The 1821 Winter Service Uniform...

[Greg Carter]

On June 27th, 1832, General Scott wrote-

"The two companies will take with them tents, camp equippage, summer clothing, any wollen pantaloons that might be left over from last winter's use, knapsacks, havre-sacks, canteens & whatever else may be necessary for efficiency in the field."

We know from originals and descriptions that the "summer clothing" consisted of a white linen shell jacket or round-about and matching trousers.

Descriptions of the 1821 uniform make the material out to be "gray kersey" wool. The question is-

What shade of gray kersey? Cadet Gray? Dark Gray? Light Gray?" All these varieties exist now to choose from. Does anyone know or have an idea? This detail, however slight it may seem, could go just that much farther to perk the "US Regular" impression with just a tad more accuracy.

GMC

[Larry Koschkee]

I do not have the answers to the questions in this thread, but I have questions and comments.

In Whitney's volumes, page 225, April 5, 1832 Henry Atkinson issued orders for the troops 'destined for active service on the Upper Mississippi." Commanders of companies will see that each soldier is provided with one Chackos, one Great Coat, one Blanket, two Shirts, one Grey Jacket, two prs. Pantaloons, one pr. Boots, and one pair Shoes. Each company will be furnished with four axes & four Spades. All other company clothing and equipage will be placed in Store except the summer clothing which will be packed up marked and given in charge of the Qr. Master of the Post ready for transportation should it be required.

Would you intrepret this to mean that Atkinson's regulars were outfitted in winter service uniforms at this point? Also, Whitney footnoted "Chackos" as Probably a variant spelling of shako. Would that be correct?

It has been said that the summer of 1832 brought very hot and humid conditions making for a very arduous campaign. I have pondered the circumstance of a winter campaign in the BHW and wondered if the regular troops could have conducted an effective campaign. Would the regulars have been outfitted and supported logistically to sustain a 5 to 6 month campaign on the frontier?

A group of Plains - Indian Wars reenactors and I conduct a mock winter campaign every two or three years to experience first hand the rigors of a calvary trooper. We just concluded a 3 night, 4 day event this last January. Our first two winter campaigns were conducted several years ago in Nebraska along the Platte River. Eight of us live in Wisconsin and Michigan and some time ago we decided not to trailer our horses and gear that far in the winter, (some of us are getting long in the tooth) so I invited the gentleman to establish a winter camp on some acreage I own in southwest Wisconsin. This is just a little background on the reason I have a keen interest in how a 1832 regular would fair in a winter campaign.

Larry Koschkee

[Greg Carter]

Larry,

Judging by the text of the order, I believe the regular soldiers were quite likely in their gray winter service uniforms.

As to the "chackos" question- the "chacko" and "shako" are actually two different hats. In 1832 the shako was a tall black leather item with a visor and cloth pompon on the front, worn with the dark blue dress coat on ceremonial occasions, etc.

The "chacko" is the name the forage cap is called by the 1825 regulations. In my current picture on this thread I am wearing a "chacko". It is a 'wheel cap" of dark blue wool with white edging around the body of the cap and 20 black spokes of worsted cord radiating out from the top of the crown. the cap is finished with a wide black leather visor called a "poke".

I am not surprised to see this uniform as required for summer service. Wool uniforms would be a better choice of garment to have readily available if the weather turned or the campaign lingered in the later months of the year. On the subject of wearing the heavier uniform in the heat, I am aware of the gray uniform seeing service in both Texas and Florida in the summers of 1835 and 1836.

GMC

[Larry Koschkee]

Greg,

In Atkinson's order he mentioned a "Great Coat." Would this be a wool "overcoat" used on a campaign?
The wool circa. 1875 greatcoat I have for my impression is a double-breasted model that can be buttoned from either side. It has a body lining of heavy twilled flannel extending down to the line of the top of the slit in the skirts and has an ample 12 button cape.

Under winter conditions would a regular be issued additonal clothing or caps, such as "long johns" or "long handles" undergarments, or a cap with ear protection.
How about gloves or mittens?

In addition, were there lined "overshoes" for boot or shoe protection as well as affording better insulation of the foot?

Was there a suitable boot or shoe dressing at the time to waterproof the footwear?

Larry

[Robert Braun]

The "Great Coat" mentioned by Atykinson in his April 5 order has more 9in common with circa War of 1812 'watch coats" than Indian War era great coats.

Generally, the circa 1821 version was done up in gray wool and featured a five-button front, with a short three-button cape that was generally non functional. A standing collar and large cuffs that could fold over the hands as a kind of mitten completed the garment. As far as I have been able to determine, the coats were generally reserved for guard duty.

The buttons used on the coats were cast brass General Service buttons in two sizes. One of the large size buttons was found at the Mound Fort archaeological dig.

Bob.

[floridawar]

Greetings from the Florida War! (1835-1842)... I'd like to pipe in with some information I have on hand. The winter fatigue clothing which appears to have predominated in the Black Hawk War was of the pattern adopted originally in 1821. This included the uniform gray cloth trousers and the matching jacket normally worn as fatigue dress. The jacket was cut with a standing collar with branch of service worsted lace trim (white for infantry, yellow for artillery... with matching metal buttons). During the period prior to 1833 the US Army issued both shoes and gaiters, and "bootees" and stockings. (the shoes and gaiters were deleted after 1832). The bootees were likely worn on campaign.
As noted the "chakos" was worn as the forage cap in the ca. 1826-1833 period. Interestingly, many of the repro. chakos's I've seen are trimmed with green cord on the top. This is in imitation of a published description of some originals. The regulation description notes they were trimmed on top with the same trim as on the uniform coat body (dark blue). The trim seems to have faded to an aqua color on the originals at the Smithsonian. Replicas should have dark blue trim radiating from the top.
Regarding the color of gray cloth for the fatigue jacket, greatcoat, and trousers, currently Kochan and Phillips produce a high quality gray kersey specifically for replicating US Army clothing of the 1813-1833 period. It is very expensive, but the color is presumed correct. Charlie Childs of County Cloth also sells a correct gray kersey from time to time.

James Marshall
Florida Frontier Guard (1835-1842)

[matt]

I just wanted to thank the authors and contributors.
I must mention how important this site and topic is for we doing Texas Revolution. With several confirmed U.S."deserters" documented, plus new lift on ehrenberg's account; the grey 1821 winter uniform is a very important aspect of Texas reenacting that more reenators should be thinking about- not to mention the 1820-1840 buckskinners looking for a more authentic uniform.