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PATTERN 1876 US ARMY BUFFALO COAT – A SPECTACULAR
FRONTIER UNIFORM ITEM FROM THE INDIAN WAR PERIOD IN
EXCELLENT CONDITION: The identical pattern coat
as shown in the photographs on page 76 of John
Langellier’s More Army Blue, the Uniforms of Uncle
Sam’s Regulars 1874-1887, this original US Army
Buffalo Coat - a true veteran of the Frontier Army, and
one of the most iconic pieces of Indian Wars clothing -
presents in excellent condition.
The army was well aware of the need for improvements in
cold weather protection for the troops, particularly for
those serving in the extreme climates of the Western
Frontier where temperatures of 50 below zero were
recorded during campaign conducted by Col. Miles in the
winter of 1876-77 which resulted in the capture of Crazy
Horse.
As early as 1875, already concerned for the welfare of
the soldiers, General Meigs, Quartermaster General of
the Army, initiated a survey of the current uniform
being provided to the soldiers, soliciting evaluations
and comments from officers serving in the field
regarding the serviceability and durability of the
uniform currently in use. As a result of the survey, it
was determined that the blanket lined great coats
provided insufficient protection against the weather
encountered throughout much of the frontier and it was
recommended that sheepskin or buffalo coats be issued.
As was often the case, the soldiers were far ahead of
the decisions of the uniform and equipment boards of the
Quartermaster and Ordnance Departments, and in the case
of clothing themselves against the winter on the
northern plains, many of the troops had begun to wear
buffalo moccasins and coats acquired through their own
efforts.
In preparation for his campaign in 1876, Col. Miles
requisitioned buffalo coats for his soldiers only to be
informed that the Quartermaster Department had but three
of the coats remaining in stock. Rising to the
occasion, Miles directed his soldiers to gather the
buffalo robes available in their area and the men of the
6Th Infantry Regiment stationed at Ft.
Buford, Dakota Territory set to manufacture coats, as
well as leggings and mittens.
While the army never issued a formal description or
specifications for the buffalo coats, it is most likely
the coats were purchased from civilian contractors who
were already engaged in making the coats for the
civilian marketplace. The pattern of the coats followed
a general style that were ankle length, double breasted
with five sets of large, black, hard rubber buttons,
each closed with a twisted cord loop. The coats were
set with two deep slash pockets lined with dark blue
wool. The sleeves and body were lined as well, some
with dark blue and blue-gray wool shirting and some with
heavy brown cotton twill.
Unlike the other items of uniforming issued to the
Indian War soldiers, these buffalo hide coats were never
issued on an individual basis, nor were they charged
against the individual soldier’s annual clothing
allowance. Rather, they remained government property
carried on the inventories of the regiment or company,
and were issued on the basis of the soldier’s assignment
and based on the immediate need determined by his duties
and his exposure to the current weather conditions. At
the end of the winter season, they were returned to a
quartermaster depot for cleaning and storage until
needed the following winter.
While the buffalo coats continued to be issued well into
the 1880’s and 1890’s, by 1879 the buffalo herds, once
thought of as an inexhaustible resource, had been
reduced severely due to the market hunts and the
resulting scarcity of hides caused the army to adopt a
brown canvas blanket lined overcoat. It is interesting
to note that the Quartermaster Department’s 1885
Clothing and Allowance Chart quotes the price of
replacing a lost or damaged buffalo coat at $12.95 - a
strong indication of the value of the hides at the
time.
This particular US Army Buffalo Coat is, as noted above,
identical to those pictured in
Langellier’s More Army
Blue. Having survived not only the passage of time,
but obvious issue from a regiment or company, this coat
presents in excellent condition. All of the seams are
intact, the finished edges of the cuffs, front panels,
rear vent, and bottom are all present and intact, and
the lining of the pockets, sleeves and body is all
present and intact with no tearing, mothing or
discoloration. Note: Whatever
difference in color of the wool lining you see in the
photographs is a function of variances in lighting and
shadow resulting when you photograph wool. The color of
the lining is consistent throughout.
The fur has retained a pleasing color and texture
without any remarkable discoloration or fading and the
hair is not brittle. From the coats I have seen in
period photos, a certain amount of rub marks were common
where the fur was folded over on a sharp seam or edge,
such as can be seen on the rear center of the collar on
this coat or on the edges. The visible white line that
demarks the seam or edge is completely appropriate for
these coats and is not evidence of heavy wear or abuse,
but rather the character of working with, and wearing,
buffalo fur. Overall the quality of the fur on this
coat is excellent with no patches of hair loss and thick
curly hair throughout.
All ten buttons and the corresponding corded loops are
present. There are two different types of buttons on
the coat – one set of the same five buttons in one
column and a second set of five matching buttons in the
other column. The ten buttons are the same size, color
and overall design and all are attached with period
thread, which leads me to believe all of the buttons are
original to the use of the coat. Given that these coats
were intended to be worn in rough conditions, and I
suspect they were made with a short service life in
mind, it is entirely likely that such a variance of
buttons was a function of the manufacturer using what he
had on hand.
Of special note is the unit inventory mark “58”
stenciled in the shoulder of the right sleeve in white
paint. This inventory number is consistent with the
previously noted practice of maintaining these coats on
the unit inventory rather than being an item of personal
issue to the soldier, and it is evidence that this
particular coat was certainly present at one of the
frontier forts.
This US Army Buffalo Coat is an excellent specimen of a
relatively rare item of Indian War period uniforming,
and one that seldom appears on the market in any
condition, particularly since so many of these coats
were used to destruction or subjected to the ravages of
time in poor storage. A specimen that would be almost
impossible to upgrade, this Buffalo Coat would make a
dramatic back drop for a Frontier army weapon and
accoutrement display and will be a significant addition
to any collection.
SOLD
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