The Fort Brooke Record

All in the Family

A Bit of "family" Trivia
And Photos from
 The War of Northern Aggression

Did You Know...?

Yankee Gen Philip St. George Cooke was the father-in-law of Confederate
Gen James Ewell Brown, 'Jeb' Stuart and father of
Confederate Gen John Rogers Cooke.

Yankee Gen Phillip Cooke

Confederate Gen George Bibb Crittenden was the son of  Senator John Crittenden
and brother of Yankee Gen Thomas Leonidas Crittenden.

 Confederate  Gen George Crittenden &
his Yankee brother Thomas Leonidas Crittenden

URGENT!!!! Please Read!   URGENT!!!!! Please Read!

HERITAGE REPORT

Sons of Confederate Veterans

Develops National Battle Plan

Situation

The nationwide assault on Southern, and specifically Confederate, culture and heritage has now reached a crisis. Our numbers and resources are too small to prevail against it head-on. Attempts to reason with, educate, or show our opponents what nice people we are, have been spurned or ignored. We must take the fight to the enemy, on ground of our own choosing.

The chosen ground is public opinion, or, more accurately, public perception. There is a vast uninformed and uncommitted segment of the American public who are totally unaware of the persecution that has been leveled at us, their fellow Americans, merely for attempting to exercise our right to our own cultural identity. The news media, with their effective blackout of any news about us that is not derogatory, have seen to that.

Meanwhile, the opposition, which has ready access to the media, as well as deep pockets and tremendous political clout, continues to turn up the heat. The NAACP now openly acknowledges that it is following a 10-year plan to eradicate all vestiges of Confederate history, and indeed all Southern history that it does not find convenient to its own advancement. This plan was undertaken in 1991. This is the tenth year, and the NAACP has said that things are proceeding on schedule. Our heritage is literally slated for extinction by the end of this year.

Thus we have arrived at do-or-die time.

Mission

Our mission is to take our case to the public by means of a Confederation-wide day of demonstrations against organizations, institutions, business entities, politicians, law enforcement and/or governmental agencies who have defamed our heritage and symbols; or who have persecuted or failed to protect those who have displayed them; or who have made false or malicious statements or allegations about our symbols, heritage or people. This mission will be executed at 0900 hours, your local time, on Monday, 18 June 2001.

Our objective is not merely to call attention to ourselves and the wrongs done to us, but also to promote identification with our situation by letting the people know that what has happened to us with respect to our rights can just as easily happen to them.

Methodology

1. Confer with your staff and select your targets. These are the entities that you will picket, that will receive your e-mail, telephone messages, faxes and snail mail. They may be media outlets that have consistently or blatantly attacked Confederate heritage or that have behaved in a biased manner towards your division; corporations or businesses that have punished employees for expressing their Confederate heritage, or that have adopted a public anti-Confederate stance; or law enforcement agencies that have harassed or simply failed to protect persons displaying Confederate symbols.

It is suggested that you pick at least two targets, but no more than four or five. They should be chosen for prominence (not only as to the severity of the heritage violation involved but also as to publicity value -- remember that this is, after all, a form of publicity campaign) -- and also for location. Bear in mind how many troops you can put into the field in different parts of your state. It is easier and more effective to mount four demonstrations at strategic locations than to concentrate on only one or two targets that might pose time and travel problems for many members, particularly given the short lead time with which we are having to work.

2. Notify Division members and delineate areas of responsibility. THIS IS A CHAIN OF COMMAND UNDERTAKING. As soon as this plan has been reviewed and appropriate targets chosen, Brigade commanders are to be notified. (Input regarding potential targets may be solicited from brigades, but only if such input can be received, discussed and resolved quickly, and only with the understanding that Division’s selection of targets, once made, is final.)

Brigade staffs will then notify individual camp commanders and will also begin to organize transportation, security arrangements (where applicable) schedules and meeting places. Brigade HQ should also instruct camp commanders to determine whether any local parade or other permits will be necessary in connection with picketing designated targets. Permit necessity should be minimal in most cases, unless a considerable number of Compatriots are to converge on a single target; these are picketing actions, not full-scale rallies and parades.

Individual camp staffs will notify individual members as quickly as possible. This means immediately, not in the next camp newsletter or at the next camp meeting. All camp members must be reached quickly, and this is the responsibility of the camp commander, his adjutant, and whoever else within the camp is responsible for member contact. Camp commanders are to stress that all members are expected to participate in one way or another. Those who are absolutely unavailable for picket line duty should commit to making a telephone call, writing a letter or e-mail, or both. The camp adjutant should compile and maintain a duty list of members and the activities to which they have committed, and should contact each member individually, making certain that assignments are clear.

3. Prepare for media contact and follow-up. On 14 June, Heritage Defense will release a statement to all national media outlets saying simply that the SCV plans nationwide demonstrations on 18 June to protest against the wave of Confederaphobia now sweeping the country. National Heritage Defense will serve as the contact for this particular release. On the same day, by fax or e-mail and preferably after 12:00 noon, division media contact officers should issue a release tailored to the individual division’s activities.

Sample Division Press Release

XXXXX Division
Sons of Confederate Veterans
XXX ABC Street,
Anytown, Anystate
(Phone, Fax, E-mail)

SCV PLANS STATEWIDE PROTESTS MONDAY

ANYTOWN -- The Anystate Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, announced that its members will take to the streets Monday to protest in-state attacks on Confederate history and heritage, and on Anystaters who seek to honor them.

The statewide protest is part of a nationwide day of demonstrations which will target businesses, media outlets, politicians and government institutions which have demonstrated “an active animosity” towards Confederate symbols and those displaying them.

John P. Doe, Anystate Division Commander, said the SCV is undertaking its action because “most of the general public isn’t even aware of what’s going on; if they were, they’d be appalled.” He cited a virtual blackout of positive information concerning the Confederacy and an ongoing media campaign against it as “one of the main reasons the PC forces have been allowed to persecute us.

“We are counting on the compassion and common sense of the people of Anystate to help us reverse this tide of ethnic cleansing,” Doe said. “After all, what’s being done to us could be done to them next time.”

Doe indicated that targets for the SCV demonstrations in Anystate will include XYZ Corporation, which banned Confederate license tags from its company parking area, and the Anytown News, which Doe says “has consistently endorsed anti-Confederate viewpoints while ignoring ours.”

Demonstrations, which Doe says will be peaceful and orderly, will be supported by telephone and e-mail campaigns to targeted entities.

# # # # #

Obviously, this is a template. You may wish to make your own release more detailed, depending on the nature of your targets and the existing situation within your own division.

You may wish to call a press conference and issue your own statement on the morning of 18 June, explaining the scope and purpose of the events taking place. If so, be sure to indicate this in your release of 14 June. Also, be sure, as always, to include contact names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses on your release, and make certain that you and/or designated media contact people are available for interviews.

4. See that brigades develop plans for transportation to protest sites. One division officer, probably the adjutant, should monitor brigade transport logistics and also make certain that adequate directions are circulated. Elaborate, division-sponsored transportation, food and lodging plans should not be necessary.

5. Determine who is to be in charge of operations at each protest site. This should be a division officer, who will work in close liaison with brigade commander in whose brigade the target is located, or that commander’s designated representative. The division officer-in-charge will be briefed in advance by the local commander as to all local situational details, but he (the division officer) will be in overall command and will have general responsibility for dealings with the media, law enforcement and community spokespersons, although he may delegate local officers to act for him in specific matters relating to these areas.

6. Report to the Chief of Heritage Defense no later than Monday, 11 June. Please contact Roger McCredie, Chief of Heritage Defense, by phone (828.254.6991) or e-mail ([email protected]) with a progress report. By the above date you should have completed steps 1-5.

Summary

(A Memorandum from the Chief of Heritage Defense)

At the Battle of Culloden, the Highland clans suffered most of their casualties before they ever came to grips with the enemy. They were forced to stand in ranks under a galling artillery fire while Prince Charles Edward and his advisors dithered over what to do next. Chieftains wept with rage and frustration and cried out to be allowed to charge, and when the situation became unbearable the clans rushed at their tormentors piecemeal and were cut down or driven back accordingly.

For months, as the attack on our heritage and culture has intensified, our members have been crying out for the signal to attack. I am not talking about a few individuals; I mean a daily chorus of anger and frustration in the form of phone calls, e-mails and letters from Compatriots who know their duty and are insisting on the opportunity to do it. As much as anything else, the purpose of this attack plan is to honor their demands to take the battle to the enemy.

The premise of this plan is simple: choose some entities within your state that have given our Cause, or your Division in particular, trouble and go picket them. Those who can’t actually do that bombard them with e-mails, faxes and phone calls. I am aware that in several Divisions there are ongoing protest efforts; they can be readily adapted to include this one-day action. I am also aware that this is being undertaken on short notice, but we dare not postpone it any longer.

The keys to the success of this operation are surprise and coordination. We MUST have people in place all across the Confederation at 0900 hours local target time on Monday morning, 18 June. Yes, folks will have to arrange to be off work; I assure you “those people” do. If we attempted this action on a weekend, we would picket empty buildings and stand little if any chance of spontaneous news coverage. The whole idea is to make people notice us.

Remember “Prince John” Magruder’s famous trick of running the same troops through a clearing over and over, so that the Yankees thought they faced an enormous force. It worked. It still works. Let the public see Southern heritage defenders out in force, not in one or two places, but all over the map on the same day, and the conclusion will be that we have finally risen up in strength to deal with our oppressors ... and for those still on the sidelines, that will be the wake-up call.

So this is the “what” and “when” of the attack plan. The “where” and “how” are up to you. If you have questions or concerns, I am at your disposal. Our foes would have the world believe our Cause is at the beginning of the end; let us show the world instead that we are at the end of the beginning.

Deo vindice,
Roger W. McCredie

Boy Expelled From School

For Saying Confederate Flag is Pretty

A CURIOUS TALE

SLRC was asked to represent the family of a boy at Berrien Middle School in Georgia who was being suspended after a school assembly for showing a Confederate Flag to a friend of his and saying "Its pretty isn't it?" Because school officials had been exhorting the students at the assembly to stop display of the flag and to stop telling parents and "outsiders" what was going on at the school, the boy's remark was seen as disrespectful and he was given a three day suspension OR participation in the school's boot camp for "troublesome" students.

AS this was unfair and selective enforcement, and a violation of the boy's rights, the boys Mother asked SLRC to intercede and see if the punishment could be lifted.

Now the story gets curious.

I called the school, identify myself as an attorney with the SLRC representing the boy and his family and asked for the principal, a Mr. Proctor. The secretary says she will put me through. The phone disconnects. I call back. The secretary puts me through again, and Mr. Proctor comes on the line. No sooner have I identified myself to him and the line goes dead again.

Curious.

I try a different tack. I call the Superintendent of Berrien County Schools, a Mr. Jerry Griffin. I call the number talk to the secretary, I'm put on hold and you guessed it - the line goes dead. I call back, secretary apologizes, I get a male voice, "yes this is Mr. Griffin," I identify myself and the nature of my business, and voila, the line disconnects again.

I figure I will have to start over on Monday before the boy has to report for boot camp or start suspension. Before I can start calling again the Mother calls. " What did you do?" she asks. I tell her the story and how for some strange reason I cannot keep a line open for talking to school officials. "Well she says, I took my son to school, and the principal ushered us into his office, apologized for the misunderstanding, said my son did nothing wrong and for him to just go on to class and forget this ever happened. He also indicated that the flag may go back in to the school in as little as two weeks.

I suspect that our efforts were cumulative with all the other pressure that heritage groups were and are putting on the school, but it never hurts to have those folks with esq. on the end of their name jumping into the fray.

If you have not pledged to help us continue the SLRC's (Southern Legal Resource Center, ed.) work, do so today!

Kirk D. Lyons
Chief Trial Counsel

Ed. Note; we need to keep the pressure on. We are slowly beginning to ‘turn the tide’ on many of these issues. No long ago they would not have cared what we did, now it’s very different. OUR efforts do bring results. When next you are asked to write, call, e-mail or fax a message to a school principal/administrator, politician of the media, DO IT! IT WORKS!

Flag Campaign Funding Report

Two curious things come to mind about the Mississippi State Flag fight. We won and why and the financial profitability of these fights for our opposition.

In Mississippi the people were allowed to decide the issue and overwhelmingly, regardless of the demographics, they chose to retain their flag. The true ideals of the .......(click for chart and rest of article)

 Chaplain's Corner

AT PEACE WITH GOD

by Rev. Calvin Martin    

It never ceases to amaze me at the courage and fortitude that our Confederate soldiers had in the very heat of battle to be able to charge at an enemy that so many times out numbered them and had more firepower than they had. Just think for a minute what these men went through. Usually the night before a big battle these men would have prayer meetings to beseech their God to be with them the next day during the battle. They knew that at any moment they could be struck down, and taken from this life to the eternal hereafter. I've found that through studying the word of God that man can have peace through Him. Looking at II Peter 3:10 - 3:14 he is talking about the coming of the Lord and the destruction of this old earth, but to live holy and Godly lives so that you will be able to be with Him whenever this life comes to an end. A Godly person knowing this can have enough of God's peace to enable him to go through anything. So then the Confederate soldier would put his faith and trust in his God, not to necessarily keep him from getting killed, but to give him the courage and fortitude to face his enemy and not to turn and run like a coward.

Look at the men who charged the woods at Franklin over an open field, and charged the hill at Gettysburg with Pickett, and countless other battles where nothing stood between them and their enemy. It's only from the peace that God gave them that they could advance like they did. Now don't get me wrong, I know that there was also fear, but a soldier can still have peace in his heart with God and also have fear too. But it's the courage and peace that helps him to face his fears and to overcome them and do his duty. You see believers have peace with God as a result of being justified by faith, you'll find that in Romans 5:1. Peace with our God is not merely a subjective feeling ( peace of mind ) but primarily an objective status, a new relationship with God. The believer is God's friend.

So my fellow SCV compatriots, I can say that I'm proud of our Confederate soldiers who had the peace of God to go into battle and give their all for a free and independent South.

Now may I change the subject . It seems that we are once again going through the bad mouthing and right down racist talk of another journalist, i.e. Daniel Ruth of the Tampa Tribune. As you know this is nothing new, it's been going on ever since the Confederate soldier came home from the war. He had to put up with the carpetbaggers and the other Union sympathizers taunting him and trying to punish him any way they could, even branding him as a traitor ( which is ludicrous ). It reminds me of the recent events off the coast of China. How they were demanding an apology from the USA. Well, in this case , I think that I can agree with our friend, Mike Bethune, that one journalist should apologize to all of us Southerners who are descended from Confederate stock.

And now in closing, may the God of all peace be with you and grant you His special peace.            

Confederate Uniforms and Equipment

Part II

Tailoring Techniques

By Mike Clark

This is one of the more fascinating areas of study for collectors and students of Confederate uniforms as well as period clothing in general. While the industrial age had changed the manufacturing techniques of the yarn, which made up the cloth and the weaving methods, hand tailoring had remain little changed since the invention of shears and needles. There are numerous references to needles and shears in the Holy Bible and there is good reason to believe that the methods of tailoring were developed well before the Egyptian Civilization and to my knowledge there is no known date of the development of either needles or shears. The sartorial techniques employed during the middle Victorian period can be traced back to the early 15^th century when developments in the loom had evolved to a point that quality goods could be produced in a number of different weaves and fibers and could be made available to the general population with reasonable efficiency. In other words, the jean cloth used to make a vast number of uniforms for the Confederacy was quite similar to the Genoa weave of the 15^th century and it is even believed that the word Jean, comes from the word Genoa. I mention this type of cloth specifically, because it is one of the more common types used in making garments for the Confederacy. It is very often uniquely associated with them even though this type of material was used by both armies during the war and by the military in general as early as colonial times.

Now as for tailoring technique: Let us go over the general steps, which would have been taken in the construction of a uniform starting with the selection of the materials. I would like to point out that these same steps would have been taken by anyone making a uniform, no matter how experienced as a tailor or seamstress. The end result of how the uniform fit and what the quality of sewing would have looked like would be the only factors that would relate to the makers.

Let’s start with an officer’s uniform:

For the most part a number of different types of materials and trim would have been made available to one looking to have a uniform constructed. Generally for dress uniforms which were used on the field, Cadet Gray Broadcloth was preferred but was not always available especially after the war had progressed. Jeans, satinettes and kerseys would have been used for the majority. An officer would likely have had some choice as to the color and weight of the cloth and his budget would have determined how much trim and other embellishments he would have had. Tailors would have this cloth in swatch books that could be viewed and the trim material such as branch of service colors and gold braid would also be attached to cards as well. Quite often a uniform or two would be on display and there would be illustrations of uniforms in catalogs to choose from. Most officers in the Confederacy would have been from affluent families and would have had quite a bit of experience in having custom garments made, so the terms and conditions of this type of transaction would have been familiar to them.

Once the determination was made as to what kind of uniform would have been made and how many components it would contain and of what pattern, the tailor would have measured his client. The measurements taken are around the neck, across the back at the shoulders, from the break of the shoulder to the point half way between the break of the wrist and the first joint of the fingers, around the chest just below the arm pits, around the waist, from the neck to the waist, from the waist down the outer part of the leg, and from the crotch down the inner part of the leg. This is enough information to determine the right fit for a man. Now having stated all this, I should point out that some tailors and agents of tailors would have had ready made uniforms available in various patterns and sizes with just some detail work and trim to be done while the client waited. This is rare since most tailors in the south did not always have the resources to speculate in such a way. Now with regards to a custom tailored uniform, a partial payment would have been made with the rest due on delivery. As the war progressed, sometimes full payment was required and in gold or other real currency. Tailors became interested in protecting their investment in time and materials and were not sure that they would see their client again or what his financial standing might be even if they did. A good uniform takes time to produce and an officer might order a uniform and not get it for quite some time. Anything might have happened in the mean time and there are documented cases of officers having ordered informs in late 1864 or early 1865, then did not get them till the war was over!

So now the choices have been made and the work is to begin. The tailor would have had a number of patterns available and these would usually have been drawn on heavy stock paper. The experienced tailor will refer to his measurements and draw the pattern out with chalk directly to the cloth, making modifications as to the right fit as needed. In cases where lining materials and inter lining materials are needed and are of the same pattern as those of the outer panels, they would be all laid out together in such a way that they could be cut from one tracing. Trim materials would be cut out the same way so that left and rights are cut out at the same time. Batting, padding and inner support materials are generally cut out separately since they are usually not the same pattern as the outer panels and lining. Quite often these materials could have been cut out in advance of making a garment and kept on hand, because they are generally the same from one garment to another and adjustments in size can be made while putting the garment together.

Once the garment has been laid out and traced, the cutting begins. This is very important and was generally carried out by someone who was particularly experienced as a cutter. Generally the tailor would have had a few assistants and would only trust this step to one that he had particularly trained for this purpose and who would do it to his exact specifications. If this step is not performed correctly then all of the measurements and so on will be for nothing. The cuts must be made with the proper allowance for extra around the seams and this allowance differs from seam to seam and so on. Some times the materials would have been basted together with a wide stitch so as to hold the layers of cloth together and prevent then from shifting during the cutting process. Remember, in some cases, a cutter could be working with as much as six layers of cloth, ( 2 outer panels, 2 lining panels, 2 inter lining panels), depending on the portion of the garment being cut. After the cutting is done and the basting stitches are removed, the garment is ready to be constructed. All of the panels would have been placed together with their respective mates and so on.

Generally the first this to be made is the lining. Again, tailors would many times have assistants and depending on the size of the operation, could even have many assistants. If so then sometimes, as explained above, there would be individuals assigned to specific tasks and so on. In this way these tasks would have been done simultaneously. Now, the better officers uniforms and particularly frock coats would have had quilted linings. First the batting which was usually a cotton but could be wool as well, would be attached to the inter lining and held together with small pieces of thread here and there, just to hold it in place. Then the actual lining material would have been put in place and generally all of the components would then be basted together. The quilts would be made with a short running stitch through the lining into the inter lining. This will make for a nice padded effect and would generally only been in the area of the chest. Some garments such as great coats, (overcoats) might have it in the back area too and even on the sleeves but this is for warmth and not style so quilting was not done in those places. The quilts were likely to have been hand sewn as described above but in many cases machines were used. Some officers would have expected this to be hand done since custom tailored garments traditionally are completely hand sewn but any number of garments have been noted with machine work as well.

So now the padded lining is done. It will likely be placed on a torso form of the size of the client. A tailor would have several torso forms in his shop of various sizes and even in the 19^th century there were forms available which could be sized to a slight degree. It should be pointed out that if the client was having the garment made in a town or city where he was stationed and could avail himself to the tailor shop, he would have been fitted with this lining and further details as to sizing could be looked after. If this was the case, and many times it was, then a client might make several trips to the tailor during various stages of construction.

At this point the panels for the garments would be placed back to back then basted together. Generally the body of the coat would be made first although this in not mandatory. Again, a machine could have been used to make these seams but depending on the tailor, what his resources were and on the amount paid and the expectations of the client, these seams could well have been sewn completely by hand. There are a number of garments noted from the period which are 100% completely hand sewn and some collectors will swear that all CS garments are completely hand sewn. It should be noted too, that some expert tailors of the period, had such fine skills that it is difficult for the average person to even tell it from machine sewing and in fact, most machine sewing was quite crude and could be mistaken for hand sewing. So, once these seams are completed the extra cloth at the seams, which are sometimes called fells, would either be pressed back or trimmed away. Normally in areas such as the back and sides, the fells would be left there and pressed down. Seams which would be along the edges of the garment would have the fells trimmed away since the edges are usually top stitched for strength and a tailor would want those fells out of the way so they did not interfere other details that might be part of the construction process.

So now the main body of the garment is in two parts. The outer panels, are all sewn together in the shape of the body and the lining, which is a copy of the outer body are ready to be joined. The lining will have the adding installed, pockets constructed facings of either the same cloth as the outer panels or contrasting colors such as branch of service colors, will all be joined. At this time the tailor will have installed any buttons on the coat, which would not be functioning components of the coat when worn. This is to say that, for instance, buttons that make up the second or third rows of double or triple breasted coats are installed before the lining is done. This is done by actually poking the shank of the button through the outer panel of the garment and securing it by a heavy cord or a type of clip that resembles a modern hair pin. Occasionally a small disk, the same size as the button, would be installed too for strength. This is done to that the button will fit flush on the top of the coat and not hang down because of the shank. Buttons which are meant to be used as a closure point will be sewn on top of the coat after construction. Also at thus time, any trim that would be terminated inside of a seam would be installed on the garment. Again, usually this would be hand done but machine sewn trim is common too.

The two components are placed back to back and again basted together. The entire outside seam of the garment is stitched making sure that all of the panels line up well. In the case of a jacket or vest, the entire garment is sewn thusly. In the case of a frock coat, just the upper part of the lining is done this way and the skirt lining is sewn in later. As described above, the fells are trimmed down close to the seam stitch. This can be cut very close since the edges are always top stitched and a tailor would want the fells out of the way so as not to interfere with button holes and so on. Now the coat is completely inside out. An opening at the collar is left un-sewn. The coat is folded right side out then the edges are pressed down flat. At this time it is time for the collar and sleeves to be installed.

The collar and sleeves are generally trimmed on officer’s coats. This trim will all be installed in advance of being fitted to the garment, once again so that the terminations of the trim can be sewn in, under the seams to prevent fraying. On occasion, garments are noted with the trim obviously sewn in after the installation of collars and sleeves. This would almost always considered to be on garments worn by individuals that had an increase in rank after the garment was in use or on an issue garment taken from a depot that was not originally intended for wear by an officer. Once the trim is installed, and the collar and sleeves are ready for installation, the client if available would likely come for another fitting. The body of the coat would be worn and the collar and sleeves would be placed on and pinned in place to ensure a proper “Custom Tailored” fit. At this time the marks would be made for buttons holes and buttons etc. Since some of the buttons may already be installed as described above, the is not much variation that can take place as to vertical placement but the client will stand at rest and allow for the buttons to be marked so that the coat will not be too loose or too tight.

Now the coat is ready for the final stage. The collar will consist of generally two outer panels of wool, sometimes in branch of service colors, two inner panels usually the same color as the body of the coat. There will usually be a inter lining as well installed to aid as a stiffener for the collar. This is especially true with respect to collars of the “Stand Up” variety, which were very common. Many coats and vests had fall down collars and they would have had inter linings as well but not usually as stiff. It is sewn in with the outside of the collar facing the out side of the body then folded up. Careful consideration must be made at this point to make sure that the collar lines up exactly and the seams all are in a fixed line. Once it is sewn through to the body of the coat and all associated inter linings it is folded up then pressed from the back. Note that the actual lining of the coat is not sewn through at this time. This is left open to be sewn later when the rest of the lining is installed.

The sleeves are now installed the same way, The sleeve outer panels and any inter lining will be sewn face to face with the body. Placement of the sleeve with relation to seam alignment varies from coat to coat and how it is fit to the wearer. Any type of shoulder trim and or epaulettes are sewn in at this time. Consideration is made for a gathering at the very top of the sleeve. This makes for a “puffy” look which was popular at that time and seen on quite a few garments. Any fells at the seems will be trimmed away leaving bor at the top and sides where there would be stress on the garment and less in the armpit area. The sleeve could be sewn on through the coat linings and then the sleeve lining can be sewn over this or vice versa. Some coats will even have the linings just sewn together at that point and not sewn through the outer material. This is up to the tailor himself.

Now the coat has taken shape, gain the client may be called in for a final fitting and the coat placed on him, inside out. The linings will all be pinned down in the proper position. Once done the coat is left turned inside out and the lining is stitched in place. This is almost always done by hand since machine stitching would go through the outer fabric and cause lines of stitches in inappropriate places. The type of stitching used to overcast the lining in place would generally be a whipstitch and would be fairly tight as the lining bares a considerable amount of stress. There are usually pockets in the tails of frock coats, which are also sewn in at this time. Frock coats made of jean cloth will be hemmed at eh bottom to prevent fraying. Kersey and broadcloth frock coats could be left un-hemmed but the linings would still be sewn down.

Once all of the lining is in place, the coat is set right side out and pressed. All final details such as button installation takes place and the button holes are made. This can be done by making small welts of folded cloth at each opening. This is time consuming and not common. The most common is a purl stitched button hole. Made by making a small knot end to end around the entire opening of the buttonhole. The buttonhole stitches are made very close together to prevent fraying.

At this time the coat is done. Some small details such as installing hooks and eyes, rank insignia etc can be done now and the coat is ready for delivery.

Of course what I have explained here are basic steps and explanations of technique. Tailors would have had years of experience and developed methods that would not be known to people outside of their operation. Even certain regions of the south had specific techniques that were common to the area etc.

Next month we will explore the steps in construction trousers and shirts.

[editors note:  Mike will have a display of uniforms and other accoutrements on display at her Florida Division Convention, stop by and see him, I know he would like to talk with anyone with an in interest in uniforms of the Confederacy or “those people”.]

Great Seal of the Confederacy

On April 30, 1863, the Confederate Congress, believing that a symbol of sovereignty would enhance its standing among nations, commissioned a Great Seal that could be used on all official documents. The round seal was to be three inches in diameter, with a likeness of the equestrian statue of George Washington that stands in Richmond’s Capitol Square, in the center. A wreath of Southern agricultural products and the date February 22, 1862, the Confederacy’s federation date, made up the border of the seal. Deo Vindice, the motto meaning “God Will Vindicate,” completed the design.

Seal-maker to Queen Victoria, Joseph A. Wyon of London, made the seal in a solid silver for 122.10 pounds and delivered it to the Confederate commissioner to England, James M. Mason, on July 6, 1864. Wyon also included an ivory handle for wax impressions and a steel press for embossing documents.

Navy Lt. Robert Chapman was entrusted with delivering the seal to Richmond. After three unsuccessful attempts to break through the blockade, Chapman left the press and ivory handle in Bermuda before trying again to bring the seal to Richmond. He finally arrived on September 4, 1864, and gave the seal to Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin. Unfortunately, without the press and handle, no documents could ever be embossed and few were impressed.

When Richmond fell at the end of the war, Benjamin gave the seal and the archives to one of his clerks, William Bromwell, who kept them hidden until 1872, when he sold the archives to the federal government for $75,000; the money benefited Confederate widows and orphans. Bromwell gave the seal to his attorney, who had arranged the archive sale, and two years later, that attorney gave the seal to Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge, the government agent in the archive sale. The war had been over for 47 years when 76 year old Selfridge sold the seal to a group of Richmond citizens for $3,000. It was then given to Richmond’s Museum of the Confederacy.

The battle of Stone Mountain in Georgia

It is little known that Sherman, when arriving at the front to see what was holding up his march to the sea, found a Confederate on top of Stone Mountain waving signal flags and hurling curses at the enemy below. He immediately ordered his adjutant to sent his best man up that mountain to "throw that Reb off of it."

Up went Sgt. McGurk, an 8'-2" Irishman, after "the reb." After a slight lull in the signaling, a loud "thump" was heard at the base of the mountain. There laid McGurk, never to move an inch more to the sea. Sherman then ordered the best 10 men in the regiment to clear that "no good urdering, signaling and shouting Reb" off of 'his" mountain.

Up went the 10 Yankees, armed with swords, bayonets, revolvers and rifles. Again the signaling and shouting paused. A few minutes later, another 10 blue clothed Yankees bounced one by one

down the mountain. Never would they taste the salt of the ocean.

Well Sherman was really steamed! He then sent 150 handpicked soldiers up the mountain. This time they took an howitzer with them in addition to every small arm available. The signaling hardly paused before the figures of 149 troopers were seen to be caroming down from the

mountain. The 150th soldier limped back down the mountain, bloodied, weak and near to breathing his last. Sherman rushed over to him, dismounted, and put his ear to the soldier's mouth to catch his words.

The soldiers words were " Go around the mountain, General, it's a trap. There are two of them up there!"

A seldom told story about the Battle of Stone Mountain in Georgia as found in the July 1965 issue of Reader's Digest.

From the Adjutant’s Desk:

The John T. Lesley Camp 1282 Membership Roster for May 2001 stands 182 Compatriots and 24 Legionaires.

The Lesley Camp takes pleasure in announcing four new Confederate Legionaires:

John Harold Frese
Thomas M. Fyock
Donald Wayne Honour
Gary Way

The 1841 Mississippi .58 CAL Rifle has been delivered and tickets will be mailed to you in the near future.

See you at the Florida Division Reunion May 18-20, 2001 @ Double Tree Guest Suites. See attached REUNION article for all the details.

If you have any questions concerning camp business or to process membership paperwork, please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Adjutant Dwight Tetrick
19126 Amelia Circle
Lutz, FL 33549
(813) 949-4746