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PATTERN 1851 BRIGADIER GENERAL
OFFICER’S FROCK COAT – AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF A SCARCE
CIVIL WAR AND INDIAN WAR UNIFORM COAT:
The classic
uniform coat for all officers, this Brigadier General
Officer's Frock Coat was of the style introduced in
1851, worn through the Civil War, and after the Pattern
1872 Dress Coat was adopted for the officer ranks of
colonel and below, general officers continued to wear
the Pattern 1851 Frock Coat through the Indian Wars.
Even with the increase in the number of general officers
in service during the years of the Civil War, generals
were relatively few in number and these Pattern 1851
General Officers Frock Coats are quite scarce.
Generals wore the same pattern frock
coat as other officers; however the general’s coats were
trimmed with velvet collars and cuffs, and the rows of
breast buttons were arranged in different patterns to
set the generals’ uniforms apart from lower ranks.
As described in the Regulations for
the Uniform and Dress of the Army of the United States,
of 1857:
“1. All officers shall wear a
frock-coat of dark blue cloth, the skirt to extend
two-thirds to three-fourths of the distance from the top
of the hip to the bend of the knee; single-breasted for
Captains and Lieutenants, - double-breasted for all
other grades.
“2. For a Major General – two rows of
buttons on the breast, nine in each row, placed by
threes……collar and cuffs to be of dark blue velvet;
lining of the coat, black.
“3. For a Brigadier General – the
same as for a Major General (par. 2), except that there
will be only eight buttons in each row on the breast,
placed in pairs”...
This specimen is a prime example of the
realities of officers’ uniforming, particularly as these
surviving uniforms present in the form in which they
were actually worn. When viewing officer’s uniforms and
equipment in the context of the 19TH Century,
it is necessary to keep several points in mind. First,
the officers received no issue of uniforms from the
government; rather they were expected to provide their
own uniforms and equipment at their own expense.
Secondly, while the army uniform regulations were quite
specific, a certain amount of latitude was not only
tolerated, but in some cases was encouraged in
practice. An officer was only limited by the depth of
his pocket book when it came to selecting a uniform
provider and purchasing his uniforms. An officer from a
wealthy family, or who enjoyed the generosity of a
benefactor, could afford a much higher quality wardrobe
than could an officer from humble origins or without any
outside source of income. This financial burden
continued to be a concern throughout the officer’s
career as service in the field took its toll on his
clothing or, a promotion required the purchase of
different uniform components such as hats, coats, and
insignia. In a dynamic environment such as the Civil
War or service on the frontier, it is conceivable that
an officer could be repeatedly promoted as vacancies in
the ranks of senior officers occurred as the result of
casualties. To an officer of modest means who depended
solely on his army pay such rapid and unplanned
advancement could threaten him with imminent
bankruptcy. And finally, while most collectors are
familiar with a modern era when soldiers have a variety
of uniforms ranging from dress blues to camouflaged
fatigues, its worth pausing to remember that these frock
coats were not a dress uniform, but instead were
the uniform and it was worn on the field of
battle as well as on duty in garrison, and in the parlor
during social functions.
As quoted above, the regulations called
for general officers’ frock coats to be trimmed in black
velvet, however the officer’s budget likely determined
to quality of velvet used. Higher grade material would
be more likely to retain its color, while lesser grades
of velvet were likely to fade when exposed to prolonged
use in the field and exposure to the ultraviolet
sunlight.
This coat was obviously the daily
wear uniform of a general officer who served in the
field, quite likely a Civil War veteran and perhaps a
general who continued to serve into the Indian War
years. While the coat’s wool broadcloth which makes up
the body and sleeves has survived in overall very good
condition, the coat exhibits evidence of regular and
prolonged wear which is reflected in the faded velvet
collar and cuffs, and the wear to the lining of the
interior surface of the collar.
The degree of fading of the
velvet trim and the wear to the inside of the collar
indicates that the general wore this coat over quite
some time and that it was not the result of poor
storage.
Overall, this frock coat is very
clean and in very good condition with the dark blue wool
material retaining its strength and integrity. All of
the seams are intact and the wool is very clean with no
damage or mothing except the points noted as follows:
there are almost matching
lines of wear, angling down from the shoulder in the
direction of the hip high on both the left and right
front breast areas. The wear is not through the
material but rather it presents as if the material was
burnished by a strap. After giving it some thought, I
believe this wear might have been created by a leather
strap from which the general would have suspended his
binocular or map case – necessary tools for a general
serving in the field. There are a few pin holes in
these wear lines, but none that affect the appearance or
integrity of the material. There is a 1/16” hole on the
back of the upper left sleeve. None of these holes
stand out, nor do they detract from the appearance of
the uniform. There is almost none of the fraying to the
bottom edge of the skirt that is so often seen –
apparently this general stayed on his feet or was
conscious of gathering the coat hem when he did sit
down. As noted above, the velvet trim on the collar and
cuffs has faded to an even medium brown, the color
change being a function of the older dye being exposed
over time to ultraviolet sun light. The velvet is
overall intact with no notable wear to the cuffs, very
little wear to the top edge of the collar, and a minor
separation of the velvet on the rear of the collar.
Again, overall the exterior of the coat is otherwise in
very good to excellent condition, and it presents very
well.
The body of the coat is fully lined with
charcoal gray polished cotton cloth which is intricately
quilted with a floral pattern on the front and side
panels of the torso area and the sleeves are fully lined
with white muslin cotton cloth. The body lining is
fully intact and in nice condition with the exception of
an area of wear across the upper back. There is a
limited area where the lining has separated along the
inside edge of the collar which is cosmetic and does not
affect the integrity of the seam. There is also an “L”
shaped separation approximately 4” wide and 5” high.
The cloth is not missing, just a flap of material where
it was snagged and it separated along straight lines.
The collar’s interior lining has also suffered wear, but
the collar proper is still intact and solid.
The cotton muslin lining of both sleeves
is fully intact with no signs of wear. Both cuffs are
lined with black satin, with the left cuff lining being
fully intact and a small area of wear to the lining of
the right cuff. The area of the arm pits is fully
intact, particularly notable as this is an area which
normally shows extensive wear and tearing.
The split tail of the coat is very
nicely detailed and includes two deep slash pockets –
one in each of the two rear tail pieces – that are
accessed by a finished vent in the edge of the seam.
The coat measures 37 ˝” long from the top of the
standing collar to the bottom hem.
None of the points of wear
described here are significant issues, however in spite
of the risk of discouraging a perspective buyer, I want
to provide you with a fair and complete description.
These condition issues are
always difficult to describe fairly, however they are
plainly shown in the photographs below.
The coat is decorated with matching
regulation US Army Staff Officer buttons – two rows of
eight arranged in pairs down the front which reflect the
general’s rank, four on the coat tails, and three
smaller buttons on the cuff of each sleeve. All the
buttons are present and all of them are full form with
no depressions or other damage. Both shoulders still
retain the looped epaulet mounting studs which are sewn
to the lining of the coat and protrude through finished
holes in the crest of the shoulder adjacent to the
collar.
Despite the obvious evidence of
wear, this piece presents as a very credible example of
the Pattern 1851
Brigadier
General Officer’s Frock Coat.
Presenting as the general wore it in the course of his
daily assignments - whether in garrison or in the field
- this is an excellent example of a uniform coat as it
was worn by an officer who was “there”, illustrating the
reality of the general’s daily dress, and it is one
which would display well with a grouping of officer
field and garrison equipment.
SOLD
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