Civil War Uniform

Object/Artifact

-

Historic Germantown

Name/Title

Civil War Uniform

Entry/Object ID

CW 6342

Description

Overcoat. Part of a military uniform Military uniform used by a Civil War soldier from the Collis' Zouaves Band [114th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers - Zouaves D' Afrique] . Medium blue wool; dark and light brown; 1/3 lining of wool; elbow-length cape; brass buttons; unhemmed. Twelve buttons on the cape six larger buttons on the coat. Buttons imprinted: "Scovill Mfg. Co Waterbury." Inside sleeve: "cowle s&co. pat, Sept 20,1864. Worn by Jacob M. West (1837-1907) of Germantown during his service in the Civil War. Transcribed from original accession record.

Collection

Germantown Historical Society Objects

Made/Created

Artist

Scovill Mfg. Co. Waterbury; Cowle s&co. pat. Sept 20 1864

Date made

1861 - 1865

Notes

Creation Date: 1864

Dimensions

Height

125 in

Width

22-1/2 in

Length

63-1/2 in

Dimension Notes

Details: sleeve - 63.5"-length - 125"-width22.5"

Material

Wool, brass

Provenance

Notes

Owner: Worn by Jacob M. West (1837-1907) One of five items of Civil War uniforms from the Collis' Zouaves Band [114th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers - Zouaves D' Afrique] comprised of residents of Germantown. All were taken prisoner the the confederacy at one point. Uniforms were worn by Jacob M. West [1837-1907]. The donor is the niece of Jacob West. (Source: Donor; accession record) "The 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. They were notable for their colorful Americanized version of the Zouave uniform worn in emulation of certain French light-infantry units that became world-famous during France's colonization of North Africa, the Crimean War, and the Second War of Italian Independence fought in the years prior to the American Civil War. The regiment was the brain-child of Charles H. T. Collis, an Irish immigrant who settled in Philadelphia becoming a prominent young lawyer. Collis initially raised only a small company of men calling them the "Zouaves d'Afrique" which served while attached to other regiments. They saw action in the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign, the Battle of Cedar Mountain, and the Battle of Antietam. The "Zouaves d'Afrique" were much admired for their military bearing and prowess in battle to the point that it was decided to raise a full-sized regiment which was given the numeric designation of 114th Volunteer Infantry." (Source: Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/114th_Pennsylvania_Infantry)