Union engineer aprons

[Billy1977]

Hello everybody, I read recently that Union engineers were issued aprons to protect their uniforms when doing the dirtiest tasks in the field. Is that true? Or is it something that was issued but quickly discarded like the havelock? Does anyone have an illustration or picture of the apron? Thanks in advance.

 

[Ray Ball]

As professional craftsmen they would certainly have been used to them. We have a couple cotton duck ones in out Engineer unit's gear. We are working on having the cotton canvas overalls made according to a pattern from historic clothiers.

There is a well known photograph of some sap work on Morris Island where a soldier can be seen wearing the coveralls that were issued attached. Its a photo of the 1st NYVE on Morris Island.

Major Bill, a member here, posted the following elsewhere here on CWT. Its in relation to the 1st MI Engineers.

On October 17 1861 by E.G. Owens the U.S. Army Asst. Quartermaster in Detroit put out the request for the following items to be made in Michigan. This is obviously to equip a single regiment. I find the 1000 pairs of canvas overalls interesting.

34 Walled Tents and Flies
(difficult to read but maybe 956) Common Tents
3 Hospital Tents
1 Sibley Tent
All to be complete in every respect
120 Axes, Handled
120 Pickaxes, Handled
120 Spades
120 Camp Kettles
(difficult to read but maybe 880) Mess Pans
1015 Tin plates
1015 Tin cups
1015 Tin spoons
1015 Knives
1015 Forks
1000 Cloth Caps and Covers
1000 Uniform Coats
1000 Pair of Trousers
2000 Woolen Shirts
2000 Pairs, Drawers
1000 Pair, Boots
2000 Pairs, Woolen Socks
1000 Greatcoats
1000 Pairs Canvas Overalls.

 

[Ray Ball]

Here might be what you are looking for. From the Authentic Campaigner:
From Uniform Regulations for the Army of the United States 1861. Smithsonian Institute, 1961, pg. 21.

"Other Articles of Clothing and Equipment
1572. Coveralls for Engineer soldiers – of white cotton; one garment to cover the whole of the body below the waist, the breast, the shoulders, and the arms; sleeves loose, to allow a free play of the arms, with narrow wristband buttoning with one button; overalls to fasten at the neck behind with two buttons, and at the waist behind with buckle and tongue."

 

[major bill]

The overalls issued by Michigan were to be two piece style.

 

[Billy1977]

Thanks Ray Ball and Major Bill! Glad other people have heard of this, I was thinking this might be too obscure even for this forum. Yesterday I found this painting, is there any chance some of them might have looked like this? (The aprons, not the two-piece coveralls).

So the coveralls were two-piece and white cotton? Were they meant to be disposable or were they washable?

And thanks for that list of equipment with which to outfit an engineer regiment! I love to find out that kind of stuff.

 

[Ray Ball]

Billy, if you go to our unit's web site http://www.usengineerbn.net or to our FaceBook page we have many of the tools used by the Engineers of the Civil War era. BTW, not all the coveralls were two piece and I am quite certain that aprons were pretty varied as well. You might also want to contact 1SGDan on this forum. He's likely the most knowledgeable person I know regarding CW Engineers.

 

[Ray Ball]

Here are a few photos of the aprons our folks wear when the need occurs. I hope that helps. The coveralls are a work in progress

 

[Billy1977]

So I take it then that the aprons were sort of a pale green color as shown above and the two-piece coveralls were white?

 

[Legion Para]

I apologize for changing subjects. @Ray Ball, are the Engineer markings on the canteen in this photograph period correct? Do you know of a wartime photo showing such markings? Thank you.

 

[Ray Ball]

I apologize for changing subjects. @Ray Ball, are the Engineer markings on the canteen in this photograph period correct? Do you know of a wartime photo showing such markings? Thank you.

Sorry Legion Para, that's my canteen and I painted those on for no other reason than my own pride in the Engineers where I served. I have no photos of Engineer canteens at all so in some spare time I took the liberty. I have seen some really interesting and creative ones from other branches but never an identified Engineer's canteen.

 

[Ray Ball]

So I take it then that the aprons were sort of a pale green color as shown above and the two-piece coveralls were white?

I cannot say that with any absolute confidence Billy1977. Research material on specifically military coveralls and aprons is pretty scarce. As Major Bill stated above, the MI issued coveralls were a different pattern than regulation calls for. Colors likely have varied as well- along the same line as canteen covers. Its pretty common knowledge that uniforms varied widely. Apparently the overall covers for them did as well. I've never seen a regulation for aprons and I'm hoping to uncover Quartermaster records. The aprons were very common among skilled workers as the enlisted Engineers typically were. My research of the period indicated that cotton duck and sailcloth type canvas were typical materials. Leather was not uncommon, particularly for smiths, but we have no smiths in our unit- yet. We made most of our aprons of common duck cloth, and one of a heavier canvas, of a depot green color and used a very simple pattern common to the period. Essentially we combined what research we had. I wish I could give you a more authoritative answer. My apologies.