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CONFEDERATE MAJOR CRITTENDEN'S COLONEL'S FROCK COAT

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This begs an explanation! This Confederate Officer Charles T. Crittenden grew up near Cedar Mountain, Virginia. When the Civil War began, he was elected a Lieutenant in Company B, 13th Virginia this was April 17, 1861; promoted to Captain on May 31, 1861; and to Major on May 15, 1863. He was wounded at Gaines' Mill June 27th, 1862. Later in the war at the June 3, 1864, battle of Cold Harbor he was very seriously wounded in the chest. After his wounding and an absence of several months, Crittenden was put on “light duty, not to be retired,” by direct order from General Robert E. Lee. The 13^th Virginia was without any field officers by September 1864, and the Major returned to the regiment in the field in titular command as Colonel in the fall of that year. However, only one entry in the archives lists him as a " Lt. Colonel" (see attached) and this is in August of 1864. After that, until war's end, his rank is shown as major! He died at the Old Soldiers home in Richmond and was buried at Rapidan, Culpepper County. On his tombstone it says "Colonel" (MAJ Charles Thomas Crittenden (1836-1907) - Find a Grave Memorial). There is little doubt that Crittenden had this full colonel's uniform made after his wounding at Cold Harbor when recuperating. On May15th 1863 Colonel Terrill was promoted to brigadier general. This left Lt. Colonel Goodman in command and Major Crittenden second in command. Crittenden was wounded severely at 2nd Cold Harbor and takes leave of the 13th Virginia.  Goodman in September of 1864 is wounded and captured leaving no official Colonel or Lt. Colonel in the regiment! Field command devolves to a captain. Crittenden, on furlough, but still on the regimental roll is itching to get back to the regiment. With the capture of Goodman, he was clearly given the indication that he will become commander of the regiment upon his return. Naturally filling the position as the titular Colonel but to his mind soon to be an active participant. It was at this time in the fall of 1864 that he had this colonel of infantry coat made. He did indeed return to the regiment but was not in good enough health to take command in the field. He certainly maintained a presence at headquarters and wore this colonel's uniform until war's end. The regiment was commanded in front for the remainder of the war by a captain.

THE UNIFORM: The coat is made of a dark- gray wool, possibly imported from England. It has full-length skirts ending in the typical and desirable raw edge. The sleeves have an 8 1/4-inch billow at the elbow. The dark-gray wool standing collar is 1-1/4 inches high and is lined with gray wool. The collar (top only), cuffs, front of the coat and rear pocket flaps are all piped in white wool. The gold bullion insignia of 3 colonel's stars are embroidered into the collar. These six, in total, measure1 7/8 inches in across their arms. The coat is double breasted, with seven buttons and fine "French" finished buttonholes on either side. All 14 original Confederate staff buttons are intact these are CS 36, 24 mm with the back mark “C & J. W. WARRANTED.”. The functional cuffs were originally fitted with 2 (each sleeve) CS eagle staff officer buttons marked "C. & J. W. WARRANTED" of the four 2 remain. The sleeves have 3 rows of 1/8-inch flat fall gold braid, aka quatrefoil, arranged as the regulation Confederate sleeve insignia for colonel (also Major and Lt. colonel). These are hand tacked and 100% intact overall. The galons follow the line of the pointed piping on the cuff, with the loops ending 10 3/4-inches above the cuff piping. The interior upper chest and skirts are lined inside with polished brown (faded from black) cotton. The one chest pocket inside is in the wearer’s left breast. This pocket is lined in brown (maybe once black) cotton which shows wear and tear. The sleeves were fully lined in a copper glazed cotton. The tail pockets, open on to the outside and are made of the same material as the sleeve lining. The rear of the coat, the coat tail/pocket flaps, had a total of 4 buttons but all are now missing. The condition of the frock coat is very fine with most of the inner linings intact with several spots of wear and tear. The exterior of the coat has scattered insect damage and other than the collar, which has suffered greatly, is fine looking. The collar's interior is 85% gone while the exterior is moth eaten with a loss of about 40% including the white broadcloth piping. Some modern restorer a few years back has backed the damaged gray areas with matching colored wool. The high value16 Confederate Staff buttons on the coat appear to be all original to this coat some have been sewn back as a result of thread deterioration.

This historic frock coat was in the Texas Civil War Museum until recently.   [pe] [ph:L]

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