Over And Undershirts Question

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Okay I have to admit I really don't know anything about this so before I say anything.

I'm trying to build on my impression so I thought I should ask this.

What can y'all tell me about civilan men's shirts of the era?

Did they usually wear two shirts at a time?

 

[captaindrew]

If you look at early war pictures you'll find that some wore what we call battle shirts or overshirts over their regular shirts instead of a jacket. They wore these off to war till they were issued jackets. Your regular shirt would be considered an undergarment/underwear.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

If you look at early war pictures you'll find that some wore what we call battle shirts or overshirts over their regular shirts instead of a jacket. They wore these off to war till they were issued jackets. Your regular shirt would be considered an undergarment/underwear.

What would be the proper way to wear a shirt in that era?

 

[captaindrew]

What would be the proper way to wear a shirt in that era?

Same as today though it was uncouth to be in public with just a shirt on without a jacket or at least a vest.

 

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Same as today though it was uncouth to be in public with just a shirt on without a jacket or at least a vest.

So I don't need to wear two shirts?

 

[captaindrew]

So I don't need to wear two shirts?

No you don't, the overshirt/battleshirt was worn instead of a jacket. If you're wearing a jacket just your one regular shirt.

 

[captaindrew]

Here is a link to an old thread showing examples of battle shirts and over shirts https://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-battle-shirts-why.118416/#post-1212935

 

[captaindrew]

Here is another one https://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-battle-shirts.87411/#post-687135

 

[Missionary Ridge]

The U.S. Army used the term flannel shirts to describe what the Army also called undershirts. So Civil War U.S. Army flannel shirts were in fact undershirts. The Army issued flannel shirt was never intended to be worn without a coat or jacket and in the Army view were undershirts.

You might find this thread useful :

Undershirts in storage at the end of the Civil War | Uniforms & Relics

Civil War undershirts were is use well after the Civil War. A total of 1,130,000 flannel undershirts and 394,000 knit undershirts were in storage in 1865 and this would insure that many US soldiers would wear surplus Civil War undershirt for many years. The Army also had over 3 million pairs...

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