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What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

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  • What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

    Resembling Sherman's Bummers (at their worst point) more-so than their Regular contemporaries in the East, the Federal POWs being imprisoned at Fort McKavett during the winter of 1861/spring of 1862 would have been in want of new clothing.

    During the 1859- 1861 Inspections carried out by Col. J. K. Mansfield, Inspector General of the Department of Texas, and Lt. Col. Joseph E. Johnston it was noted that the soldiers of Companies B, E, F, H, I, and K of the 8th Regiment of Infantry were clothed in a manner ranging from “good order”(1) to “new and good”(2) to “good, in excellent order”(3) in uniforms of the new pattern (M1858 uniforms). After being surrendered at the Battle of Adam's Hill, Texas in May 1861, the prisoners-of-war would have been wearing the same clothing for six months. Their clothing that was once in “handsome order”(4) would have been well worn and in various stages of disrepair.

    The Texas Hill Country (where Camp Verde, Camp Van Dorn, and Fort McKavett are all located) during the Civil War was largely populated by Unionist German immigrants. Many of which were run out of Germany during the 1848 revolutions and created utopian communities in the Texas Hill Country (the names still exist but the scene has changed...Utopia, Fredonia, etc.) Unionist sympathies ran so strong that two regiments of Federal Texas cavalry were formed across the Rio Grande in Mexico. One group of armed Germans attempting to join the Federal army in Mexico were captured in a battle known as the Battle of Nueces/Nueces Massacre depending on where your allegiance lies. Unionist aid societies in these German communities would have made some clothing for the Federal prisoners and they did have some money on them when they were captured (as noted in Schwartz's "Twenty-two months a Prisoner-of-War") to purchase what scant offerings that could be found in Kerrville.

    Schwartz notes, in his memoir of his stint as a POW, that in June 1862 they were issued a suit of clothing and "it was now over twelve months past, since we had received clothing of any kind, from the Confederate government. We were obliged to be daily tailoring, sewing one patch on another, but this bungling work had to come to an end, from the scarcity of patches and thread." (p. 103) This means that in June 1861, four months before the POWs were sent to Fort McKavett, they received an issue of clothing from the Texans. What this issue of clothing was, is not known. It may have been surplus from the Arsenal in San Antonio or, as they were issued in 1862, it may have been a suit of clothing constructed out of various hues of ticking. More than likely it was cast off civilian clothing from Dill's Company that was guarding them at Camp Verde.

    A good mixture of well worn civilian and Federal issue clothing is the best bet for this impression. Dress hats and civilian broad brimmed hats are preferred over forage caps due to contemporary descriptions of antebellum regulars and the blistering Texas sun. Belt knives are accepted, as the prisoners were only ordered to turn over their long arms and cartridge boxes. Knapsacks are to be of the double bag variety....unless you happen to have an india rubber or gutta percha copy of the m1825/Mexican War knapsack that the government was testing in Texas during the mid-1850s. The prisoners were allowed to keep their overcoats, but if you have a civilian overcoat it will serve the purpose just as well.

    For more info on the Regulars being held as prisoners during the period that this event will be representing, I recommend reading Stephan Schwartz's book available here for download.

    For info on this event please visit our webpage: http://companytailor.wixsite.com/the...n-the-frontier
    Cody Mobley

    Texas Ground Hornets
    Texas State Troops

    [HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, October 28, 1863,

    Wanted.

    All ladies in Houston and surrounding counties who have cloth on hand, which they can spare, are requested to donate it to the ladies of Crockett for the purpose of making petticoats for the Minute Men of this county, who have "backed out" of the service. We think the petticoat more suitable for them in these times.

  • #2
    Re: What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

    I found this photo online and thought it seemed relevant. Supposedly this is a photograph of the 19th Iowa in New Orleans after spending time in a Texas prison. Could the 8th US Infantry have looked like this? image.jpeg
    Ben Beckman

    17 and been a living historian for 2 years. New to this side of the hobby, always looking for events to go to.

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    • #3
      Re: What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

      Is this photo even in the same time frame?
      Ken Cornett
      MESS NO.1
      Founding Member
      OHIO
      Mason Lodge #678, PM
      Need Rules?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

        The picture of the 19th Iowa Infantry is as I recall a picture of the officers of the regiment taken soon after their exchange from Confederate captivity. They were captured on September 29, 1863 at the Battle of Sterling Farm and were exchanged around the 22nd of July 1864 according to the "Roster and Record of Iowa Troops in the Rebellion Vol 3." So the picture would date to late July 1864 and would reflect what was left of their uniforms after 10 months or so of incarceration. While definitely outside the time perimeter of the OP it does give one the idea of the deterioration of uniforms after an extended period in a POW camp.
        Louis Zenti

        Pvt. Albert R. Cumpston (Company B, 12th Illinois Vol. Inf.-W.I.A. February 15, 1862)
        Pvt. William H. Cumpston (Company B, 12th Illinois Vol. Inf.-K.I.A. February 15, 1862 Ft. Donelson)
        Pvt. Simon Sams (Co. C, 18th Iowa Inf.-K.I.A. January 8, 1863 Springfield, MO)
        Pvt. Elisha Cox (Co. C, 26th North Carolina Inf.-W.I.A. July 3, 1863 Gettysburg)

        "...in the hottest of the fight, some of the rebs yelled out...them must be Iowa boys". Charles O. Musser 29th Iowa Infantry

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        • #5
          Re: What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

          Thanks for clearing that up Louis. It looked more like a turn-of-century photo to me than anything else.
          Ken Cornett
          MESS NO.1
          Founding Member
          OHIO
          Mason Lodge #678, PM
          Need Rules?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: What exactly did the Federal POWs look like?

            From the descriptions given by Schwartz in his memoir and the amount of time between clothing issues the POWs would have looked very close to that. While being held at Camp Van Dorn north of San Antonio following the surrender in May, the Regulars received the cast off clothing of Duff's cavalry and some items from local Germans with Union sympathies. When the Regulars were transferred to the other posts for imprisonment only those that stayed at Camp Verde near Kerrville received a new set of clothing, all others were at the mercy of the Texans and what could be acquired locally.
            Cody Mobley

            Texas Ground Hornets
            Texas State Troops

            [HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, October 28, 1863,

            Wanted.

            All ladies in Houston and surrounding counties who have cloth on hand, which they can spare, are requested to donate it to the ladies of Crockett for the purpose of making petticoats for the Minute Men of this county, who have "backed out" of the service. We think the petticoat more suitable for them in these times.

            Comment

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