspaper article dated 22nd October 1864 by the Daily Enquirer of Columbus, Georgia, stated.
"Four months ago a contract between the State of Alabama on the part of QM Gen and Peter Tait and Co for thousands of uniforms for Alabama soldiers. Partially cut with trimmings to be made up by tailors and seamstresses of our home factories. This contract has now been partially filled with the remainder due any time."
All the Tait jackets had an eight button front, with five piece bodies, with no back centre seam, 2 piece sleeves and were marked in the lining with British Army size markings.
All the linings were made of Irish linen with a vertical pocket in the left breast. Another characteristic of the jackets was the double row of machine stitching on the button side.
Original buttons were the Olde English Script "I" and were black marked "P Tait Limerick" and were characterised by a floating shank.
All Tait jackets were made of blue grey kersey used by the firm to make great coats and trousers for the British Army. Alexander Collie and Co of Manchester supplied the firm with much of this cloth.
The only major difference with the Tait jackets came with the different coloured facings and trim.
Two jackets with an A.O.T. history survive, these jackets are exactly the same and belonged to Pvt. Garrett Gouge of the 58th N.C. and Pvt. Hugh Lawson Duncan of the 39th GA.
Both had blue piping around the top edge of the collar and had shoulder tabs that were also piped in blue around the edges.
Both jackets appear to have their original script "I" buttons."

Thread 'Can Some one identify this jacket?'

May 9, 2012

Hi guys
Another Jacket question. What is it. To me it looks like a peter tait with the 8 button front, and kersey looking wool. But one thing that throws me off is the lack of eppolettes or trim. The owner of this jacket uses missisipie buttons on it and lives in the state. If indead the jacket is a tait then the bottuns would be A, C, or I. So what is it?

Maybe it is just a terrible repro and i am just confusing myself.
well anyway heres the pics:

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[Stryker65]

The guerrillas in Missouri adopted a unique over-shirt....

Not to mention the whole of Price's Missouri State Guard...I can't find any images at the moment, but from what I remember of their description I think it was quite varied.

 

[RedRover]

Not to mention the whole of Price's Missouri State Guard...I can't find any images at the moment, but from what I remember of their description I think it was quite varied.

Thomas Snead's description from 1886...

The 1981 movie version of MSG Veteran Sam Clemens' "Private History of a Campaign that Failed" is a pretty good interpretation...

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

It sounds almost like "anything goes" for the Confederates in the Trans-Mississippi. My great grandfather, in the Union 13th Illinois Cavalry, served in Arkansas and had a standard cavalry uniform.

 

[Whitfield's Legion]

It sounds almost like "anything goes" for the Confederates in the Trans-Mississippi. My great grandfather, in the Union 13th Illinois Cavalry, served in Arkansas and had a standard cavalry uniform.

Thats what I figured, a great uncle of mine wore a bright red shirt throughout the war. It seems people just wore what they had

 

[Desert Kid]

Some standardization had set in by the Red River Campaign in early '64. Texas troops serving in the campaign found themselves refitted with new Louisiana-made uniforms that came from the armory and commissaries in Shreveport.

Captain James H. Tevis. 2nd Texas Cavalry (Arizona Brigade). Photo was taken in Louisiana in April 1864.

 

[Mississippian1861]

https://web.archive.org/web/20040831020955/http://www.geocities.com/capitalguards/LRfrock.html

Little Rock made frock coats. Hindman had tons of uniforms made up in the fall/winter of 1862/63.

 

[Mississippian1861]

Also some units were issued cloth and buttons by the quartermaster to have their uniforms made up by local seamstress' In the winter of 1862/63 this was common for units stationed in NE Louisiana. A lot of the cloth was imported blue/grey kersey called "English Army Cloth" but in this case it was made in France/Belgium and landed at the Texas/Mexican border. It was supposed to have been sent to Richmond but much of it was pilfered by local quartermasters in the Trans-Mississippi and other commands along the way.

 

[Georgia Sixth]

but much of it was pilfered by local quartermasters in the Trans-Mississippi and other commands along the way.

Family first.

 

[Mississippian1861]

Here is an example of uniforms being issued out to Hindman's army in the weeks up to the battle of Prairie Grove. I transcribed these records years and years ago.

Papers of Capt. Hinkle QM 7th Missouri Infantry. (CS)

Oct. 29th 1862

6 Cass. Coats
5 Jeans Coats
30 Sattinet Coats
80 Kersey Jackets
30 pr Cass. Pants
12 pr Kersey Pants
10 pr Cottenade Pants
150 pr Shoes
20 Caps
80 Hats
14 pr Drawers
14 Blankets


Nov. 8th 1862

115 Suits of Clothing
155 pr Drawers
20 Comforts (quilts?)
300 Shirts
150 Caps
15 Bl Carpets

 

[Wadersmith]

The 18th Louisiana was also known as the "yellow jacket battalion". Firsthand accounts talk about their uniforms being homespun and of a yellow color. Theres not too much information on them or their yellow jackets as far as I know.
So, whether they were actually a yellow jacket that was made that color, or white jackets that got stained through campaign and just started to look yellow I have no clue.

 

[Mississippian1861]

The 18th Louisiana was also known as the "yellow jacket battalion". Firsthand accounts talk about their uniforms being homespun and of a yellow color. Theres not too much information on them or their yellow jackets as far as I know.
So, whether they were actually a yellow jacket that was made that color, or white jackets that got stained through campaign and just started to look yellow I have no clue.

The "Yellow Jackets" were actually a separate unit, the 10th Louisiana Battalion, which was organized in the spring of 1862 with six companies, mostly raised from St. Martin Parish in Cajun country. In October 1862 they were very briefly merged with the 12th (Confederate Guards Response) Battalion to form the 33rd Louisiana Infantry but it was quickly broken up and they resumed their original identity. In November 1863 they were consolidated with the 18th Louisiana to form the 18th Consolidated Louisiana Infantry.

Their original uniforms were supposed to have been made of Yellow cottonade material.