John J. Tew's trousers were made from a black colored wool-jean cloth that has oxidized to a dark brown color. They are both machine and hand sewn. The adjustment belt in back is completely intact and has a rusty iron buckle with traces of japanning on the surface.  The trousers have side seam front pockets, separate yoke pieces in the rear and the rear seam are sewn entirely closed to the top of the waistband. The pockets are made of white cotton. The pants are not lined except on the inside fly. The fly closes with five buttons one at the waistband and the other four on the bottom fly piece.  Only one hard rubber button is missing from the pants on the fly. The rear waistband seam is also closed all the way up, omitting the usual notch. If the pants had suspender buttons there is no evidence of these. Typically, Civil War pants have suspender buttons but at least 2 Confederate extant examples have none. These pants are in excellent condition showing only minor boot wear. They were at one time washed and this has caused the dye to permeate the white cotton pockets and fly lining with a pinky tone. From the waist band top to cuff bottom is 39 inches. The cuff is basted under and straight cut.

These trousers were worn by sergeant to lieutenant John J. Trew of the 51st North Carolina Infantry. A hard fighting unit. Please check out their history at: North Carolina in the American Civil War - 51st NC Regiment (Infantry).  Tew. enlisted as a Sergeant May 10, 1862, and was promoted to Jr. 2nd Lieutenant on December 24, 1862, then to 2nd Lt. September 17, 1863. He was wounded at Cold Harbor, June 7, 1864, and was absent until he returned to his regiment January 24, 1865.   His records indicate that he received a CLOTHING ISSUED JANUARY 19th, 1865, BEFORE HE LEFT HOSPITAL! This issue would have to have included trousers. An officer would not typically be issued clothing so we can deduce that the clothing "issued" to him was enlisted man's garb. It is our belief that these pants, showing limited use and therefore in near mint condition, were issued to him just before he left hospital. Tew fought until war's end but never formally surrendered.

Displayed for years at Ray Richey's Texas Civil War Museum. Confederate trousers are extremely scarce and come up for sale rarely.  [pe] [ph:L]

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