Description

You asked for it, so we made it. An undyed and unbleached cotton shirt in a standard “regulation” period pattern with falling collar and gusseted sleeves.  Two nice big breast pockets because you asked for them. All of the button holes are handsewn. Consistent with our commitment to better represent the diversity of the production of the era, this run has our own four hole stamped brass buttons. (Based on a slightly oversized plain brass utility type button we observed on an original period work shirt in a private collection with claimed Southern provenance. Each shirt is shipped with a set of our paper back tin buttons included should this slightly smaller and more common seen button be your preference. Note: Stock shirt pictures may show different buttons) This run has the rounded front  collar. The shirt is patterned after shirts issued to state and national troops during the war and is a fine example of the commercially manufactured version of the era available for private purchase by soldiers and civilians alike. The material is cotton/muslin representing the common durable utility shirt material of the period.  This shirt is not produced by us to represent a QMD issued shirt – although it is quite appropriate for such use. We are a Sutler, not a Quartermaster, we do not sell government property! Like many variant examples of period common shirts found extant, it is patterned closely similar to the “regulation shirt”, which is patterned after….a common period shirt. Contrary to the dogma spewed forth by some cracker box preachers, such shirts were produced, distributed, and yes even issued, by some entities in plain cotton/muslin. Marked with simple manufacturers stamp of Noah Walker and Company of Baltimore. Walker is a unique and special documented pre-war and wartime  maker and dealer in “Citizens and Military Clothing”, as his period advertisements indicated. He had quite extensive market exposure and contracts having establishments in Baltimore, Norfolk, Petersburg, Richmond, Washington D.C, and Illinois, making him a quintessential source for clothing for both sides, before, during, and after the war, beginning in the 1840s and not selling out until the 1890s. Each of his establishments carried their own local name and served their local markets acting as distributors of his wares. All major seams are machine sewn as was typical. To provide a reasonably priced quality shirt with a great look and no sacrifice of authenticity is our goal. Here is the humble and most common shirt for your campaign or civilian enjoyment. (note: See Sizing Chart on Home Page for measurement information. This items is not pre-washed – if not washed properly in cold to warm water by hand or delicate cycle, and hung dry shrinkage will likely occur. If washed properly as indicated, field tests showed very little to no shrinkage was detected) Note: As done in the day with bulk material purchases, and consistent with our commitment to better represent the diversity of period products, the material these shirts are made of may vary somewhat. (the pattern is the same) If you are looking for an identical shirt to a past purchase, new runs may not be an exact match. All are made with period correct lightweight unbleached 100% cotton or muslin, some simply may have a smoother finish or very slightly more open weave.