CS Western Officer's Impression

[Hyde64]

I will try this again, I am looking for direction to sources on what weapons and equipment a Western CS Officer would have in the AOT between early 1862 and late 1864. Any and all assistance will be much appreciated. Thanks guys. Sincerely,Clifford Earl Hyde

[jake.koch]

Try some books such as Echoes of Glory that show original equipment and in many cases who used it.

[FloridaConscript]

Hyde,
I've never aspired to rank, but I'd recommend dropping a note to Pat Craddock. I'm sure he has some useful information, seein' as he has done some officerin' for us western boys from time to time.....

[FloridaConscript]

Hyde,
Also, there is this great post from Tom Ezell. This is more slanted to the ANV, but very good info.

http://authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9871

[tenfed1861]

Try reading "Cadet Grey and Butternut Bown".While it speaks mostly of the private,it does speak a lot of CS officers.From all the accounts I have read,the western junior officers did not look all too different from the privates.Mind you,this does not speak of the type of gear they would have carried.I would assume there would be a decent amount of Federal gear and private purchase gear being used.But as Floridaconscript suggested,contact Patrick Craddock.He will be able to help you.

[coastaltrash]

As a graduate of the Pat Craddock School of Building an officer's impression, I can tell you that he'll supply a path for you to search, and not spoon feed information. Great teacher, great wealth of knowledge too! But researching the impression is half the joy in building it.

[Hyde64]

Thank you Men for the fine advice you've given me,but having read Mr. Ezell's article and having given some thought to the matter,i seem to realize that i'm probably not ready to persue such an impression. My present budget won't allow for the purchases of the proper accoutrements and Uniform items and i am not quite prepared to function on the field as i once thought. I appologize for wasting your valuable advice and time but i think maybe at least for the present,i should remain in my current position. again thank you all for your input. Sincerely,Clifford Earl Hyde

[LibertyHallVols]

No time wasted! It sounds like you got information to help you make some decisions. Building up an officer impression takes some time, even if you know exactly what you want. Think of the time you'll spend putting it together as a bonus that will allow you to study the manuals and observe good officers around you.

Best of Luck!

[FloridaConscript]

Hyde,
just to echo Wickett, I'd view this as a turn of good fortune. Now you know what you are looking for. keep an eye on officers you admire, and a vigilant eye to the Buy Sell trade forums. In the past month doug cooper (i think) was offering up a fine deal on a CS officers uniform, and Greg Starbuck had a jam up sword for sale as well. Start now, a piece here and a piece there. good luck!

[mslaird]

I put together an officer impression, 1st Lt. Co H, 21st Arkansas Infantry, for my narrative talks during our 147th Anniversary. I conducted my research to do the impression by looking through as many photographs of officers from the State of Arkansas, then by reading the letters of officers in the unit that I wanted to represent. I was able to piece together a fairly decent description of the items from the letters home and I was able to take that a step further by going through the photographs to determine the types of rank insignia used and the type of or amount of braid used. The other items I looked to were the weapons and acoutrements. I used items that would have been in the Memphis supply system or from Memphis, New Orleans or Baton Rouge.

I settled on a frock coat of tan satinet with blue collar and straight cuffs, no braid on the sleeves, a Memphis Novelty Works foot officer's sword and I was lucky enough to find an unfired 70's Uberti repro of the 48 baby dragoon with a 6" barrel and loading lever for my pistol. I made my own holster and after I recieved my saber belt, I overhauled it as well. I carried a civilian pattern haversack and a box frame knapsack of the type that came out of Baton Rouge early in the war. All in all it came out fairly well.

[J_V]

Nice work. What material are your trousers? Satinet also?

[mslaird]

Thank you for the compliment. I had some help with the initial construction of the frock as I was new to using a sewing machine. Rob Wiseman set the sleeves for me as I became a bit too frustrated with it as the pattern produced a surplus of material that was a bit too difficult for my low level of experience to deal with. I will get it down pat,though. This summer promises plenty of practice. The only machine sewn items were the long hidden seams. The rest was competely hand sewn. I made the entire kepi as well, it was my first one. The quatrefoil and braid were fun to sew.

My trousers for that uniform were not done yet and I had to resort to using my sky blue kersey trousers for the weekend as all of my other trousers are specific to certain units and I could not use them. Interestingly, the Lt that I created that impression to do a first person speaking part about, James M. Harrison, actually wrote to his mother in a letter about loosing his best pair of trousers when the regiment's baggage was overrun. He told his mother that he was wearing his old, thread bare trousers and that he had to purchase a pair of federal trousers from a sutler. He told his mother in his letter that he was satisfied with the trousers and they were as good as a pair of jeans. I am not finished transcribing the letters or I would directly quote them for you. They are on microfilm.

[prestontoprail]

He told his mother that he was wearing his old, thread pair trousers and that he had to purchase a pair of federal trousers from a sutler. He told his mother in his letter that he was satisfied with the trousers and they were as good as a pair of jeans. .


Now how often does that kind of luck come into play for having to use federal issue trousers? Boy, that worked out for you just right.

[J_V]

Thank you for the compliment. I had some help with the initial construction of the frock as I was new to using a sewing machine. Rob Wiseman set the sleeves for me as I became a bit too frustrated with it as the pattern produced a surplus of material that was a bit too difficult for my low level of experience to deal with. I will get it down pat,though. This summer promises plenty of practice. The only machine sewn items were the long hidden seams. The rest was competely hand sewn. I made the entire kepi as well, it was my first one. The quatrefoil and braid were fun to sew.

My trousers for that uniform were not done yet and I had to resort to using my sky blue kersey trousers for the weekend as all of my other trousers are specific to certain units and I could not use them. Interestingly, the Lt that I created that impression to do a first person speaking part about, James M. Harrison, actually wrote to his mother in a letter about loosing his best pair of trousers when the regiment's baggage was overrun. He told his mother that he was wearing his old, thread pair trousers and that he had to purchase a pair of federal trousers from a sutler. He told his mother in his letter that he was satisfied with the trousers and they were as good as a pair of jeans. I am not finished transcribing the letters or I would directly quote them for you. They are on microfilm.

I'd like to continue this discussion with you over PM, because I'd be taking the thread off topic. But, I'd like to follow up on something you said.

Thanks.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Just an aside...

Once Upon a Time, and in the Way Back Daze...

CS officer impressions were poorly researched and documented. As a result, there was an era of where lads nearly always had the bluish "cadet gray" fine wool broadcloth double breasted 1861 "fashion plate" type appearance. Followed by a seemingly reaction to where CW officers looked just like enlisted men and one could not tell them apart except for the presence of sword and revolver.

And in some US and CS segments further complicated by internal unit promotions, "brigade" office, and rank-specific impressions for event-specific impressions that led some lads to simply add "bars' to the enlistedman uniform.

In historic unit/time/place- not that either was not done historically, just applauding the Modern Era where lads are researching, documenting more, and nailing some good "officer impressions."

Curt

[Dale Beasley]

Brother Laird, nice jacket.

Break

Back a few years ago, there was an article in the Camp Chase that featured Nate Petersburg. They really did a great job with it, I thought.

[Hyde64]

Well, early on in this discussion i was reffered to Patrick Craddock and actually i read the artical he wrote in the CAMP CHASE on this subject and there was some great information but not enough though,but a fine article. Clifford Earl Hyde

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

IMHO, there is no "instant" or even "shake and bake" answer to the original inquiry that a few short posts can provide.

If I were to rewrite or rephrase things as:

"I am looking for direction to sources on what weapons and equipment an Eastern US Officer would have in the AOP between early 1862 and late
1864."

The range of possibilities, options, and Period Correct plausible/possible choices that one can pull from is broad. Broad not only from the standpoint of material culture choices, but in the subtleties of senior commander dictums,
amount of freedom and personal choice, the socio-economic background of the officer, whether the officer is a lieutenant or a colonel or a general, personal preferences and druthers, the lessons learned or unlearned in a garrison unit or a famous hard-marching, hard-fighting field unit, what hrsearch, documentation, in period accounts or photographs might say, etc., etc.,

Or at the end of the day, what a modern lad looking at a number of unrelated accounts and images of officers chooses to pick and choose, glean and gather, cull and harvest, to glue on his own Mental Picture of a Believeable Image that "works" for him and the pards he chums with for the unit, time, and place of his impression.
("Western" and "Eastern" cuts a wide swath...)

IMHO, sometimes learning the process of how to strive to work to "get there," can sometimes be of greater value than a "laundry list" of everything possible and remotely possible.

Others' mileage will vary...

Curt
Sometimes accused of being or having been a US and CS company grade officer when he cannot avoid it Mess

[rebjeb04]

Clifford,
I would suggest the same as Cullen "Cadet Gray and Butternut Brown", has quite a few exerpts on officer gear/uniforms. One exclaimed that by late War and officer's frockcoat cost about $ 350 and was impossible to get a good one! Many officer began to draw enlisted clothing and adapt with rank, braid, etc. Here is an example of my impression, wearing a mid-late war Mobile or Mystery jacket with shoulder straps. The kepi is a made by Starbuck of the New Orleans type by J.J. Albert who made caps to rival that of the French Imperial Guard! The sword-belt is a copy of Col. Beard's militia model, which is on display at the Mansfield Battlefield museum. It was made by Don Smith. Trousers are common civilian cut, made by Chris Daley. Waistcoat is 1840's-1850's "Hong-Kong" figured silk/cotton with padded chest. The padding and pearl buttons can be removed and vest laundered. (probably something you might not have seen it the field at this time). Boots are civilian style by Missouri Boot and Shoe. Notice Capt. Frazier's frock on the chair is a Little Rock depot pattern with braid on the collar. It looks like a Columbus Depot, but a frockcoat.
Hope this helps,