Uniform fabric?

[bankerpapaw]

Welcome from Arkansas.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I missed that before I posted my replies below. The jacket and vest were not on display at the MOC when I was there January 8th,just the frock coat and kepi.

Captain Cleaver was the best dressed in the West.

 

[unicornforge]

I humbly recommend reading autobiographies by soldiers, clerks, ministers, and others who were there at the time.

"The historian who essays to write the 'grand movements' will hardly stop to tell how the hungry private fired his bacon, baked his biscuit, and smoked his pipe: how he was changed from time to time by the necessities of service....... To preserve these little details, familiar to all soldiers, and by them not thought worthy of mention to others, because of their familiarity, but still dear to them and always the substance of their 'war talks,' is the object of this book." page 16

"Strong cotton was adopted in place of flannel and merino, for two reasons: First, because easier to wash; and second, because vermin did not propagate so rapidly in cotton as in wool. Common white cotton shirts and drawers proved the best that could be used by the private soldier." page 24

Quoted from the book, "Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life" by Carlton McCarthy, copyright 1882. Reprinted as part of the Collector's Library of the Civil War, by Time Life Books.

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[Package4]

First, off welcome from Maryland!

Second, you are lucky that you are in Europe and can obtain cloth (officer's wool or broadcloth) that is closer to what an officer north or south might have worn.

The two, that I consider experts in this field, are Les Jensen and the afore mentioned Frederick Adolphus. Both will tell you that it is almost impossible to get wool that is correct for the ACW period, in the states. Our sheep have been genetically altered over the years for one reason or another and believe it or not, the wool is completely different than that of 150+ years ago. Wool back then could have been woven and left without a hem, common on most enlisted US frocks, try that with today's US wool and watch the fun begin.

Much of the wool produced for reenactors from the authentic sutlers, is imported from Britain; I know that at one time Pat Cline would get raw wool from Britain and weave it himself. I believe those days are largely gone.

I would suggest a pattern from one of the older suppliers out there, or the Danish Military museum, I think still has sealed samples from the ACW in a swap over 150 years ago. They might have a pattern or allow you to take measurements.

A good friend of mine stumbled upon a complete and authentic bolt of sack coat blue cloth and the difference, even with the loose weave is remarkable. His wife is a conservator and uses the cloth to repair and conserve museum grade pieces.

Grayrock Volunteer has some very good suggestions as well

 

[James B White]

If broadcloth is the goal, and I don't know if it would be that far west, it's almost impossible to find today. Hainsworth http://www.hainsworth.co.uk/apparel/costume/costume-fabrics/true-heritage/ used to offer it for clothing, 1990ish, but I found theirs a bit on the heavy side, but the best option. I notice now it's sold as interior design fabric. It had the correct surface texture and could be cut without being hemmed, though. The originally period broadcloth was teasled and then shaved to get that surface where no individual threads show.

That would be the standard fabric for a civilian or military private purchase officer's frock coat, but whether a western officer would be able to get it during the war is another story. I think bdtex and others who recommend looking at a specific coat from the time and place, are on the right track.

Jeans of cotton/wool was low class but could be spun and woven by hand and therefore was always available where the raw materials were. The Capt William Cleaver coat that bdtex showed in the photo might be broadcloth, hard to tell. But any lined frock coat, unless the original was poorly made, will be much harder to reproduce. There was typically padding and canvas in the lining to allow for the smooth tailoring, with a lot of hand work. A coat without tailoring, like an unlined linen frock coat (don't know if a soldier would wear such a thing) or a lined or unlined sack coat (definitely common on a soldier) doesn't require any fancy tailoring.

 

[Tejano1862]

Were homespun leather type gaiters worn by Tejano confederate troops- in southwestern frontier brush country?

 

[DuckNachos99]

First, off welcome from Maryland!

Second, you are lucky that you are in Europe and can obtain cloth (officer's wool or broadcloth) that is closer to what an officer north or south might have worn.

The two, that I consider experts in this field, are Les Jensen and the afore mentioned Frederick Adolphus. Both will tell you that it is almost impossible to get wool that is correct for the ACW period, in the states. Our sheep have been genetically altered over the years for one reason or another and believe it or not, the wool is completely different than that of 150+ years ago. Wool back then could have been woven and left without a hem, common on most enlisted US frocks, try that with today's US wool and watch the fun begin.

Much of the wool produced for reenactors from the authentic sutlers, is imported from Britain; I know that at one time Pat Cline would get raw wool from Britain and weave it himself. I believe those days are largely gone.

I would suggest a pattern from one of the older suppliers out there, or the Danish Military museum, I think still has sealed samples from the ACW in a swap over 150 years ago. They might have a pattern or allow you to take measurements.

A good friend of mine stumbled upon a complete and authentic bolt of sack coat blue cloth and the difference, even with the loose weave is remarkable. His wife is a conservator and uses the cloth to repair and conserve museum grade pieces.

Grayrock Volunteer has some very good suggestions as well

I know this thread is ancient, but I just had to ask where your friend acquired that fabric from. I'd love to get my hands on something like that, but don't know where on Earth I'd go to get it.

 

[Grayrock Volunteer]

I know this thread is ancient, but I just had to ask where your friend acquired that fabric from. I'd love to get my hands on something like that, but don't know where on Earth I'd go to get it.

Pat Cline own Family Heirloom Weavers. About the only way to get fabric from them is through Wambaugh, White & Co. Other American suppliers of good period fabrics are B&B Tart, and County Cloth. Kochan and Phillips also offer a very nice selection of fine woolens that are manufactured in England. More than a few of them are excellent choices for Civil War uniforms, especially their "Tait kersey".

 

[SethJ]

I know this thread is ancient, but I just had to ask where your friend acquired that fabric from. I'd love to get my hands on something like that, but don't know where on Earth I'd go to get it.

Captain Whitehall, 2nd USSS has an excellent reproduction sharpshooter officer frock and cape. He got his fabric from a very expensive, though (according to the captain) very worth while supplier in England.
Hainsworth. It's apparently used by not only reenactors but (they seem to imply) British soldiers from waterloo to now.

I can't say for sure if that's completely right, but it's sure nice marketing.

 

[DuckNachos99]

I meant the original fabric he had mentioned. I'd love to make a clone of a Civil War sack coat with original fabric. I'd probably save me 20k.

 

[SethJ]

I meant the original fabric he had mentioned. I'd love to make a clone of a Civil War sack coat with original fabric. I'd probably save me 20k.

Hey, if you find where to find original fabric, let the rest of us know.

Best of luck on the search!

 

[DuckNachos99]

Hey, if you find where to find original fabric, let the rest of us know.

Best of luck on the search!

I'll definitely do that. I have some for lining material. Ruby lane is a good place to look for that, but nothing in huge quantities or Federal Army issue.

 

[52ndFandS]

Hello EagleEye.

Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

It's great that you wish to present an authentic living history impression.
That's definitely an interesting persona you've created !

However to be truly authentic in the Trans-Mississippi Theater, civilian attire . . . even for officers would have been the norm during the early War years. One of the only known Confederate officer uniforms associated with the 1862 New Mexico campaign belonged to Captain William Cleaver of the 7th Texas Cavalry. A photo of this uniform can be found at this link:
http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc19/moc6.htm

As the War progressed, the Arizona guys found themselves much further East. At this point it's plausible to assume some of them would have been wearing uniforms from the Trans-Mississippi depots. A Junior Officer may have worn some of these uniforms embellished with Lieutenant's bars. In other words nothing fancy.

A couple ideas come to mind:

John Bach Trans-Mississippi Depot Jacket
by Fred Adolphus, 6 January 2011

Details of the "Oklahoma Mystery Jacket"
Suspected Trans-Mississippi Depot Jacket

A pattern for the Oklahoma mystery jacket can be found here:
http://stores.gallarockpatterns.com/grsp-310-galla-rock-trans-miss-shell-jacket-pattern/

Regarding material ? I would suggest period jean wool (aka Jean cloth).
A good source is:
http://wwandcompany.com/fabrics-supplies/cs-fabrics.html

Anyway, just my two cents.

You might enjoy this older thread about the Arizona Rangers:
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/arizona-rangers.111680/

Once again, welcome and good luck with your uniform !

Good on you for posting a link to Adolphus.

And if it hasn't been put on, I will.

Tartex.