Civil War Period Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Officer’s Short Jacket

Civil War Period Massachusetts Volunteer Militia Officer’s Short Jacket – We recently obtained this Massachusetts Volunteer Militia shell jacket – this is the first of its kind that we have had; it is conceivable that it may have had tails, prior to use in the Civil War, as the coat appears to be of pre-war origins – removing decorative / parade style tails was certainly not an unusual thing for an officer who was bound for field activities to do; the coat also appears to have had decorative quatrefoil (single stranded – rank of Lieutenant) on the sleeves – also, often removed for field work. The coat has a full complement of its original Mass. Vol. Militia buttons – 26 coat size and 6 cuff size – and has a quilted and padded, cream-colored, cotton lining, with an interior, slash style, breast pocket. There are some scattered moth nips, with some more substantial areas (now repaired) on the right back neck and shoulder areas; overall, the coat remains in good condition, with good color and light blue trim and corded piping, indicative of Infantry use. Coat exhibits construction via hand and treadle machine work. Accompanying the coat is a pair of superior condition, 1st Lt. of the Infantry, Civil War period dress epaulettes – they both have sky-blue velvet, branch of service disks, encircled with gold bullion and a regimental number 21, in the center of each disk and fine, gold bullion “fringe” wires hanging from each crescent end of the epaulettes; the underside of each of the pair is covered with a light red silk, with padding under both crescent ends – the silk is in perfect condition; brass heavy gauge, wire hooks project at each underside end for uniform shoulder attachment.