Confederate cap and jacket

[gilmore]

Recently I was in Columbus, Georgia, and visited the Civil War Naval Museum. Their gift shop has gray Confederate sailor's caps ($15), and matching monkey jackets ($85) that are cut short, just below the waist---certainly above the fell, so that they wouldn't interfer with the swing of the pleats--- not unlike most jackets that are worn with kilts.

You can see the cap, which looks not unlike a tam or balmoral, here:http://www.civilwarnavalmuseum.com/s...14bbd648f4a7cd

and here:
http://www.portcolumbus.org/LivingHi...Catalog706.pdf It's also called a round hat or pork pie.

but there isn't a really good photo of their monkey jacket.

Here one is here http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...G%26ie%3DUTF-8

and a drawing here:http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...G%26ie%3DUTF-8

You can buy at least the cap online.

I was thinking of getting a cap and jacket to go with a new Confederate Memorial tartan kilt I recently had made, but they both look a bit shapeless. Granted, they are made for re-enactors, and are probably quite accurate reproductions of what Confederate sailors wore (other than perhaps the color. They are definitely gray, not butternut.). However, they are wool and rather heavy for the weather most of the year here in the South.

Nonetheless, both are at most reasonable prices.

They also sell Confederate gray wool frock shirts with broad white collars and white cuffs, what most of us think of when we think of a sailor's shirt, for $50.

[ccga3359]

Please check your links, they didn't work for me.

edit: Sorry didn't mean to post this but to pm.

[beloitpiper]

Is it just my browser, or do the links not work?

[ccga3359]

Went to their site to look around, this might make an interesting sporran for the Edzell tartan, don't know the size though.

[ThistleDown]

Still no links that work, but I would be suspect of anything that "looks like". There's nothing like the real thing, I guess.

[ChattanCat]

Is this it

Or maybe

Or...

[Sir William]

I had the same problem with the links so I just went to http://www.civilwarnavalmuseum.com and worked my way through their on-line store.

Depending on the effect you're trying to achieve, a shell jacket, which is slightly more fitted, might work better than a naval jacket - though I'm not sure about combining a shell jacket with a naval cap - though there is evidence that some Confederate Marines did this in the early days.

http://quartermastershop.com/CW%20CS..._uniforms.html shows some examples. This company sells excellent quality products, and can even make it in a lighter 14oz weight wool on request - but there are many CW sutlers that sell jackets at cheaper prices though probably with the heavier 18-20oz wool.

[RockyR]

Went to their site to look around, this might make an interesting sporran for the Edzell tartan, don't know the size though.

I wouldn't use it for a SPORRAN but for a pouch to be worn on your side or your back on the belt. Pipe bands wear something similar on occasion.

[PiobBear]

I considered doing something similar, but due to budget constraints (and an opportunity to buy a set of uilleann pipes), I haven't gotten a Confederate Memorial (yet).
I was going to go with my old Columbus Depot shell jacket and a Federal bummer.
Ideally I'd like an early war Richmond Depot jacket trimmed in red with a red kepi, as I shot muzzle loading full-scale artillery for many years. As I'd be wearing it with a kilt, authenticity's already out the window.

As an aside, daily wear for most seamen; Federal, Confederate, British, or merchant, was probably very similar; cotton duck blouses and trousers home-made on "make and mend" day, with a home-made tarred canvas broad-brimmed hat. Uniforms, if issued at all, would only be worn on Sundays for inspection and church, and quite probably end up in a pawn shop at the earliest opportunity.

[Woodsheal]

You can find many of the different versions of Confederate shell jackets here:

http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg12.htm