Camp Randall Quartermaster
Original Civil War Uniforms
ORIGINAL SACK COATS
Iowa private wearing a standard issue 4 button sack coat and an issued shirt
Federal soldier wearing an issued 4 button sack coat
(Note the alterations to the coat)
(Note the alterations to the coat)
Western private wearing a standard 4-button sack coat in which he added 3 extra buttons
Original Sack Coats at The Smithsonian Museum
Notice the coat color variations and lining colors on original sack coats in the collection of the Smithsonian.
Standard 4 button lined sack coat lined in a blue-brown linsey-woolies material with muslin sleeve linings. Note the tapered front facings. No markings in the coat at all.
The collar is 2 1/2 inches high at the back. Notice the start of the crookedness of the facing stitch..
Again notice the cooked stitch line of the front facing, and the "sloppy" top stitch on the coat. The end of the sleeve is 1 3/4 inches from the end to the stitch line. The cuff stitch line is put in very crooked and does not even come together at the split of the cuff. The button holes are hand sew - the "key- hole" type. This type is much less common than standard straight button holes.
LINED SACK COAT- The Smithsonian Institution (photo by Paul McKee)
LINED SACK COAT - West Point Museum (photos by Ken Smith)
Standard 4 button sack coat, except it is entirely sew by machine, except for the button holes. It is lined in a brownish tan wool flannel. There is no maker's marks in the coat.
Again notice the crooked "sloppy" stich line of the front facing and the uneven front. The coat has a large "half moon" shaped breast pocket. The button holes are just cut straight and hand sewn.
The bottom of the coat again shows the lack of pression on the stitching of the front facings and the curve at the bottom of the coat
A good look at the opening to the breast pocket. As in almost All lined sack coats the linning serves as the back of the pocket. The pocket opening is 6 inches wide
The left sleeve linning has a number 8 (?) and a number 2. There are no maker's stamps or inspector's stamps in the coat. Notice the muslin sleeve linning is machined in, not hand sewn in like most lined sack coats.
The cuff stitchingis 3/4 of an inch from the end of the sleeve, but again shows a lack of quality in manufacture.
RARE UNLINED SACK COAT - Private collection
A rare unlined 4 button sack coat. Notice the narrowing of the front facings, common to almost all federal sack coats.
The stitching on the front facings shows a very poor quality of workmanship. The button holes are cut straight and hand sewn.
Because the coat is unlined, notice that the seams are flat felled by hand.
A good look at the breast pocket. On this coat it is made as the same material as the coat itself.
Notice on this sack coat the inner facing piece is made from an entirely different color of wool flannel than the body of the coat
Sack Coat - The Smithsonian Institution
