- Joined
- Jul 28, 2015
Les Jensen wrote the paper on Richmond Depot Jackets and discussed the various Types I, II and III. Les was able to display pictures of existing Type II and IIIs, but was only able to show period photographs of the elusive Type I as none were known to exist. The closest was a reasonable copy, I believe it was the Sgt. Green jacket of a NC unit, but that was though not to be from the Richmond Clothing Bureau, but a commercially made commutation jacket.
Well, the white whale may very well have surfaced. We all speculated that one had to exist, in a trunk, in some obscure attic and we were right. A coat brought home by a prison guard at the infamous Elmira prison camp in 1864 has surfaced. The jacket was kept inn a trunk with the effects of the soldier who brought it home. I was not able to inspect the interior, but it has every earmark of the elusive I, it is incredibly small and would be a size 1 in the Federal sizing system. Shoulder to shoulder seam it approximated maybe 15 inches. The real unique aspect are the machine sewn chevrons. three up and three down in a diamond. There was speculation that this was a Sgt. Major's coat or even a member of a color guard. I actually think the young lad was a Quarter Master Sgt. The soldier had to have been the smallest in the regiment, with exception of maybe a drummer boy or band member. The jacket is also in remarkable shape, with exception of the area six to eight inches up from the cuff. The jacket is satinette and you can see the cotton warp on booth sleeves and there is speculation that the sleeves were used to wipe the face after eating and the oils, fats and other food residue along with the friction wore away the wool. The wool is only missing on the front of the sleeve and not the obverse.
I believe him to be a QM Sgt. because of his diminutive stature and the obvious lack of wear, I believe this young man had a clerical job in the prison due to his QM experience. There is no way this jacket would have remained in such good condition in the outside weather. The other conclusion would be that the young man died early on and his jacket was kept as a souvenir. I do not think the latter the case, the buttons are Federal General Service buttons and not original to the jacket. I'll wager that he traded his CS or state buttons for a favor, ration or other, along with a federal button.
The jacket looks to be tailored at some juncture as the chevrons are machine sewn to the sleeves and the waist has been taken in. Well, I'll let the pictures tell the tale:
Well, the white whale may very well have surfaced. We all speculated that one had to exist, in a trunk, in some obscure attic and we were right. A coat brought home by a prison guard at the infamous Elmira prison camp in 1864 has surfaced. The jacket was kept inn a trunk with the effects of the soldier who brought it home. I was not able to inspect the interior, but it has every earmark of the elusive I, it is incredibly small and would be a size 1 in the Federal sizing system. Shoulder to shoulder seam it approximated maybe 15 inches. The real unique aspect are the machine sewn chevrons. three up and three down in a diamond. There was speculation that this was a Sgt. Major's coat or even a member of a color guard. I actually think the young lad was a Quarter Master Sgt. The soldier had to have been the smallest in the regiment, with exception of maybe a drummer boy or band member. The jacket is also in remarkable shape, with exception of the area six to eight inches up from the cuff. The jacket is satinette and you can see the cotton warp on booth sleeves and there is speculation that the sleeves were used to wipe the face after eating and the oils, fats and other food residue along with the friction wore away the wool. The wool is only missing on the front of the sleeve and not the obverse.
I believe him to be a QM Sgt. because of his diminutive stature and the obvious lack of wear, I believe this young man had a clerical job in the prison due to his QM experience. There is no way this jacket would have remained in such good condition in the outside weather. The other conclusion would be that the young man died early on and his jacket was kept as a souvenir. I do not think the latter the case, the buttons are Federal General Service buttons and not original to the jacket. I'll wager that he traded his CS or state buttons for a favor, ration or other, along with a federal button.
The jacket looks to be tailored at some juncture as the chevrons are machine sewn to the sleeves and the waist has been taken in. Well, I'll let the pictures tell the tale: