Dying and sewing shirts... from a diary

[DukeRPSC]

"The Civil War Journals of Wilson E. Chapel Co. F 13th Regt. Ill Inf. from Cortland, Sycamore, DeKalb Co. Ill." published by the DeKalb Co. Historical and Genealogical Society. Cost is $15.00

Volume II: March, 1862 –– July, 1862

Saturday, June 14
Today we received our pay from Government. Our paymaster has sold all his change to Sutlers and it is almost impossible to get a script changed. I went up town and got some cloth for shirts which I have got to make myself. Fortunately, I am able to make them having learned to sew when a boy.
Monday, June 16th
I began one of my shirts; worked till tired, and then went up to town. We are very short of rations again. We do not draw a single thing from Uncle Sam except Coffee and hard bread and some of the once despised bacon would be thankfully received now. But what we lack in rations is made up in drills and dress parades. I do not think we have enough exercise in camp, so I had as soon drill.
Tuesday, June 17th
Today I finished my shirt and they all say it is well made. Weather very hot, and I do not know what we shall do when we get one mile farther south as we shall probably be and that too in the scorching month of July.
Thursday, July 3d
Weather fine and tolerably cool. We now have an excellent place to camp with plenty of good water An article we have not had before in a long while. I was busy all day in cooking and making a shirt for one of my mess mates.

Volume III: July, 1862 - January, 1863
Saturday, July 19th
Today I have been quite busy coloring my shirts. White shirts show dirt too easy for a soldier to wear. We have now drawn plenty of rations and begin to live some as we used to in Rolla, which seems very good to us; but would be considered very poor living by our friends at home.
Thursday, July 24th
Today commenced drawing our new uniform. Drew our hats which are very good ones, and also drew shoes and socks and expect the rest in a few days.
Wednesday, Aug. 13th
Had a grand review and inspection of our Brigade by Gen. Carr. We have a new Regiment added to our Brigade, the 5 - 6th15 Ohio. We saw them today for the 1st time. They are the crack Regiment of Ohio, and are certainly a splendid Regiment. This was the grandest review we have ever had, and it was acknowledged by all that ours is the finest Brigade in the army of the South W. Yesterday we drew our new uniform blouses and are once more in full uniform.
Thursday, Sept 25th
We drew white flannel shirts, but as we do not like white shirts, Babcock and I got some maple-bark and copperas and colored ours and so many of the boys wanted their colored, we concluded to make a business out of it and have already colored over 40 shirts and have got as many more as we can color tomorrow. Dull about town and camp.
Friday, Sept 26th
Today I am 23 years old. This is the second birthday I have passed in the service and I am afraid I shall pass yet another in the service. Everything is bustle and confusion as we are ordered to get ready to march nobody know where. Our Company was detailed to unload boats, but I did not have to go. Worked nearly all day in coloring shirts. Some think we are going Batesville and some to Little Rock; but I hope it is to neither place.
Saturday, Sept 27th
Our trains are all loaded and we have drawn every thing we need and are ready for a march. Today, finished my third month''s cooking and I am tired enough to quit. Worked coloring shirts for the last 3 days and have colored at least 95 and hope we are about through with it, but many more want theirs colored and if we stay here we shall do it.
Sunday, Sept. 28th
Spent most of the day in writing. The day was misty and lowering. Our marching orders have been countermanded and there is now as fair a prospect of our remaining here another month as ever and we are glad of it, for none of us liked the idea of marching westward again.
Monday, Sept. 29th
Had 20 more shirts to color which with cooking, Battalion Drill and Dress Parade occupied most of my time. The hospital-boats ""D.A. January"" & ""H. Choteau"" took our sick up the river. Our Company sent 5, two of them my mess-mates, and the Regiment sent 70.
Tuesday, Sept. 30th
Colored about 20 shirts. Charlie commenced helping me cook. In the eve., Ally M. Cash39 came up to see me, had a very pleasant chat. I learned that we shall soon, probably, leave for Ironton, Missouri.
Thursday, Oct 9th
A very rainy and cold day. One year ago today we started for Springfield from Rolla , and it was just such a day as this has been: cold, windy & rainy. But we can keep more comfortable now than we could then, marching in the rain and sleeping on the cold, damp ground. We now begin to need our overcoats and blankets very much, which we left in Springfield, Missouri. Gen. Wyman has sent for them and we shall have them soon.
Friday, Oct 10th
Charlie and I worked nearly all day cooking and coloring shirts. Weather, cold enough to be very uncomfortable for us, although, if we had been up at the North all Summer we should think nothing of such weather, as there has been no frost here yet.
Sunday, Oct. 19th
We were called up before day light to get ready to go over into Mississippi on picket guard again. We crossed the river about 8 o''clock. We found lying upon the bank the dead body of one of the pickets49 who had been shot the night before by Guerrillas. We took our posts and remained until next morning without seeing any signs of the enemy. The night was chilly and we suffered some with the cold as we have no overcoats yet.
Wednesday, Oct 22nd
Today we colored 30 shirts, which, with the cooking, kept me pretty busy. One of our forage trains was captured with about 90 men of the 5th Illinois Cavalry. The rebs are plenty a short distance west from here and I believe if it were not for our gunboats, they would attack us here. Indeed, they say we dare not come out from the cover of our gunboats and fight them.
Thursday, Oct.23
Felt rather unwell but kept at work cooking and coloring. Our Company was on Brigade chain guard. Weather cool but not uncomfortable.
Friday, Nov. 7th
At 7:00 A.M. we were relieved by the 29th Wisconsin and returned to camp. The 30th Iowa came in today. The blankets which we left in Springfield came in good order today; but they will not let us have our gray overcoats, but we are to have blue ones instead

[coffee boiler]

Duke, nice post.

[vbetts]

MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL [JACKSON, MS], February 18, 1863, p. 1, c. 6
Maple—The bark dyes both wool and cotton a fine dark shade of purple. Use an iron boiler and two ounces of copperas to four gallons of dye; scald in hot dye for twenty minutes and rinse in cold water.

Vicki Betts
vbetts@gower.net

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

Friday, Nov. 7th
At 7:00 A.M. we were relieved by the 29th Wisconsin and returned to camp. The 30th Iowa came in today. The blankets which we left in Springfield came in good order today; but they will not let us have our gray overcoats, but we are to have blue ones instead[/quote]



Hope no one failed to see the use of gray overcoats by these Federal boys....

Images of soldiers of the 13th show them wearing something very akin to the 'NY-militia' style jacket. Trimmed, exterior pocket. Scott Cross penned an article that appeared in Military Images a few year s back.

John Pillers
TSM