Original Items: One-of-a-kind Set. This uniform grouping was acquired directly from the Veteran's family in Pennsylvania and it totally untouched! Fantastic archive or military service named to Major Focht who was an officer in the 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and consists of the following pieces:

- Model 1898 Tropical Cotton Khaki Uniform Blouse and trousers which were custom made by tailor JACOB REED'S SONS of Philadelphia. The jacket features dark blue epaulets with Major rank insignia pins and American Eagle pin insignia, Brass U.S.V. Collar Devices and Second Army Corps badges as well as red wool 2nd Corps badge on left chest. All buttons are back marked by Hortsmann of Philadelphia. Tunic is in overall very good condition but has one notable area of loss, a hole in the left chest above the breast pocket, otherwise in very nice shape with typical minor inner lining staining and age. Trousers are also in very good condition with all buttons present.

- Private Purchase 12 inch saddle with horse bit and bridle that has custom brass with blue painted recesses Pennsylvania Key Stone insignias on either side of the bridge.

- Rare NGP Marked Issue Gum (Rubber) Blanket Poncho offered in very good pliable condition complete with brass grommets. Ink stamped on the interior N.G.P. A.12 52

- Horse Feed bag nicely marked:
MAJ. FOCHT.
12th REGT. I.P.V.
(12th Regiment Infantry Pennsylvania Volunteers)

- Officer's Sword Belt.

- Blue wool long underwear complete with buttons and stirrup straps.

Overall a very nice, direct from veteran's family, unmolested Span Am War officers set named to a Major in the 15th Pennsylvania Infantry!

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 9"
Shoulder to sleeve: 24.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16”
Chest width: 21"
Waist width: 21"
Hip width: 21"
Front length: 31"

Pants:
Waist: 18.5"
Inseam: 24.5"

A Brief History of the 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

The 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry served its term of service within the continental United States.

The 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was mustered into service at Camp Hastings, Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania, on May 10 and 11, 1898. At the time of mustering in, the regiment consisted of thirty-six officers and 604 enlisted men. The regiment was formed around the 15th Regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, the eight companies of which came from the following areas:

Company A - Erie, Pennsylvania
Company B - Meadville, Pennsylvania
Company C - Erie, Pennsylvania
Company D - Clarion, Pennsylvania
Company E - Butler, Pennsylvania
Company F - Grove City, Pennsylvania
Company G - Sharon, Pennsylvania
Company K - Greenville, Pennsylvania

When the call went out for volunteers, the guard units formed and rendezvoused at Camp Hastings. Fairly typical of the type send off provided by the local communities is that which was provided for Company G. In Sharon, where the company was headquartered, the main street was decorated and lined with cheering civilians as the troops marched to the train station. The troops were escorted by the local community band, local veterans organizations, etc. Once at Camp Hastings, the companies were initially recruited up to a strength of 75 men. Later, some were increased to 106 men. Prior to its mustering in, the regiment was reviewed by Governor Hastings on May 3.

Following its mustering into the federal service, the regiment remained at Camp Hastings for a month until June 11,w hen orders were received from the U.S. Army's Department of the East ordering the regiment to positions at Sheridan Point, Virginia and Fort Washington, Maryland. These two fortifications, located on the Potomac River, south of Washington DC, near Mount Vernon were placed to defend the river - and the nation's capital and the Washington Navy Yard - from incursion. Companies A, B, D, F, G and K were sent to Sheridan Point, whereas Companies C and E were sent to Fort Washington. The Fort Washington contingent was placed under the command of the regiment's Lt. Col. Mechling. On June 23, companies A and G were shifted from Sheridan Point to Fort Washington.

Sheridan Point was originally part of the Mount Vernon estate, until 1892. In 1897, work began to construct concrete emplacement for 8-inch breechloading "disappearing" guns (guns which raised when fired, but dropped below the fortification wall when being loaded). The members of the 15th Pennsylvania would have lived in tents at the site, since barracks were not constructed until 1899. In that same year, the fortification was renamed "Fort Hunt" in honor of Civil War general Henry Hunt.

Fort Washington was an historic fortification by the time of the Spanish American War, having been completed by 1842. At Fort Washington, Company E was given the assigment of operating two 10-inch "disappearing" guns  in Emplacement C (probably called "Battery Decatur"). The company had the unique experience of having the inventor of the disapearing gun carriage, Major Crozier, come to review the guns, during which the company drilled with and fired each gun twice. The work of the gun crews received the commendation of the inspectors. Also at Fort Washington, Company C was assigned to a 10-inch barbette gun and one 15-inch muzzleloading smoothbore gun. While the regiment was at Fort Washington and Sheridan Point, an armistice was reached between the United States and Spain, ending the wars fighting.

In late summer, when the general realignment of forces to new camps for health reasons occurred, the 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, on September 9,  was ordered to Camp Meade, in the regiment's home state of Pennsylvania. Camp Meade was located at Middletown, Pennsylvania. The trip required thirty-two rail cars to hold the regiment. At Camp Meade, the regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division of the Second Army Corps. From September 17 to October 2, the regiment served on provost duty at the camp. Sady, however, just before their departure, Privates Coffey and Greener of Company A drowned as they were corssing the Potomac River in a small boat.

On October 22, 1898, the regiment was reassigend to the First Brigade, Third Division of the Second Army Corps, and five days later took part in the Philadelphia Peace Jubilee Celebration.

A week later, Company G of the regiment was ordered south to Athens, Georgia. Company G was followed on November 11 by the remainder of the regiment. While the regiment was in Georgia, Spain and the United States signed the Treaty or Paris, formally ending the war on December 10, 1898. On December 14, President McKinley and General Wheeler visited Atlanta. The 15th Pennsylvania and the 3rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry served as the president's escort during his visit.

The regiment was mustered out of service at Athens on January 31, 1899. At the time of muster out, the regiment consisted of thirty-three officers and 675 enlisted men.

During the regiment's term of service, the 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry lost one officer and four enlisted men to disease. Additionally, two enlisted men drowned, twenty-one enlisted men were discharged on disability, and four men deserted.

During the Spanish-American War, several volunteer units were sent for tropical duty wearing lightweight cotton rather than the Army’s standard blue wool uniforms. Following experiences in the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Army formally adopted khaki-colored uniforms. It would only be a few years until it had all but abandoned the blue wool it had worn for more than a century.

As early as 1898, regulations specified a field service blouse for all commissioned officers and enlisted men to be made of “cotton drilling or khaki, light-brown in color…” This departure from the blue uniform, however, was only for the service uniform. While “on marches, fatigue duty, and ordinary wear,” troops were instructed to wear the blue wool surge, 5-button field blouse with rolled collar.

In 1902, the Army introduced a new set of uniform regulations that marked the beginning of a new era for all branches of its service. It abandoned helmets with horsehair plumes, dress coats with distinctive facings and fatigue uniforms made of blue wool. It adopted more practical headwear and drab earth tones for both uniforms and equipment. Like many of the armies of its European counterparts, the U.S. Army was entering the century with a new look more suitable for camouflage than for parade ground pomp (it did, however, retain a dress blue uniform for formal occasions).

The new service blouse for enlisted men had a rollover collar and pointed cuffs. The regulations described it as, “A single-breasted sack coat of olive drab woolen material or khaki-colored cotton material, made with two outside breast choked-bellows pockets and two outside pockets of the same pattern below the waist; pockets to be without plaits and covered by flaps, rounded at edges, buttoned by a small regulation button.” The last portion of this description alludes to another important change in the Army’s appearance: The regulation button.

The Army had worn bright brass or silver-colored buttons on its service uniforms from the beginning. This changed in 1902, however, with the adoption of a subdued, dull bronze button. The 1902 pattern General Service button featured the nation’s Great Seal with no rim around the circumference. It was produced in three sizes: Cuff, blouse and overcoat. The two smaller sizes were also produced in gilt for use on the dress uniform. The 1902 button would remain the standard pattern used on all of the Army’s dress and service uniforms until the adoption of a rimmed variant in 1912.

Over the following nine years, the khaki blouse would undergo no fewer than 10 specifications. Initially, the cotton khaki blouse was to be worn at tropical posts and coastal artillery emplacements within the United States. In 1907, the regulations were changed permitting wear of the cotton blouse during the summer months at all Army posts.

Limited production of a woolen blouse began in 1903 with most troops receiving their first issue after 1904. Production continued with very few modifications until 1906 when Specification No. 815 replaced the rolled-over with a “Standing/Falling”. Later that year, the pattern was slightly altered to include collar lining. In 1907, the regulations were changed permitting wear of the cotton blouse during the summer months at all Army posts.

In 1909, a significant change to the soldier’s appearance occurred. Specification No. 1038 required all woolen blouses to be made in olive drab green. Remaining stocks of khaki were to be issued as the change was implemented.

Finally, in August 1911, the Quartermaster General approved the discontinuation of the stand-and-fall collar, replacing it with simple standing version. This is the style of blouse that Pershing’s Army Expeditionary Force would wear to Europe in 1917.