A LOUISIANA CONFEDERATE ARTILLERY CAPTAIN'S FROCK COAT

A LOUISIANA CONFEDERATE ARTILLERY CAPTAIN'S FROCK COAT

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$55,000.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1268-557

Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer

To Order:
Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail

This is an outstanding example that was until recently in the Fort Worth Texas Civil War Museum.  The coat is double breasted and made of a dark gray wool satinet. There are seven Louisiana state seal buttons in two rows of 7 on the front. The buttons are back marked " HORSTMANN'S NY & PHI." All the buttonholes on the breast are hand whip stitched. The standing collar is made and lined with the same material as the coat. It stands 1 1/2 inches. Sewed to the collar on both sides are 2 red broadcloth patches i inch high by 3 inches. These have 3 gold braid captains bars embroidered into them. The top of the collar, the front edge of the coat, the pocket flaps and vent are piped in red wool broadcloth. The sleeves which measure 9 1/2 inches across the elbow are also piped with a chevron made of the same piping as the rest of the uniform coat. The cuffs are functional both having 3 small Louisiana state seal buttons. There was never gold braid galons on the sleeves. In the rear there are two red piped pocket flaps which originally had 4 state seal buttons decorating them (one is missing).

The entire coat is lined with a black cotton and wool blended fabric which is nearly perfect, On the inside left is a pocket lined with unbleached cotton osnaburg. There are 2 tail pockets similarly lined. The sleeves are lined in white cotton. The coat is raw edged at the bottom as expected. On the exterior of the frock there are several scattered areas where small amounts of the nap of the wool fabric have worn this is all surface damage not penetrating through the cloth. Never-the-less the coat is in excellent overall condition.

The frock coat is not identified as to the owner nor the command. The absence of galons or quatrefoil braid on the sleeve bespeaks a coat designed for field us rather than full dress. An anecdote by Sam Watkins in his book Co Aytch will do to explain why this is our contention. After the battle of Cheat Mountain in September of 1861 Watkins writes: "After the fighting was over, where, O, where was all the fine rigging heretofore on our officers? They could not be seen. Corporals, Sergeants. Lieutenants, Captains, all had torn the fine lace off their clothing. I asked several of them why they had torn off the insignia of their rank, and they always answered, "Humph, you think I was going to be a target for the Yankees to shoot at?" Page 21.

Included in a folio with the coat is a letter of observation by Mr. Les Jensen and advertisements for sale in the past by Mr. G. Hendershott (ca.1999) and subsequently Old South Military Antiques.  A beautiful example!   [pe]  [ph:L]

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