The Comfort Cloak

[Barrycdog]

The Chattanooga Daily Rebel, (Chattanooga, TN) Sunday, November 02, 1862; Issue 78; col F

 

[K Hale]

Why "without sleeves"? I keep coming back to that...

 

[FrazierC]

Hmmm. This is a really cool thing, actually. I'm just curious as to how many people actually responded to this and made the "Comfort Cloak" for the soldiers. Any cases you know of any "Comfort Cloaks" being mentioned by the soldiers?

 

[Bonny Blue Flag]

Sounds like a poncho with slits for your arms.

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--BBF

 

[K Hale]

For that matter, does anyone know why ponchos don't have sleeves?

 

[ole]

Does a poncho need sleeves?

 

[Barrycdog]

http://civilianwartime.wordpress.co...rcoats-and-blankets-for-our-army-civilwar150/

How to make the "Comfort Cloak – A substitute for Overcoats and Blankets for Our Army" #civilwar150
November 4, 2012 by civilianwartime

The Comfort Cloak – A substitute for Overcoats and Blankets for Our Army

Take a sufficient quantity of common shirting, dye it brown with the black walnut, cut it, and make it in the form of a large, loose cloak, without sleeves, leaving slits for the arms. Wad it with cotton batting, in thin layers like a quilt, fix an oil cape on it, reaching down to the waist, the throat and breast part to be fastened with strings – and you have the most complete cloak and blanket ever slept in, and much lighter than a woolen coat. The object of the oil cloth cape is to protect the garment as well as the arms from the rain. The collar should be made wide so as to cover the ears and neck when raised.



Source: Yorkville Enquirer, November 5, 1862, as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

 

[K Hale]

Does a poncho need sleeves?

I thought they might help keep the arms dry...?

 

[FarawayFriend]

For that matter, does anyone know why ponchos don't have sleeves?

You would keep your arms inside the Poncho or Cape most of the time. The arms will be warmer if kept close to the waist instead of being "separated" from it by sleeves. It's the same with gloves that have fingers. They wouldn't keep your hands as warm as the other ones, where all fingers are together (I don't know how you call that sort of glove).

 

[ole]

Mittens, friend.

 

[unionblue]

Don't we have a modern day version of this sold on those late-night infomercials?

 

[K Hale]

Don't we have a modern day version of this sold on those late-night infomercials?

When the description started, the first thing I thought of was the Snuggie...

 

[Beltplate53]

Poncho's don't have sleeves so that they can be used for other duties such as shelter, groundcloth, etc.... Hay , It sounds right.

 

[Cumpston1862]

Don't we have a modern day version of this sold on those late-night infomercials?

Right you are Union Blue...


You mean this wonder of modern civilization!

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And for those female soldiers in the ranks...

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[K Hale]

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Everyone here has seen Alien, right?

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Everyone here has seen Alien, right?

 

[Cumpston1862]

Everyone here has seen Alien, right?

...or Aliens...

I was thinking the same thing K Hale but I didn't want to be accused of misleading the thread.

Game over man!