Need Some Guidance

[Crockett]

What type of jacket and pants would be appropriate for a Georgia unit, late war, under Jubal Early? I have an opportunity to do some film work, No Retreat From Destiny, and have been told to avoid jean and need to come up with something in wool kersey. So, would I need a RDII or RDIII jacket, Columbus Depot? Any advice would be appreciated.

Joe Mode

[Nighthawk]

Re: Need Some Guidance

What type of jacket and pants would be appropriate for a Georgia unit, late war, under Jubal Early? I have an opportunity to do some film work, No Retreat From Destiny, and have been told to avoid jean and need to come up with something in wool kersey. So, would I need a RDII or RDIII jacket, Columbus Depot? Any advice would be appreciated.

Joe Mode

Joe-

The short answer is research the unit to be portrayed. Find out as much as you can from any clothing issues, requisitions, equipment returns, and inspection reports from the time period you want to represent. Then find reputable vendors who can reproduce the equipment you will need.

[K Bartsch]

Re: Need Some Guidance

What type of jacket and pants would be appropriate for a Georgia unit, late war, under Jubal Early? I have an opportunity to do some film work, No Retreat From Destiny, and have been told to avoid jean and need to come up with something in wool kersey. So, would I need a RDII or RDIII jacket, Columbus Depot? Any advice would be appreciated.

Joe Mode

Joe,
Welcome to our forum. We need more information to help you. Specifically, the unit, or at least brigade of assignment for your Georgians. Also, you mention "late-war" under "Old Jubilee". Are you thinking his Summer of 1864 threat to Washington, or his early Spring '65 Shenandoah Valley drubbing by Sheridan?

As an aside, if memory serves, the only surviving examples of the Richmond jacket we refer to as the "RD III" are made of wool kersey -- perhaps that's why folks are telling you to avoid jean, if the "RD III" is indeed the jacket of choice for your impression based on clothing records for the unit you are attempting to portray.

To recap, we need a unit and campaign to really be of any assistance beyond generalities.

Cordially,

[Crockett]

Re: Need Some Guidance

Thanks for responding. From what I have been told I will be portraying a private in the 31st Georgia. The filmwork coresponds to Early's raid on Washington, or the Battle of Monocacy. This is a Hershberger project and more information can be found at their website: monocacymovie.com

So suppose the RDIII is the garb of choice. What color was typical or prevelant?

Thanks,

Joe Mode

[Nighthawk]

Re: Need Some Guidance

Joe-

Had to attend to some business, but now I can finish the reply I had started. I would stay away from a CD jacket, as they are very hard to document being used in the ANV. More than likely, depending on time period, you would be most interested in a blue/grey, ( English army cloth) RD II or RD III. See John Stillwagon's post on the William Ramsey jacket. Briefly it is a blue/grey kersey RDII style jacket with shoulder straps and no belt loops. This would, as John outlined, give you a slightly broader time period to represent than would a RDIII. Here is the link to the tread.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3793&highlight=kersey

[bAcK88]

Re: Need Some Guidance

If you haven't already read it, I recommend reading Leslie Jensen's article on Confederate jackets.

http://www.military-historians.org/company/journal/confederate/confederate-1.htm

Hope this helps,

[markj]

Re: Need Some Guidance

Hi,

I checked the National Archives listing for Georgia regimental order books but, alas, it appears only those for the 10th Georgia are in the NARA collections (Record Group 109). However, another potential source of information is:

Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Georgia, Record Group 109, M266

For future reference, please check out this NARA link:

http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/summer_1995_the_little_regiment_appendix_a.html

There are undoubtedly several microfilmed rolls for the 31st Georgia. These can be purchased for a (somewhat) reasonable price or, depending on where you live, you might even be able to view them at a regional NARA location. Alas, you've got a snowball's chance in hell of getting them through interlibrary loan--I've already tried doing that. It's a crap shoot as to what you'll find but I've had excellent luck with the rolls I reviewed for the 32nd Tennessee--intriguing information about uniform, accoutrement, and camp equipage issues as well as tidbits about flags, field music instruments, and arms.

I don't immediately know if the 31st Georgia ever published a regimental history but it might be worth looking into. Other potential sources of information might be found in surviving newspapers published in the counties that furnished troops to the 31st Georgia, not to mention surviving manuscript collections, etc.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger