Transition Uniforms of North Carolina

Tailor Pete

Sergeant
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Location
Tucson, Arizona
Hello esteemed colleagues...

Sorry I've been absent for so long, but sometimes life gets in the way. On to my thread.

I am looking for photographs of transition era, North Carolina infantry uniforms. This time period covers from the last of the NC Issued Sack Coats through the early use of the more conventional NC Shell Jackets. More specifically I'm looking for ANY photos of the intermediate shell jackets with the fall-down collar found on the earlier sack coats. They may be with or without the false epaulettes and should have a six button front.

I remember some time back, a photo posted on this forum showing just such a jacket, but for the life of me, I can't locate it. This may be a shot in the dark, but anything will help.

Thanks!
 
Hello esteemed colleagues...

Sorry I've been absent for so long, but sometimes life gets in the way. On to my thread.

I am looking for photographs of transition era, North Carolina infantry uniforms. This time period covers from the last of the NC Issued Sack Coats through the early use of the more conventional NC Shell Jackets. More specifically I'm looking for ANY photos of the intermediate shell jackets with the fall-down collar found on the earlier sack coats. They may be with or without the false epaulettes and should have a six button front.

I remember some time back, a photo posted on this forum showing just such a jacket, but for the life of me, I can't locate it. This may be a shot in the dark, but anything will help.

Thanks!
I seem to remember that thread and if I'm not mistaken, though usually am, it was in Les Jensen's book, which I have around here somewhere......stay tuned while I search.
 
Package4, all IS well. A recent promotion at work has kept me MORE than busy, but I have decided to begin my New Year's Resolution a bit early... I'm going to try to set aside more time for the hobby I love. Thanks for the concern.
 
I think I found it on page 32 of Les Jensen's "Johnny Reb" the jacket actually has a seven button front.
IMG_2465 (2).JPG
 
Thanks! Thats a big help... Seems I remember another as well. One without epaulettes.

I'm just trying to pin down their details as they would have been issued during the time period our company is planning to cover. I know NC was pretty thorough in their issuance of uniforms and equipment, but I've also found written correspondence indicating that the switch over from sack coats to shell jackets wasn't necessarily popular among the troops, so they hung on to their sacks as long as they were serviceable.

Given their distinctive appearance, I believe the same could have been said for these transition jackets as well. Just guessing here, though. Seems the boys in the 58th didn't like the plain look of the later jackets, grumbling about how their unit no longer stood out against the AoT as a whole. Esprit d' Corp is an interesting factor that I believe is often overlooked by reenactors and researchers.
 
In kicking around through my files, I found this curious gentleman. Seems he has tucked his Sack Coat (Jacket?) into his trowsers... It could only approach a modicum of comfort if it was a jacket as opposed to a sack coat. Any thoughts, folks?
3335004ed407d6cb8dd6b51382d239a4.jpg
 
Greg Mast has posted many photos of NC troops here, the FB page for his book, State Troops and Volunteers:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/State-Troops-and-Volunteers-321689201335430/photos/?ref=page_internal


According to his description for the above image there, he is Pvt. John H. Powell, Co. G "Caswell Rifles," 22nd North Carolina Infantry. He and his brother had their photographs taken at Charles R. Reese's studio in Richmond. Mast says that John is wearing something more akin to a blouse or overshirt, while his brother James (also posted there) wears the standard six-button sack coat.
 
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