Explore Black History

ca. 1863

A navy blue wool U.S. Army Infantry Sergeant’s frock coat worn by an unknown soldier as part of their service uniform. The single-breasted frock coat is made from dark navy blue, fulled wool cloth and has nine gold metal buttons on the proper right side of the coat opening that run from below the collar to the waist seam. The gold buttons feature an embossed Union Eagle device: an eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other, with a striped shield in front of its chest. Embossed text on the back of the buttons reads [WATERBURY BUTTON CO.]. The coat has a short standing collar accented with light blue wool cording that fastens at the center front neck with a black metal hook-and-eye. The full-length fitted sleeves close at the slit cuffs with two metal buttons each featuring the same design as the breast buttons on each cuff. The smaller sleeve buttons are unmarked on the back. The sleeves also have light blue wool cording at the cuffs. Attached to the upper arm of each sleeve is a dark blue patch with three, Prussian blue, wool twill tape chevrons. The tail of the coat has one deep slit at the center back. There are two metal eagle buttons sewn one at either side of the center back waist at the top of the pleated tail. The coat lining includes a green-brown fabric that has been machine stitched along the front interior edges of the coat as well a brown and tan cotton fabric with a check pattern that has been hand stitched over the interior chest and back. The sleeves are lined with natural colored cotton. There is a faint black stamp in the proper right sleeve lining that reads [[D?]EVLIN & CO N.Y.] with two dots below. The collar is lined with the same blue fulled wool as the coat. There is a broken hanging tab of thin brown twill tape sewn to the center front back just below the collar. There are two, glazed brown, cotton tail pockets with interior openings. The bottom edge of the coat is rough and unhemmed. There are black metal hooks on either side of center front near the bottom edge of the coat with corresponding black metal eyes on each side of center back of the tails.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Clothing - Military Uniforms

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from the Liljenquist Family Collection

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2023.52.1

frock coats
military uniforms

Public Domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

wool (textile) with linen (material) , cotton (textile) and metal

L x W (Flat): 34 5/8 × 26 15/16 in. (88 × 68.5 cm)

Object Name • U.S. Army Infantry Sergeant’s frock coat worn by an unknown soldier

nmaahc_2023.52.1

NMAAHC

U.S. ARMY INFANTRY SERGEANT’S FROCK COAT WORN BY AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1860s

Devlin and Company • United States Army • Waterbury Button Company

New York City • Franklin • Williamson County • United States • North and Central America • Tennessee • California • Chino Hills • San Bernadino County

U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865 • Clothing and dress • Military

City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • City • Franklin • County • Williamson County • State • Tennessee • City • Chino Hills • County • San Bernadino County • State • California

Military uniforms • frock coats

No Known Copyright Restrictions