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THE FROCK COAT AND SASH OF COLONEL WILLIAM McCOMB, 14TH TENNESSEE INFANTRY – WIA SHARPSBURG & CHANCELLORSVILLE

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William McComb was a Pennsylvanian by birth. At the age of 26 he moved to Tennessee here he engaged in business. When the Civil War began he enlisted in the 14th Tennessee Infantry soon rising to a 2nd Lieutenant. He fought at Cheat Mountain in 1861 and through the Seven Days battles. After the battle of Cedar Mountain in 1862 he became lieutenant colonel and soon after 2nd Manassas the full colonel of the regiment. He was severely wounded at Sharpsburg and Chancellorsville. He took part in the Overland campaign of 1864 and the siege of Petersburg. On January 20th, 1865, he was promoted to brigadier general. He surrendered at Appomattox. He engaged in farming in Virginia after the war and died in 1918.

THE FROCK COAT: This uniform coat was tailored for Colonel William McComb sometime between August of 1862 and December of 1864. The style and condition suggest a mid to late war frock coat made and worn from the fall of 1863 to late 1864. The coat is made of a dark- gray wool, probably imported from England. It has full-length skirts ending in the typical and desirable raw edge. The sleeves have a 10 1/2-inch width across the elbow. The dark-gray wool standing collar is 1-1/2 inches high and is also lined with gray wool. The collar, cuffs, front of the coat and rear pocket flaps are all piped in white wool broadcloth. The gold bullion stars, 3 on each side, are hand stitched onto the collar. There is an iron hook and eye extant to facilitate collar closure.

The coat is double breasted, with seven buttons and hand whipped buttonholes on either side. All 14 original pre-war US staff buttons are intact one only is back marked, "SCOVILL MF'G Co. WATERBURY" but all others are marked, "EXTRA QUALITY". That 1 Scovill button appears resewn and is the only one that does. The non- functional cuffs have 3 staff buttons right and left all back marked "EXTRA QUALITY". The one chest pocket inside is in the wearer’s left breast. This pocket is lined in white cotton.  The sleeves were fully lined in a cotton cloth having a floral and a linear pattern. There never was any gold braid galons on this frock coat which is typically the case on a uniform tailored for the battlefield. The tail pockets, open on to the outside and are made of white cotton. The rear of the coat, the coat tail/pocket flaps have a total of 4 "EXTRA QUALITY" buttons.

The condition of the frock coat is very fine with 99% of the inner black glazed cotton linings intact with a few spots of wear and tear. The exterior gray wool areas of the coat have scattered insect damage and there are medium to large places of loss. In 2004 Textile Preservation Associates Inc. backed the damaged gray areas with matching colored wool resulting in a great look (a report of their work on the coat is with it). There is loss to about 40% of the white piping due to field wear and insects.

SASH: The sash, when worn over the frock coat, was wrapped around the waist and looped on the left side. The officer’s leather sword belt was worn over the sash. This specimen still exhibits a rich, vibrant maroon color and is approximately 1 3/4 inches wide and about 90 inches long including the tassels at the ends. The tassels are 10 ½” long themselves. The condition of the McComb sash is excellent.

PROVENANCE: The frock coat and sash were purchased in 1980 by a military antique dealer from a hobbyist and part time dealer at a Rochester gun show. Just prior to this show the frock and sash had been procured from an aged female direct descendant of William McComb then living in Up-State NY. The dealer who purchased the two items preserved them in his collection until about 1984. He then sold them to a friend. This man contacted the original Rochester seller, and notarized statements were drawn up attesting to the provenance of the coat and sash. These are on hand and will pass to the purchaser. This gentleman after several years sold the items to Mr. R. Richey who soon deposited them for permanent display in his Texas Civil War Museum. In 1997 Mr. Les Jensen did a letter of examination on the coat and states that " this is a highly important coat both from the point of view of its history and because it, along with the Claiborne kepi, may serve as benchmarks to attribute other items to a particular tailor."  This letter is in the portfolio that passes to the buyer. An outstanding group.  [pe][ph:L]

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