Shirt is made of white muslin throughout. It is of the pullover style with a pleated panel on the front. Center of the panel has three button placket with small white mother-of-pearl buttons. Shirt also has a long skirt front and back which is correct.

Low stand-up collar has button and buttonholes for attaching a paper collar.

Sleeves are long and cuffs are functional and are held closed by a single mother-of-pearl button.

All seams are tight. Shirt looks to be handsewn.

The overall condition of the shirt is excellent. There are no holes, pulls or tears. Surface shows minor scattered surface dirt and some light scattered discolorations.

The lower right front of the skirt bears the name “G. K. JENKINS” in period ink.

The only soldier that could be found using the full name of “G. K. JENKINS” was George K. Jenkins of the 21^st Illinois. There are several other G. Jenkins listed in different databases with no middle initial is given. The museum the item came from settled on the George K. Jenkins of the 21^st Illinois ID so with lack of evidence to the contrary, we will relate his record.

George K. Jenkins enlisted as a musician in Company E, 21^st Illinois Infantry on June 28, 1861. The regiment weas commanded by Colonel Ulysses Simpson Grant, the future Commander-in-Chief of all Federal forces.

Jenkins served with the 21^st at Stones River and Chickamauga before being transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps on October 19, 1863. His date of muster out in not known.

After the war Jenkins received a commission as 1^st lieutenant in Company C, 6^th US Infantry to date from April 25, 1865. He was sent to Fort Kearny, Nebraska where in October of 1865 he was appointed post adjutant.

On December 18, 1865 Jenkins was transferred to Fort Cottonwood (later known as Fort McPherson) and from there he went to Fort Sedgwick, Colorado where he was put in command of Companies C and E of the 6^th US Infantry. He also served special duty as the post adjutant. On June 7, 1866 he was relieved as post adjutant but continued in command of Company C but under arrest. No charges are found in his records so whatever he was arrested for must have been a minor offense. Jenkins was mustered out at Fort Kearny, Nebraska on October 15, 1866.

All that is known of his later life is that he was a merchant and died in Ohio in January of 1931.

A Xerox copy of Jenkins signature taken from his records comes with the shirt. A comparison of the two may help with the ID. There is also a Xerox copy of Jenkins as a lieutenant in the 6^th US.    [ad] [ph::L]

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