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IDENTIFIED CIVIL WAR ENLISTEDMAN’S MOUNTED OVERCOAT: 16th PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY- A GETTYSBURG VETERAN: 1863 AND 1938!

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Formerly in the collections of the Texas Civil War Museum, this is a regulation 1851 pattern mounted overcoat, the standard Civil War overcoat for U.S. cavalrymen, identified to Robert C. Blair, Co. C, 16^th Pennsylvania Cavalry, who made two at least two appearances at Gettysburg- one in 1863, when the regiment saw action on July 3, and the other in 1938, when he was one of the Union veterans taking part in the ceremonies commemoration the 75^th Anniversary of the battle.

As is regulation, the coat is made of sky-blue kersey cloth, lined in the upper body with coarse cloth and the sleeves with a cotton, double-breasted with two rows of six buttons each, a stand-and-fall collar, a long cape sewn to the body of the coat along the lower edge of the collar, closed by twelve small buttons, and with a sewn belt on the rear waist fastening with two coat-size buttons and provided with a single belt loop at the  rear center of the waist. The sleeves are made with 4-inch cuffs that could be turned down to help protect the hand- good idea since the army was only issuing dress gloves at the time. All buttons are regulation gilt brass eagle general-service buttons with one missing on upper right breast. Inside the upper left sleeve is a very clear, black ink contractor’s stamp reading “E. TRACY. / PHILA / OCT. 21^st ‘64” with three dots above it indicating a standard US Army Size 3. Bazelon identifies the maker as Eliashib B. Tracy, who had contracts for, among other things,100,000 cavalry greatcoats on that date.

The coat shows just appropriate signs of age and use: the upper inside of the collar, a natural point of contact, shows wear, rubbed to a slightly lighter color at the rear center and wearer’s left, with a small hole at upper center on the fold, and some darker stains on the wearer’s left. The center seam of the collar has been resewn, as has the seam securing the cape along the wearer’s lower left collar. The cape shows a half dozen small moth nips, the largest ¼” and none particularly noticeable. The sleeves are about the same though the right sleeve has a couple about ½” in diameter on the upper inside of the arm and lower forearm and cuff. The body shows 2” hole on the rear of the right shoulder, concealed by the cape, affecting mainly the blue kersey, but with two smaller holes in the lining, just below the right shoulder that is concealed by the cape, three or four small nips at the left waist above the belt, and a couple more about 1” each on the right skirt. The coat is very solid and displayable. We see only the restitching of the sleeve lining and one side of the cape seams, and the likely replacement or resewing of a stray button or two. Please see our photographs.

Robert C. Blair, born in Ohio in 1844, enlisted in Erie County, PA, on Aug. 18, 1862, and mustered into Company C of the 16^th Pennsylvania Cavalry as a private on Sept. 6, and coat is accompanied by a full printout of his service and pension files. He is described in the former as age 18, 5-feet 5-inches tall with hazel eyes, light hair, a light complexion and a farmer by occupation. He is listed on the company muster rolls as present throughout, suffering a gunshot wound to the right shoulder at Deep Bottom, VA, on August 16, 1864, but returned to duty on Aug. 26 according to his pension file, and rejoined the regiment after a few weeks at the dismounted camp. He was promoted Corporal on Dec.1, and was finally discharged June 15, 1865. Blair lived until 1941 and his pension file is quite extensive, several hundred pages, including testimony from those who served with him, including his brother William, in support of claims for disability from the gunshot wound and various service-incurred health issues such as rheumatism, stomach problems, and piles. By the time he died in California, Blair had held several G.A.R. offices, including five terms as Commander of the Stanton Post No. 55, G.A.R., and Commander of the California-Nevada Department of the G.A.R. 1939-1940. He had also attended the 75^th anniversary ceremonies at Gettysburg in 1938, having been there in 1863, as his name on the Pennsylvania monument testifies, with the regiment serving in Gregg’s brigade, suffering 2 killed and 4 wounded on July 3 while engaged in skirmish and picket duty east of Rock Creek, fighting elements of Walker’s Virginia brigade. In 1938, having made the trip east, Blair was photographed at the commemoration sitting next to a Confederate veteran of the 2^nd Mississippi, looking none too impressed.

The 16^th Pennsylvania Cavalry was a very active unit. We quote Dyer’s Compendium for a summary of their record:

OVERVIEW:

Organized at Harrisburg September to November, 1862. Left State for Washington, D. C., November 23, 1862. Attached to Defences of Washington to January, 1863. Averill's Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to May, 1865. Dept. of Virginia to August, 1865.

SERVICE:

At Camp Casey, near Bladensburg, Md., till January 3, 1863. Moved to Falmouth, Va., January 3, and duty on line of the Rappahannock till April, 1863. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7. Hartwood Church February 25. Kelly's Ford March 17. Operations about Bealeton Station April 13-27. Elk Run April 13. Chancellorsville Campaign April 26-May 8. Stoneman's Raid April 29-May 8. Kelly's Ford April 29. Ely's Ford May 2. Brandy Station, Stevensburg and Beverly Ford June 9. Aldie June 17. Near Middleburg June 18. Middleburg June 19. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Steven's Furnace July 5. Shepherdstown, W. Va., July 14-16. Little Washington August 27. Advance to the Rapidan September 13-17. Culpeper C. H. September 13. Crooked Run September 18. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Warrenton or White Sulphur Springs October 12-13. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. St. Stephen's Church October 14. Catlett's Station October 14. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. New Hope Church November 27. Parker's Store November 29. Expedition to Luray December 21-23. Amissville, Gaines Cross Roads and Sperryville December 22. Kilpatrick's Raid on Richmond February 28-March 4, 1864. Beaver Dam Station February 29. Fortifications of Richmond March 1. Rapidan Campaign May-June. Todd's Tavern, Wilderness, May 5-8. Sheridan's Raid to James River May 9-24. North Anna River May 10. Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11. Brook Church, Fortifications of Richmond, May 12. Milford Station May 21. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Haw's Shop May 28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor May 31-June 1. Sumner's Upper Bridge June 2. Sheridan's Trevillian Raid June 7-24. Trevillian Station June 11-12. White House or St. Peter's Church June 21. Black Creek or Tunstall Station June 21. St. Mary's Church June 24. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond July, 1864, to April, 1865. Warwick Swamp July 12, 1864. Demonstration on north aide of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 28-29. Malvern Hill July 28. Warwick Swamp July 30. Demonstration on north side of James River at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Gravel Hill August 14. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Charles City Cross Roads August 16. Dinwiddie Road, near Ream's Station, August 23. Ream's Station August 25. Reconnoissance to Poplar Springs Church September 13. Reconnoissance toward Dinwiddie C. H. September 15. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Arthur's Swamp September 30-October 1. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Reconnoissance to Stony Creek November 7. Near Lee's Mills November 16 (Detachment). Stony Creek Station December 1. Hicksford Raid December 7-12. Bellefield December 8. Disputantia Station January 9, 1865. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Dinwiddie C. H. March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Paine's Cross Roads and Amelia Springs April 5. Sailor's Creek April 6. Farmville April 7. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Expedition to Danville April 23-29. Moved to Lynchburg, Va., and duty there and in the Dept. of Virginia till August. Mustered out August 11, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 100 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 194 Enlisted men by disease. Total 302.

This is a strong example of the regulation Union cavalryman’s overcoat with an interesting identification. Given the date of the contract under which it was produced, he would have had it for the late 1864 and climactic Spring 1865 campaigns in which cavalry played a key role in cutting off Lee’s retreat.  [sr][ph:L]

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