Textile volunteers at the Salmon Brook Historical Society happened across a blue wool military coat last year. The coat appeared to be from the Civil War era. A detailed search of our records found no information about this coat, but a handwritten signature was discovered inside its left sleeve. In flourishing cursive, it states “C. A. Coffin, Co. A.”
Extensive research by Roland Fitzroy, Paul Willis and Richard and Jean Potetz followed. After hours of searching, it was learned this coat belonged to Charles Allen Coffin of Brooklyn, N.Y. (1852–1880) who served in the New York National Guard in the early 1870s through to the time of his death from consumption at age 28.
Over time it was discovered that C. A. Coffin was a marksman, the publisher of The National Guardsmen, Volume 1 in 1877-1878, an American tourist requiring a passport and a married man with a wife and three-year-old son at the time of his death. It was his passport that provided us with a signature that matched the one in his coat.
The brass buttons on the coat were helpful in the search as they state NGSNY and feature the number 23 centered over a Greek cross which stands for the National Guard, State of New York’s 23rd Regiment. The Greek cross held historical importance to the New York 23rd Regiment, whose members had recently fought in the Civil War. Arriving in Pennsylvania to aid the Union’s Sixth Corps at the Battle of Gettysburg in rebel-grey uniforms, the Guardsmen stitched the Sixth Corps’ insignia of the Greek cross on their clothing to identify them as Union soldiers. By 1870 New York’s National Guard uniforms had become blue, helping date this particular coat in which Coffin served honorably throughout his short adult life.
One of the goals of the Salmon Brook Historical Society has always been to preserve and protect the historic items that come our way. This summer the coat will be donated to the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs. The Salmon Brook Historical Society is excited to donate the coat and the New York State Military Museum is excited to receive it. This is the best museum to tell C. A. Coffin’s story, preserve the coat and his memory.
So, how did Coffin’s coat come to Granby and arrive at its historical society? Despite all the information uncovered about Charles A. Coffin, its path to Granby remains a mystery. If any Drummer reader has information, please call Jean Potetz at 860-653-7647. SBHS members remain hopeful of an answer to this question.
Before the coat travels to New York, it will be on display from 2 to 4 p.m. on three Sundays at the Salmon Brook Historical Society’s Main Campus at 208 Salmon Brook Street (Route 10). Display dates are June 22, June 29 and July 13.