Description

After decades of researching photos and handling original garments, and continuous inquiry from customers, we have decided to add to our Officer’s private purchase clothing, a few private purchase field Sack Coats of Southern origin. As always with our clothing we use period correct materials and methods observed on a myriad of Civil War era garments.

This coat, based on original photos and a few known original examples, is designed to represent the CS version of our field grade federal officer’s double-breasted sack coat. It is similar in pattern but is a bit longer, does not have the lower outer pockets and a few other minor differences. Made of excellent officer’s uniform quality medium gray wool, this is a basic campaign coat. Certain CS Officers coats below field grade sported double breasted construction so it is not exclusively for the field grade officer as it would be for a Federal Officer, yet still leans that way as a sack coat. A solid campaign coat, yet still gives the correct air the officer should present. Buttoning up to the neck for more formal or winter presentation, but can be worn as the comfortable notched collar coat as well. Straight sided true sack coat with an angled slashed breast pocket being the only exterior pocket. It closes with a double row of coat sized CS Staff buttons. Three smaller matching buttons are found on each fully functional cuff. Partially split back seam to facilitate wearing when mounted. The lining is black cotton and also has one interior front breast pocket with vertical opening on the lining seam. Currently offering a Savannah or New Orleans documented maker label. Please specify or we will choose – no returns for label when none chosen, loose labels not available. We apply no rank insignia, leaving type and placement up to you. (also, no piping available – we do not do any custom work, nor take any orders in advance. Sold as a period in-stock Ready Made Clothing garment only) This is a very handsome coat we are quite excited to now offer.

We must say that research into campaign used CS officer’s clothing is significantly more challenging, as there is much less photographic evidence extant. While most “portrait” cabinet type photos represent the desire to show ones best and as a result on both sides are dominated by frock coats, etc., the wearing of such “campaign” coats in the field by Southern Officers as well seems to have been also prevalent. Officers on both sides purchased their own uniforming and the greater the investment, the more likely to be preserved. There were fewer overall CS soldiers and officers who served over the years of the war which along with CS attrition and material strain as the war ebbed on translating into much fewer number of artifacts extant for examination, and in addition,  with less photography and opportunity for such camp luxury a much lower number of photos of CS Officers campaign dress to study. Yet we do know the practice was established enough to be considered relatively common as opposed to rare so the practice may very well be underrepresented in the Southern Living History community. To that end, and by specific request of many friends over the years, we now make this offering. Positive response in the marketplace will sustain it.

NOTE: Like the single breasted version, these coats are not sized according to modern standardized models which often include more generous “vanity inches” in the process. Please be sure of your size requirements prior to purchase and disregard other sizing models. If you are unsure please email us with questions. We suggest you take your actual chest measurement, or the largest measurement of your torso, over the clothing items you intend to wear under the coat, and compare them to the actual measurement of the coat in the listing – then choose the coat which offers you the amount of room and fit you desire. The actual measurement of the chest of these coats is 3″ larger than the chest size indicated, ie., a “chest size 42 in.” has an actual chest measurement of about 45″, etc. The buttons can be moved to gain 1/2 to 1″. This coat has straight side seams with no fitted waist taper – it is a true “sack” coat. The sack coat was generally designed to fit much more loosely than the frock or even civilian common coat in order to facilitate movement in the field and the wearing of a vest. Some officers, not subject to fatigue duties, did prefer to have them tailored. Please also read our clothing return policy. We take no orders for clothing to be made, nor do any customizing work.