The Frack Coat

[Palmyra Possum]

I found the button arrangement on this coat interesting. The style of a frock with the ease of a sack. Simply remove 5 of your 9 buttons.

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: The Frack Coat

Looks like a poker game gone wrong! :)

Great image. Any idea of who it is or what regiment?

[Palmyra Possum]

Re: The Frack Coat

Allen Morgan Geer, Co. C, 20th Illinois.

His diary makes several references to men from the regiment getting their pictures taken in June of 1861 shortly after they mustered in. However, I find it hard to believe that a soldier could get away with his buttons like that at that stage of the war, unless there was a severe button shortage with the rush of recruits at the outbreak.:)

I just started reading his diary. If there are any more clues as to when this may have been taken, I'll update this post.

[RSchuda]

Re: The Frack Coat

Quite an interesting hybrid, looks like the buttons were removed, seeing all the button holes present, which goes against any argument that it was issued in such a state. Speaking to the "ease of the sack", thought I should add that I can't remember the last time I buttoned all 4 buttons on my coat. Maybe I'm just that lazy, I don't know.

[Palmyra Possum]

Re: The Frock Coat

Okay, I finished the diary. There are several different times he mentions photos being taken. The Regiment was sworn into service on June 9, 1861. A few days later, Allen Geer wrote about members of the regiment going into town to have pictures taken to send home. He mentions this happening on June 14, 15 and 17. Like I said above, I find it hard to believe that a soldier could get away with wearing his coat in this manner so early on in the war.

On September 22, 1862, he wrote that he had an ambrotype taken of himself, which he sent to his mother. However, the day before, he commented that he was "shaved in the Burnside style," which seems to preclude this being that picture.

On January 30, 1863, he wrote that many soldiers had pictures taken to send home, but does not say if one was himself.

On September 25, 1863, he describes his picture being taken in a wonderfully understated diary entry:

Fri. Sept 25 Worked some in the Orderlys office on clothing lists. Went to town with J.B. Had our photographs taken at Dixon & Parets. Canvassed the town for sights. Went to the St. Louis theatre with Ed. Grand performance Chimney Corner. Ended in a guard house tragedy. Marked a Sergt. Of the 1st Nebraska. Spent a miserable night in the city.

Because everyone decks a sergeant at the end of the play!

I find the last one to be the most likely possibility. He later mentions having 12 copies of the picture made, several of which he sent home to different people, increasing the chance of its survival. Also, Geer had been wounded at the Battle of Raymond. While in the hospital, he and the rest of the hospital were captured by Confederates. He is paroled and sent back to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, to bide his time with a bunch of other paroled soldiers, awaiting exchange. It seems like a ripe opportunity for a lack of military discipline. Probably the next most likely date of the picture is January 30, 1863.

Source: Geer, Allen Morgan. The Civil War Diary of Allen Morgan Geer, Twentieth Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, edited by Mary Ann Andersen. Denver: R. C. Appleman, 1977

Hey, who changed the name of my thread?