Tait Jackets

[IsleGuy57]

I am looking to purchase a Tait jacket for my unit's late-war impression and so far, I have found only a few vendors that make them. I'd like to compare more than just one or two vendors before making the purchase. Can anyone help me with names of vendors that produce or sell Tait jackets?

[mickscove80]

Howdy,

The following three come to mind in no particular order...
- CJ Daley - http://www.cjdaley.com/
- Quartermaster Shop - http://www.quartermastershop.com/
- County Cloth - http://www.crchilds.com/

Best Regards,
- Michael McDonald

[mickscove80]

Thought of another sutler that makes them...
- The Richmond Depot - http://www.kabar44.com/index.php

Regards,
- Michael

[Jim Mayo]

There are two (now one) for sale at this time on the forum. May suit your needs.

You can also use the search feature and may come up with some useful info.

[FloridaConfederate]

A RD of EBGK in my opinion would be more PEC than a Tait for a Petersburg to Appomattox impression like that of 25th NCT.

If I recall correctly the Tait import numbers were like 5000.....

I was on a similar quest as my grandmothers brother was in the 10 FL INF in those same trenches and parole papers.

[Doug Cooper]

The only current vendors that make a correct Tait jacket are:

Richmond Depot http://www.kabar44.com/index.php
County Cloth http://www.crchilds.com/
CJ Daley http://www.cjdaley.com/

[IsleGuy57]

Gents, thank you for the replies. I had the links for most of those vendors, I just wasn't sure which made the jackets. The various links have a good variety of styles/"quality" and will give me a pretty good starting point for comparison shopping. If you can think of any others, please let me know. I want to get the best value for the dollars I spend. These jackets are costly at best and I want to get it right the first time.

Christopher, the reason I asked for info on a Tait is that the research already done by unit members indicates that type of jacket, not an RD. No, I do not have the direct references. I am going by what the fellows who have done the research have told me. We have several guys who have researched the unit for this sort of arms and equipment info. I have found a piece or two to add to the fund of unit knowledge myself.

[FloridaConfederate]

That is the kind of info needed...did these Tait's go to a specific unit(s) and what/which ones ?????

Please I implore you to bring forth that info.

I simply mentioned RD in EBGK because there is no arguing the probability of the Tait numbers vs CS forces present @ Petersburg and all points in betwixt Richmond. CS Troops were scattered all between..so who got em ? They were crankin out roundabouts (RD) in English BLue Grey Kersey in Richmond...L Jensen supports this and others.

Then with an RD you got other ANV events covered too

That poor old Rebel soul in the P'Burg trenches has one on...who is he ? From where ?

Bro if you can support NC troops or any getting them please this is critical piece of the puzzle.

[IsleGuy57]

Christopher, I asked one of the guys in the unit and he gave me confirmation of the 25th NCT being issued Tait jackets. One of our former members has copies of Col. Love's letters and dispatches which describe the regiment being reoutfitted with Tait jackets in early 1863 replacing the well worn, tattered 1861 sack coats. At this time I do not know ig it was only the 25th who were re-issued Taits or the brigade as a whole. This is the reason I was asking about Tait jackets. I was looking to get a jacket for a regiment specific impression. Once I have this complete, I can start working on more generic impressions.

[cjdaley]

Scott and Fenny Hanes are actually offering three different patterns of Tait jackets. They have an excellent reputation for quality and customer service. I would highly recommend you contact them and pick their brain on the style of Tait jacket that would work best for your impression:

http://www.kabar44.com/clothingPeterTait.htm

[madisontigers]

[QUOTE=IsleGuy57]"Christopher, I asked one of the guys in the unit and he gave me confirmation of the 25th NCT being issued Tait jackets."

Did he show you the documentation, or did he just say he had it?


"One of our former members has copies of Col. Love's letters and dispatches which describe the regiment being reoutfitted with Tait jackets in early 1863 replacing the well worn, tattered 1861 sack coats."

I would have to be hard pressed to belive this without first seeing the documentation first.

"At this time I do not know ig it was only the 25th who were re-issued Taits or the brigade as a whole. This is the reason I was asking about Tait jackets. I was looking to get a jacket for a regiment specific impression. Once I have this complete, I can start working on more generic impressions."


Bernie, if I may, I would like to make a suggestion. If you want to obtain a regiment specific impression, and a good one, I would reccomend that you finger through the regimental records in Raleigh. If they don't have what you are looking for their, then I would put in a call to the National Archives. At the National Archives, the RG 109 will have what you want.

David Long

[tompritchett]

"One of our former members has copies of Col. Love's letters and dispatches which describe the regiment being reoutfitted with Tait jackets in early 1863 replacing the well worn, tattered 1861 sack coats."

I would have to be hard pressed to belive this without first seeing the documentation first.

If a total stranger made that statement to me I would tend to agree. However, we have no idea the degree of interaction that this source has had with the unit and the degree of trust he has gained from the unit because of the quality (or lack thereof) of his research. Before I would condemn a man for having trust in the abilities of one of pards (I know - the source was an ex-member of the unit, but that could just mean that the individual has retired from active reenacting after years or decades of taking the field), I would first try to determine the dynamics of the relationship between the two individuals in order to determine whether or not this trust is due to blind faith or due to a respect that has been earned over the years.

Part of being a soldier is having the ability to trust your very life with the men on either side of you. That is why units did not break under conditions that would send a mob running for cover. If you are suggesting that no one should ever trust their pards but must see for themselves every piece of documentation behind every statement or claim made by a fellow unit member, especially one whose research has proven correct over the years, then I am suggesting that you are missing a major part of the mindset of soldiers serving together in a time of war.

[madisontigers]

[QUOTE=tompritchett]"If a total stranger made that statement to me I would tend to agree. However, we have no idea the degree of interaction that this source has had with the unit and the degree of trust he has gained from the unit because of the quality (or lack thereof) of his research."

What if I am aware of the person in question? Secondly, what is wrong with requesting that folks, who make statements about having documentation, to bring forth such evidence?

" Before I would condemn a man for having trust in the abilities of one of pards (I know - the source was an ex-member of the unit, but that could just mean that the individual has retired from active reenacting after years or decades of taking the field), I would first try to determine the dynamics of the relationship between the two individuals in order to determine whether or not this trust is due to blind faith or due to a respect that has been earned over the years."


Sir, with all due respect; in no way, shape or form, did I condemn anyone.All that I suggested, in turn, was that the person claiming to have the documentation present it. I don't know how many times I have heard reenactors claim that they can, for example, document the usage of type x jacket being used during the Overland campaign, rather than the ones found in such & such museum, in Virginia.

"Part of being a soldier is having the ability to trust your very life with the men on either side of you. That is why units did not break under conditions that would send a mob running for cover."

Well said.

"If you are suggesting that no one should ever trust their pards but must see for themselves every piece of documentation behind every statement or claim made by a fellow unit member, especially one whose research has proven correct over the years, then I am suggesting that you are missing a major part of the mindset of soldiers serving together in a time of war."

I am not saying that trusting your unit members is wrong. However, when it comes to historical issues, especially those in regards to research, then yes, I am saying that it is wise to seek the evidence, rather than depending on the word of another reenactor. Mr. Pritchett, in the world of historical research, documentation plays a very prominent role. If he has the evidence, which I suspect he does, then there should be nor problem in producing it.

David Long

[1stTexas]

Gents, thank you for the replies. I had the links for most of those vendors, I just wasn't sure which made the jackets. The various links have a good variety of styles/"quality" and will give me a pretty good starting point for comparison shopping. If you can think of any others, please let me know. I want to get the best value for the dollars I spend. These jackets are costly at best and I want to get it right the first time.

Christopher, the reason I asked for info on a Tait is that the research already done by unit members indicates that type of jacket, not an RD. No, I do not ve the direct references. I am going by what the fellows who have done the research have told me. We have several guys who have researched the unit for this sort of arms and equipment info. I have found a piece or two to add to the fund of unit knowledge myself.


I know of at least three popular vendors who sell Peter Tait jackets and they are made by The Quartermaster Shop. That should tell you somthing about the quality and accuracy of the jackets made by The QM Shop. The sutlers are:

Fall Creek Suttlery http://www.fcsutler.com/fccsuniforms.asp
AzRA http://www.ushist.com/index.html
Frazer Brothers http://www.frazerbrothers.com

[FloridaConfederate]

I didn't realize the research came from a former member who was the one that had the letters and dispatches.

My bad.

[Doug Cooper]

Christopher, I asked one of the guys in the unit and he gave me confirmation of the 25th NCT being issued Tait jackets. One of our former members has copies of Col. Love's letters and dispatches which describe the regiment being reoutfitted with Tait jackets in early 1863 replacing the well worn, tattered 1861 sack coats. At this time I do not know ig it was only the 25th who were re-issued Taits or the brigade as a whole. This is the reason I was asking about Tait jackets. I was looking to get a jacket for a regiment specific impression. Once I have this complete, I can start working on more generic impressions.

This would be a fantastic find - if he mentions Tait by name that is a long sought after piece of the puzzle. At the same time of course, blue gray kersey (English Army cloth) garments were being made by the Richmond Depot for issue, so if Tait or "Irish" or some other Tait reference was not used, they could also be RD pattern jackets. English army cloth and imported uniforms were coming in by at least 1862 in the Trans-Mississippi as well (captured blockage runner manifests and CS QM and OR documentation).

There is more at work here than trust between unit members, etc. If this source bears out, it is a major find in the material culture of the CSA and of benefit to way more folks than just reenactors. Get those letters transcripted and thanks!!

[Marc Shaffer]

I'd like to put a plug in for a vendor that hasn't been mentioned yet. Don Smith of the Trans_Missippi Depot does excellent work. I've bought a few items from him and they all have been top rate! I'm going to purchase my uniform items from him soon. He has an extensive background with artifacts and reproducing them. Here's a link that shows some of his work:

http://www.trans-mississippi.com/confedcoats.html

Cheers!
Marc

[mickscove80]

Thats who I was forgetting! I knew I had seen someone else that makes them.

- Michael McDonald

[madisontigers]

Bernie,

Which former member of the 25th has the letter?

David Long

[jademonkey]

Sir,

Don't know what size you need, but if this one would fit you should definately grab it.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16452

Great deal on a real nice jacket. Also, Doug's right, please convince your source to transcibe that letter or at least the context of the reference. To mention P.Tait or an Irish import by name in early 63' would be a coup indeed. Good luck,

Garrett

[IsleGuy57]

It was Scott Evanson. It was him also that wrote the regimental history that is to be found on the original 25th's website. I do not know him or even where he may be living now. I do know that he was a member for a good while, I believe around the time the unit was first established here. I was given this info by Ted Orean, who has been with the unit from almost the start of the unit as well.

[FloridaConfederate]

Hey man I aint gonna pile on a brother in gray...the fact that you know what a PT is and are willing to don one to improve the CS late war impression means are you are good to go in my eyes. If you get a hold of that info let me know...if I can ever help..by all means...PM me

Pehaps if you walk away from this thread with something besides the excellent sources for a PT, I think it demonstrates that when someone speaks of research to support material knowledge you might want to be ready to back it up with certainty. Someone like me with no life who lives for the details is gonna get all whipped up into frothing frenzy. That's all it is really nothing personal.

Good luck and get ready to answer a zillion times why you have an arty jacket on if you get the red collar PT !!

[IsleGuy57]

Gentlemen, thanks to all who posted with links to vendors. They will all be useful when I am ready to purchase a jacket. At the present, I am only doing some comparison shopping. I plan on purchasing a jacket and pants in the next few months and I like to get as my info as early as possible.