Richmond Depot Jackets

[privstull]

Hello Pards,

Just a quick question. Though I know most of the types of Richmond Depots would work for a good Confederate impression, which one was most common in both eastern and western?

Also, on another subject, how authentic were federal Mcdowell caps during the war. Were they seen early in the war, later in the war, or both? How common were they seen on soliders. Any information on either subject would be great.

[dusty27]

Ryan,

There is plenty of research on the web about RD jackets. Look for Les Jensen's articles on the jackets. You can also check www.stonewallbrigade.com (http://www.stonewallbrigade.com) for some jacket commentary under the uniform standards section at the bottom.

[BrianHicks]

Hello Pards,

Just a quick question. Though I know most of the types of Richmond Depots would work for a good Confederate impression, which one was most common in both eastern and western?

Also, on another subject, how authentic were federal Mcdowell caps during the war. Were they seen early in the war, later in the war, or both? How common were they seen on soliders. Any information on either subject would be great.

Regarding Jackets.

While they would be very Common (the type depending on the year) for an Eastern Event, they would be far less common in the Western Theater. The Western Armies were not that often clothed with Articles forn the Richmond Depot. (The Army of Tennessee was more comonly clothed with articles from the Columbus Depot)

If you ar looking for a Jacket that is utilitarian across the Theaters, and can be seen from 1861 to 1865, then a simple Frock would be a good option.

Brian Hicks

[Yellowhammer]

Ryan,

Read this: http://www.military-historians.org/company/journal/confederate/confederate-1.htm

Les Jensen defined the term "Richmond Depot Jacket" and his article is still a must read for anyone doing a CS impression.

Regarding your question: "how authentic were federal Mcdowell caps during the war?" The smartass English major in me wants to answer they were all 100% authentic since they were made during the war.

However, I think you are asking how authentic it would be to wear one or how commong they were. Correct? If yes, here's my shot at an answer. "McDowell" caps were, for most part, not an issue item. There are examples of them being issued at the state level, but I am unaware of any instances of Federal issue. Most often, such caps were privately purchased. As such, McDowell caps are more of a vanity or specialized item and not as generically useful as one of your standard Federal caps.

Since I assume you just starting out or are starting to upgrade your impression, (correct me if I'm wrong) a McDowell cap is not the ideal choice for a first Federal cap.

[privstull]

Yes, I am now upgrading my impression from being a mainstream for quite some time. Thankyou all for your advice and knowledge, im sure they will help me decide what to buy. Merry Christmas!