Another Tait Jacket Discovered!
By Frederick R. Adolphus
By Frederick R. Adolphus
Since publication of Imported Confederate Uniforms of Peter Tait & Co., Limerick, Ireland in December 2010, I have located two more Tait artifacts. One is a set of red artillery shoulder straps, and the other is a jacket that resides in the Colorado State Museum collection.
The shoulder straps appeared in a lot advertised by Heritage Auctions in the summer of 2010. According to their provenance, Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes, Commander of the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers, scavenged them as a souvenir. Rhodes gained fame both during and after the war, having risen through the ranks to become a regimental commander. He wrote two wartime reminiscences, and many of his wartime mementos are in the Rhode Island Historical Society collection. Some of Rhodes’ artifacts remain in private hands, most likely those of his descendants. Perhaps a descendent put the shoulder straps up for auction. In any case, the set did not bring the required reserve, and the owner withdrew the shoulder straps from further auctions.
Rhodes cut the shoulder straps from the jacket of a fallen Confederate artilleryman on April 2, 1865 at Fort Mahone, following the Battle of Petersburg. They are the variety and red shade of those belonging to the “full-trim” variant of Tait jacket. No buttons were included with the shoulder straps, if indeed Rhodes scavenged any buttons. In any case, the straps document the use of yet another full-trim Tait artillery jacket used by the Army of Northern Virginia.
The shoulder straps appeared in a lot advertised by Heritage Auctions in the summer of 2010. According to their provenance, Colonel Elisha Hunt Rhodes, Commander of the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers, scavenged them as a souvenir. Rhodes gained fame both during and after the war, having risen through the ranks to become a regimental commander. He wrote two wartime reminiscences, and many of his wartime mementos are in the Rhode Island Historical Society collection. Some of Rhodes’ artifacts remain in private hands, most likely those of his descendants. Perhaps a descendent put the shoulder straps up for auction. In any case, the set did not bring the required reserve, and the owner withdrew the shoulder straps from further auctions.
Rhodes cut the shoulder straps from the jacket of a fallen Confederate artilleryman on April 2, 1865 at Fort Mahone, following the Battle of Petersburg. They are the variety and red shade of those belonging to the “full-trim” variant of Tait jacket. No buttons were included with the shoulder straps, if indeed Rhodes scavenged any buttons. In any case, the straps document the use of yet another full-trim Tait artillery jacket used by the Army of Northern Virginia.
FIG 1: Colonel Rhodes’ “souvenir” Confederate, red shoulder straps are from a Tait, full-trim variant artillery jacket. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
FIG 2: The undersides of Rhodes’ shoulder straps are blue-gray kersey. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
FIG 3: Military artist Alan Archambault has rendered a clearer image of the Rhodes shoulder straps than the low resolution photos allow. Courtesy of Alan Archambault.
The Tait jacket resides in the Colorado State Museum collection. This jacket has no provenance to a specific soldier, but it has an interesting story, nonetheless. An anonymous member of the Francis Marion Durham family of Columbia, South Carolina donated the jacket to the Colorado Historical Society in the 1950s. The donation also included several stage prop (replica) and United Confederate Veteran uniform pieces. Francis "Frank" Marion Durham (1913-1971) was a South Carolina playwright, actor, director, poet, and author who likely owned the Tait jacket as part of a theatrical inventory. It is remarkable that one of his props was an original Confederate jacket!
The Durham family jacket is a “plain” variant, having had no colored facings at the time of its manufacture. Later, perhaps during the war, someone added a scarlet collar artillery facing. The jacket has no remaining Confederate buttons, but does include a single Virginia state button at the collar. The linen lining has a single pocket opening in the left lapel and the back piece is stamped “SIZE No2”. The jacket is presently in storage, and will not be available for viewing until 2012. Until then, no further details are available. I have something to look forward to!
The Durham family jacket is a “plain” variant, having had no colored facings at the time of its manufacture. Later, perhaps during the war, someone added a scarlet collar artillery facing. The jacket has no remaining Confederate buttons, but does include a single Virginia state button at the collar. The linen lining has a single pocket opening in the left lapel and the back piece is stamped “SIZE No2”. The jacket is presently in storage, and will not be available for viewing until 2012. Until then, no further details are available. I have something to look forward to!
FIG 4: The front of the Durham jacket exhibits eight, keyhole buttons and the blue-gray kersey typical of all Tait jackets. Images courtesy of History Colorado, Francis Marion Durham Collection, Photo. #2005.52.3.v1.
FIG 5: Another front view depicts the machine stitching along the button lapel. The scarlet collar facing has been added to what a plain variant Tait jacket. The Virginia button may indicate that a Virginia soldier originally wore the jacket. Images courtesy of History Colorado, Francis Marion Durham Collection, Photo. #2005.52.3.v2.
FIG 6: The inside lining is unbleached linen, has a single pocket in the left lapel, and bears a size stamp. Images courtesy of History Colorado, Francis Marion Durham Collection, Photo. #2005.52.3.v3.
FIG 7: The back of the Durham jacket has the single-piece back placket. Images courtesy of History Colorado, Francis Marion Durham Collection, Photo. #2005.52.3.v4.
FIG 8: The size stamp is partially obliterated, but enough remains to decipher “SIZE No2”. Images courtesy of History Colorado, Francis Marion Durham Collection, Photo. #2005.52.3.v5.
Acknowledgements: The author wishes to thank Garrett Glover for having brought the Elisha Hunt Rhodes shoulder straps to his attention, as well as, Mr. James Peterson, Curator of Collections, Colorado State History Museum.
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