English Blue Grey Kersey

[markj]

Re: English Blue Grey Kersey

I am not real sure but I think Brit overcoats as well as trowsers may have been made of the B/G cloth. I seem to remember seeing it somewhere in some article I read about Brit uniforms and equipage many years ago, but for the life of me can't recall which one.

This doesn't say anything about the cloth used in the coat but it may nonetheless be interesting:

MILITARY SURTOUT--The new great-coat adopted in the British army is thus described: Double over the shoulders, no cape, partly double down the back and in the sleeves to below the elbows, two capacious porkers behind [sic], the edges piped with red, a band also piped confining the coat to the wearer's back at pleasure, shoulder straps for the belts are also piped, and the forepart of the skirts made to loop back to the waist when on the march.

(Source: Petersburg VA Daily Express, 12 February 1861)

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[1stMaine]

Re: English Blue Grey Kersey

Comrades,

Abimelich Hainsworth produces a blue-grey army cloth today which is used for the British Army's Guards Regiments overcoats. The British Army used a bluish-grey material for it's overcoats from the Napoleonic period onwards, with only a few deviations in color for specific regiments.

As to the English Army cloth being used in the ANV, I am convinced that it was available and used for uniforms as early as the summer of 1863. After Gettysburg, a large portion of Longstreet's corps was reclothed prior to moving west. The Texas Brigade received issues at this time, and contemporary accounts comment upon it being a bluish-cast. In fact, the Texans were fired upon at Chickamagua by other CS forces, being mistaken for Federal troops because of the bluish cast of their uniforms. I don't have the book here right now, but I'll post the references later if folks want them. A lot of them can be found in Harold Simpson's book "Hood's Texas Brigade, Lee's Grenadier Guards".

Regarding Peter Tait and Co., Tait did not produce any cloth, but DID produce clothing, especially shirts, and like I&C, outsourced some work. Tait was a supplier, in fact, FOR Isaac & Campbell, and in that regard, could very well have been the source of clothing shipped over to the south by the latter firm.

respects,

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: English Blue Grey Kersey

Comrades,


As to the English Army cloth being used in the ANV, I am convinced that it was available and used for uniforms as early as the summer of 1863. After Gettysburg, a large portion of Longstreet's corps was reclothed prior to moving west. The Texas Brigade received issues at this time, and contemporary accounts comment upon it being a bluish-cast. In fact, the Texans were fired upon at Chickamagua by other CS forces, being mistaken for Federal troops because of the bluish cast of their uniforms.
,

The blue shade of the ANVs uniforms caused quite abit of confusion on both sides at Chickamauga. There were instances were US troops held their fire due to the fact that they thought Longstreets men were friendly. (Having their colors cased didnt help either)

[Peachfuz]

Re: English Blue Grey Kersey

To back what Mr. Rose stated above, and that English goods (cloth in particular) was available in the East as early as mid-’62 here is an exert from a letter from James Henry Reid while at VMI dated 8/18/62.
“One of my roommates Read S has gone to Lynchburg (you have probably seen him before this) on furlough. Please send by him some undershirts for it is very cold up here. I was on guard about 2'oclock last night & had nothing but my white clothes on, I very near froze. I would write for my thick winter coat but Gen. Smith recd a letter yesterday from Charleston saying the cloth had run the blockade & arrived safely. It will be here in a few days, so I will try & stand it as my order for Jacket, pants & overcoat is 3rd in the list & Mr. Vanderslice will soon make it. Gen. Smith says he has $30,000 worth of cloth about 15,000 yards or more because it did not cost $2 per yard in Europe. "