Sky blue jean wool trousers on Federals

[Matt Caldwell]

Can anyone provide any doccumentation on arsenal produced trousers that were made out of sky blue jean cloth. I know there are great coats still around made from this fabric, but I was wondering if there was any doccumentation out there.

Thanks in advance.

[RyanBWeddle]

Can anyone provide any doccumentation on arsenal produced trousers that were made out of sky blue jean cloth. I know there are great coats still around made from this fabric, but I was wondering if there was any doccumentation out there.

Thanks in advance.

Federal ?: I have never seen a reference or documentation to support Federal "arsenal" trousers being made in anything other than kersey. If anyone was going to try and stick to regs. it would have been the government aresenals...

Now early war contractors / state/ militia items are another matter...there you might have a few smatterings of luck...

[markj]

Federal ?: I have never seen a reference or documentation to support Federal "arsenal" trousers being made in anything other than kersey. If anyone was going to try and stick to regs. it would have been the government aresenals...

Now early war contractors / state/ militia items are another matter...there you might have a few smatterings of luck...

Greetings Matt,

"Ditto." Every contractor bid solicitation I've ever seen from Federal QM depots has requested "kersey" trousers." The 10th Indiana (3 Years) was issued "dark blue kersey" trousers on 17 November 1861, per a telegraphic message from the Louisville A.Q.M. to Indiana state authorities.

State-issue items could be, and were, an entirely different issue. Through 1861, Hoosier regiments received gray and blue "jean," "cassimere," "satinette," and "cassinet" jackets and trousers. Contemporary news reports indicate these came in varying shades--the 10th IVI (3 Months) wore "light blue jean" jackets and trousers (along with light gray hats) during its service in Western Virginia. These early uniforms were generally produced by either Indianapolis or Cincinnati contractors.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Matt Caldwell]

Thats what I figured, but I wanted to see if there was possibly aything out there. Thanks for your replies and I guess the sky blue jean with have to stay with the south and greatcoats.

Best,

[JimConley]

Not sure about arsenal or depot documentation, but I do know of one source that the rest of you do as well. Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equiptment of the Confederacy shows a pair of sky blue issue confederate trousers. As far as federal, good luck Matt!

[JimConley]

Just thought about this after seeing the title of the post again. Can anyone provide documentation of Federals wearing jeans material at all? Just a curiosity. Ryan, I'm sure you can come up with something from your arsenal of documentation.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Just thought about this after seeing the title of the post again. Can anyone provide documentation of Federals wearing jeans material at all? Just a curiosity. Ryan, I'm sure you can come up with something from your arsenal of documentation.

Well, there is a jeans overcoat in the US Echoes of Glory.

[Yellowhammer]

Jim,

There are plenty of instances of Federals using jean clothing. This is especially true if you expand your definition of "jean" to include other wool/cotton blends like satinette and cassimere.

Many early war volunteers marched off in wool/cotton uniforms. Here are a few examples off the top of my head:

-The Francis Brownell of the 11th NY Fire Zouaves wore this uniform early in the war.

http://nps-vip.net/history/museum/brownell/browne01.jpg

The jacket is a jean or cassimere.

-The 14th Indiana marched off to war is "suits of gray satinette" that fell apart in the very early stages of their history.

After 1861, jean and satinette were pressed into service in times of need as a substitute. However, as supplies of the preferred goods became more available, the substitutes tended to go away.

[markj]

I agree with John although it's interesting to note that E. B. Shaw, writing in the 10th Indiana regimental history (published 1912), reported that the gray "cassimere" jackets (faced with black) and trousers issued to his regiment in mid-September 1861 were the best they ever received during their term of service, bar none. These items were replaced, as I previously indicated, by dark blue kersey jackets and trousers in November. Light blue trousers do not appear to have been issued within the 10th IVI much, if at all, prior to February 1862.

The 10th Indiana is a particularly interesting case. Approximately 10% of the "Three Months" vets of the 10th Indiana were folded into the "Three Years" version so, within the space of a single year (April 1861-April 1862), these troops wore at least four different uniforms. They also switched rifles at least three times as well (M1816 "altered to Maynard" to "Belgium" to "long Enfield").

Indiana troops throughout the first year of the war were a veritable "rainbow coalition." The colors of uniforms stated as having been issued to Hoosier regiments varied anywhere from "sheeps gray" to "light blue" to "dark blue" and were made from whatever materials could be obtained from woolen mills around the state or from, say, Cincinnati.

The 49th Ohio received "black overcoats" around late November 1862, according to a Board of Survey appointment order in its regimental order book (NARA RG 94). These were very likely made of "jean cloth" as well.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Wild Rover]

Just out of memeory- I believe there is a jean forage cap also ID'd to a Maine Soldier as well as the Overcoat.

Might be wrong, as I do not have it in front of me.

[1stMaine]

Just out of memeory- I believe there is a jean forage cap also ID'd to a Maine Soldier as well as the Overcoat.

Might be wrong, as I do not have it in front of me.


Chris,
Both the overcoat and the forage cap in EOG are id'd to Mainiacs. The Cap is from either the 30th or 31st Maine, and the overcoat is the 16th. That being said, it indicates a broad swath of time for issuance. The 16th was raised in 1862, destroyed at Gettysburg, and the remnants folded into the 20th Maine when 1st Corps was merged with 5th Corps in 63/64. The 30th & 31st Maine were both 64 regiments with the 30th, at least, serving in the Red River campaign before returning to the east, and finishing the war out in that theatre. I cannot say for certain, but I believe that both were assigned to the 6th corps after they came back east, both were at Cedar Creek in '64.
It was ventured that the Jeans cloth may have been made in Maine, but there's no way to substantiate that. Certainly any of the contractors could have produced it and have it issued from any arsenal or depot.
Trusting this is of some small use, i remain, sir, respectfully,

Tim Kindred

[ScottCross]

Our museum has two such overcoats issued late in the war to Wisconsin soldiers. One coat is satinette, the other is part satinette and part jean! One was worn by Private Walter Houston of Omro, Wisc., Co. D, 8th Wisc. Vol. Infantry.

[ScottCross]

Here's the other one. Worn by James F. Sawyer in 1864/1865 21st Wisconsin Infantry. Sky blue overcoat; cotton warp, wool weft and is jean cloth or satinette; wool lining sewn in upper body and white cotton sleeve linings; coat has short cape and standup collar; all seams and button holes are sewn with logwood dyed thread that turned brown to tan in color; seams are not felled except the skirt seam from the belt to the tail; collar has 2 metal hooks for fastening together; cape has 6 small brass buttons with heraldic eagle design; coat has 5 brass buttons with heraldic eagle design; in back there is a belt; left arm shows the forearm has been repaired; pocket on inside left breast liner; J. F. Sawyer is stamped in black ink on the underside of the cape on the left side.

[amazingkenneth]

I have heard of sky blue trousers but they were from the Richmond Depot and were of jean.

Your Servant,
K.J. Reihl