buttons issued for Richmond Depot jacket

[Slickrick214]

I'm having trouble finding exact information on what kind of buttons were used on a Richmond Depot Jacket. I'll be ordering one soon and I want to try to get the right buttons. What buttons would have been issued with a Richmond depot jacket. Virginia state seal buttons, "I" script infantry buttons or plain smooth brass buttons?

[Picket Post]

I'm having trouble finding exact information on what kind of buttons were used on a Richmond Depot Jacket. I'll be ordering one soon and I want to try to get the right buttons. What buttons would have been issued with a Richmond depot jacket. Virginia state seal buttons, "I" script infantry buttons or plain smooth brass buttons?


I have not found any records of the buttons issued with RD's. Many surviving coats have Federal eagle buttons and state buttons, though it is hard to say if these are post-war changes.

Buttons typically found in CS camps throughout VA include block I's (stamped brass w/ tin backs most common) eagle, state buttons, and flat buttons. I dont believe you can go wrong with any of these choices. Some folks believe state buttons (especially VA buttons) are more early war items, but I have not seen any archival or archaeological evidence to support this. Regardless, they were probably less common than "I" buttons, eagles, and flat buttons.

Im sorry I do not have the source with me, but a few months ago I read an account (1864 I believe) of an officer from one of Kershaw's South Carolina regiments recieving a significant number of state seal buttons. I will try to find this account and post the source, as it is hersay without the source!

I recommend block I's over script I's simply because more block I's are found. Block I's were imported and also made locally. The more common Block I is a two-peice button, brass front w/ an iron back (I do not believe there are any good reproductions of this type..there are a few "ok" repros). Many call this the "Richmond" style, though I am not sure if someone has documented the manufacture of this button in Richmond (very plausable thought)

[Jim Mayo]

I recommend block I's over script I's simply because more block I's are found. Block I's were imported and also made locally. The more common Block I is a two-peice button, brass front w/ an iron back (I do not believe there are any good reproductions of this type..there are a few "ok" repros). Many call this the "Richmond" style, though I am not sure if someone has documented the manufacture of this button in Richmond (very plausable thought)

I concur. There are brass back block I buttons but they seem to be a early war button and the use of brass for the back gave way to the cheaper and more available tin back. Still, nobody makes a repro with both a good front and a good back.

As for your RD jacket, the time period would have some effect on the buttons used due to supplies on hand. I have not found any evidence that the Richmond depot ever issued jackets with state buttons. Commutation jackets may have had state buttons if they were specified but they were just too expensive for depot use.

A little survey I did of jacket buttons on LOC pictures shows eagle buttons being very common for late war use. It is located on this page http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/csequip.html

[tompritchett]

I'm having trouble finding exact information on what kind of buttons were used on a Richmond Depot Jacket. I'll be ordering one soon and I want to try to get the right buttons. What buttons would have been issued with a Richmond depot jacket. Virginia state seal buttons, "I" script infantry buttons or plain smooth brass buttons?

I do not intend this to be a flippant answer so please do not take it as such. The depot would literally use whatever buttons they had in stock at the time. As to what buttons they might have in stock at any given time, I believe that Picket Post gives a pretty good list (the Eagle buttons were those scavenged off of Union dead after major Eastern battles, at least according to the staffer at the MOC in Richmond with whom I discussed this issue years ago).

[Slickrick214]

Thanks that really helped. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one having trouble finding exact info. I think I'm going to go with the plain buttons like this:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/Slickrick214/buttons.jpg

I got the Richmond Depot type III jacket. My thinking was that the Type III was towards the end of the line for the Confederacy and at that point as Mr. Pritchett said they would have been using whatever buttons they could get thier hands on. By the end of the war plain brass buttons must have been common. They were easy to make since they had no engraving and I would think they would have more of them then I block or Virginia state buttons.

[VaTrooper]

If I was buying an RD3 I'd go with Blue Gray Kersey and script I buttons.

[Slickrick214]

O. I went with a brown jean wool with the plain buttons.:confused:

[Jim Mayo]

I got the Richmond Depot type III jacket. My thinking was that the Type III was towards the end of the line for the Confederacy and at that point as Mr. Pritchett said they would have been using whatever buttons they could get their hands on. By the end of the war plain brass buttons must have been common.


Strange as it seems, the ANV supply problem improved during the war to the point that the army was fairly well clothed by the end of the war. The problems with the quartermaster dept had been mostly solved. Interior lines were short and available supplies had little problem reaching the front lines. Period pictures around Petersburg of the dead Confederates attribute to the qualitity of clothing and period descriptions verify this. One of Chris Calkins books had two different descriptions by Union soldiers of the Confederate Army in April of 1865. One said the prisoners they saw were well clothed and supplied. The other description said the prisoners they saw were threadbare and wanting. It depended on when the last uniform issue was drawn as to how the men looked. A statement attributed to General Lee at Petersburg was that he had not enough men to fill the available uniforms.

On a side note, I used to have a copy of an invoice from the National Archives for buttons received in 1863 at the Richmond Depot. I have tried in vain to locate this in my mass of mess to no avail. Anyway I was floored by the quantity of buttons received described as "brass with eagle". There were way to many to have been CS staff so they must have been common US eagle buttons. It would have been simple for US button manufactures to export buttons to Bumuda and load them on a blockade runner for delivery.

Something to think about.

[Slickrick214]

O compleatly opposite of what usually happens, atleast in wars in the 20th century. By the end of WWII Germany had just about had it. They had pratically no food and all thier supplies and been bombed to rubble in the Ruhr Valley.

Are those plain brass buttons I listed above ok for a uniform jacket? I mean is it the proper type?

[FloridaConfederate]

A few known RDs and thier buttons:

Coleman - SC State Seal (it is suspected he added them) EBGK
2 Redwoods - both Federal Eagles EBGK
Greer Federal Eagles EBGK
Royal - Federal Eagles
Diggs -Federal Eagles
Moore - Federal Eagles
Jenkins - Brass plain (thought to be Kent Paine RD)

[Slickrick214]

Thanks for the help. I'll probably get the "I" block buttons or the federal eagle buttons.

[Picket Post]

I meant to mention this earlier, but forgot.

In one of Early's 1864 camps (pre-Monocacy) near Charles Town, WV, a relic hunter recovered over 200 block A buttons! Early did not have that many artillerymen. Seems the infantry were issues uniforms with A buttons.

My guess is they were not happy about this, hence the huge number of buttons that were left behind. I have always wanted to research when and where Early's troops may have drawn uniforms to see if I can support this hypothesis.

[Jim Mayo]

I have not seen any evidence that would explain how Infantry got jackets with I buttons and Artillery got A buttons. IMO the quarter master must have looked at the unit making the requisition and supplied the correct uniform but that is just a WAG.

Clothing arrived at the point of issue in wagons. If a uniform issue was necessary and all that was available were jackets with A buttons, I would suppose that is what was issued. I hunted a late war calvary camp where more block A buttons were found than C buttons. Must have not been that uncommon to receive jackets with the wrong branch of service buttons.

[hta1970]

I have photos and written descrptions of the George Wilson jacket mentioned in the footnotes of Jensen's article. Wilson was a member of the First Maryland Artillery.

This battery served with Braxton's Battalion, 2nd Corps until early/mid April '64 when they joined the Maryland Line for a very short time. Around the time of Cold Harbor they were assigned to McIntosh's Battalion where they served in the Petersburg lines until early December '64. They then served at Drewry's Bluff manning heavy guns and retreated as part of Smith's Battalion towards Appomattox and Sailor's Creek.

His jacket has a 9 brass buttons, 4 block "I" and 5 script "A".

It is constructed primary of blue gray wool and physically it is closer to a Richmond Type III Jacket as opposed to a Type II. It has no shoulder straps or belt loops, nor is there any evidence that it ever had them. The lining is unbleached cotton and features an interior breast pocket on each side.

[Richmond Depot]

A few known RDs and thier buttons:

Coleman - SC State Seal (it is suspected he added them) EBGK
2 Redwoods - both Federal Eagles EBGK
Greer Federal Eagles EBGK
Royal - Federal Eagles
Diggs -Federal Eagles
Moore - Federal Eagles
Jenkins - Brass plain (thought to be Kent Paine RD)

Two corrections,

The Royal jacket listed above actually happens to have new age style stamped civilian buttons and NOT Federal Eagles.

The Jenkins jacket also has small new age style stamped civilian buttons. They are NOT plain.

Best,

[FloridaConfederate]

Mr. Hanes,

I would defer to your knowledge on CS Richmond produced goods anyday.

Be certain that respect is there.

Pvt. Royal's jacket. .....did you personally examine it ? I ask only because it seems like a shrapnel wound and not a minie or firearm round....I was curious as to your thoughts ?

[Richmond Depot]

Yes, I examined this jacket in person and it wasn't just shrapnel, it was a large piece of shrapnel.

This jacket is also ofen identified as being jeans cloth and is in reality satinette.

I am completing a large run at this time for the NPS.

[FloridaConfederate]

Thanks..anything else you could share on the good Pvt. ?

You make amazing, well researched things anyone in the hobby would be accurately served by your wares.

I hope with craziness of the holiday season behind us I can order from you soon.

Chris Rideout

[reb64]

O. I went with a brown jean wool with the plain buttons.:confused:

I havent really seen much in plain dome buttons relic hunting or in shows. I have seen flat plain coin type buttons. For a jacket i ould not use plain rounded buttons. If someone can make these then could add some design esaily.

[reb4lee]

Although not on the jacket, Royall was later transfered to a different unit and I believe was later killed.