OFFICER'S SHELL JACKET

Cavalry Officer's Shell Jacket

This officer’s jacket is in excellent condition with apparent field wear and is an outstanding example of a cavalry officer’s preferred field apparel. This handsome jacket is privately tailored of fine woven wool fabric, exhibiting an attractive sheen typical of Civil War period manufacture coats. Three bands of black lace tape piping are found on the sleeves and two bands on the collar. Such dark insignia was occasionally used by officers to identify rank, yet remain a less conspicuous target to the enemy.

The jacket’s body is lined with dark green polished cotton and the sleeves are lined with white cotton. All 15 staff buttons are matching in patina and on original thread. Measurements on the coat are 1-1/4” height at the collar, a sleeve circumference of 16” at the elbow and 10½” at the cuff.

Shoulder straps as seen on this jacket were available to officers in either traditional bullion embroidery or stamped brass false embroidery, and curved to conform to the shoulder. Metallic straps such as these were patented by James S. Smith on June 18, 1861 and were well received for their durability in the field, though their use was less common than the bullion.

Cavalry Major's Jacket

Unlike enlisted men, Civil War officers were required to provide their own uniforms. The result was a wide variety of design and manufacture of coats that actually appeared in the field. This natty jacket was made for a cavalry officer, the galloon on the sleeve sewn with three strands of fabric into a trefoil, indicating the rank of major. All twelve breast buttons are high convex, two-piece cavalry buttons, with "*D. EVANS & CO.*/ATTLEBORO, MASS” depressed mark backmarks (Tice’s CV215A5). The cuff buttons are "*D.EVANS & CO.* SUPERFINE" depressed mark (Tice’s CV222As1).

The collar is velvet, originally black but now faded to a glossy brown. The body of the coat is a fine weave broadcloth. The inner lining, unlike the tailored frock coats of the day, is a cotton fabric, heavily padded with quilted stitching, and showing field use with wear around the edges of the two interior breast pockets. The sleeve linings are white cotton. The three strand trefoil is a fine woven fabric with each strand individually sewn into place, machine stitched. The rear seam of the coat is 20¾”, the sleeves are 5½” at the cuff, increasing to 9½” at the elbow. Functional lapels may be buttoned below the collar buttons to close the coat, or buttoned at the breast to leave the center of the collar open.

This is a nice example of a privately tailored mounted officer's jacket.

Non-regulation Infantry Officer's Jacket

Winsor B. French of the 77th New York Infantry wore this unusual jacket. It is tailored in a short length not regulation size for infantry officers. Fourteen large "Eagle I" buttons on the breast and 6 cuff sized buttons are backmarked "SCHOVILL MF'G CO. WATERBURY." The generous sleeves, 9½" at the elbows, and narrowing to 5" at the cuffs are set off by black mohair galloons, five strands in a trefoil pattern. The design is skillfully sewn into place, with no stitching evident, giving the appearance that it is woven into the coat's fabric. The two piece standing collar is lined with dark blue velvet, showing some wear. The functional lapels may be worn open, as illustrated, or fastened closed at the neck.

A remarkable feature of this coat is the Colonel's rank insignia sewn into the shoulders. Each matched insignia is a silver braid Colonel's eagle on a dark blue wool patch, but absent any border. Instead they are an abbreviated shoulder rank insignia, showing only the Colonel's eagle. This is consistent with General Orders 286 of November 22, 1864, which permitted officers to dispense with shoulder straps and wear only their "marks of rank" on the shoulders. Another unusual aspect of the coat is the presence of two 2" tapered bolsters at the back, similar to those sewn into enlisted shell jackets. The coat is lined with a worsted cotton fabric, green and brown twill. Inside the collar is a loop made of the same fabric but backed with white cotton and bearing the original inked inscription, "Lt Col W B French."

French fought with the 77th New York and the Army of the Potomac in 76 actions during the war. He received his colonel's commission in July, 1863. He led the 77th's assault on Marye's Heights above Fredericksburg, and later, as they made a defensive stand with the VI Corps at Cedar Creek, where he commanded his brigade. Wounded twice during the war, French's service ended in 1865 with a Brigadier General's brevet for gallantry as his unit mustered out and returned home to New York.