Colour of Union Uniforms

[Blockaderunner]

Reenactors are noted for their attention to detail, so I guess this is the right forum to ask a question on uniforms.
In movies such as Gettysburg, Union jackets usually appear black, or very dark navy blue. Yet every surviving Union uniform I have seen is a much lighter royal blue. I realise not all uniforms were made in the same factory, so there may have been differences. But what shade of blue should the uniform be?

[johan_steele]

Couple years ago another site, the Authentic Campaigner, did a study of original fabrics & surviving uniforms and IIRC there were a good dozen different shades if blue used in Sack Coats ranging from a fairly light dark blue all the way to an almost purple.

I'm on my fourth Sack coat having worn out two sutler row jackets. My museum quality is a Matt Caldwell jacket copied directly from an original and the material and workmanship is almost identical to two originals I have viewed; in fact it passes the touch test. many of the re-enactors you probably see purchase from "mainstream" sutlers and alot of that fabric and workmanship is Pakistani, some quite a way from authentic.

Take a look at what CJ Daly or Waumbaugh & White have to offer for accurate. Chris Sullivan at Stony Brook has an excellent look at various trousers and often high end Vendor sack coats in his consignment section.

[Mark Wadsworth]

Just remember that the wool used in any original garment is about 145 years old. Hair will yellow with age and the dyes change with age as well. Some folks want a garment to look just like the original. They don't factor in the age of the garment. In other words they want a repo of a relic. It takes a little talking to get folks to understand.

When fabric is dyed, there are many factors that come in to play that can change the pigment of the dye and longevity of the color. Event the PH level of the water can change with each batch. The exposure to light or weather will make changes also. I have seen some fabric that have kept in near darkness fade out also.

[Blockaderunner]

I had a look at some of the suttlers web sites, and it would seem there is not one exact shade of blue. Some jackets are much darker than others. One thing I did notice. On one site, the jacket is pictured close up. In this picture it appears bright blue. The same jacket is then shown outdoors being worn by a reenactor. In this picture it appears almost black.

[johan_steele]

http://www.cjdaley.com/
http://www.stonybrookcompany.com/
http://www.wwandcompany.com/

Those are links to the sites I mentioned in my earlier post. Mark brings up a valid point on fading over years.

[Blockaderunner]

I have done a bit more googling, and the official colour seems to be indigo blue. If I remember my school physics lessons, then indigo comes between blue and violet in the spectrum. So it looks as if uniforms should be very dark.

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members,

I wanted to add another resource site:
http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/

US Army Quarter Master's Museum, which might be able to get more specific with anything to do with uniforms, heraldry, etc.

That said, personally--my father's WWII Navy Uniform was made of pure wool, dyed Navy Blue--which is almost black in color in the sunshine. It floated when wet also and, the dye did not run. This was 'issued' uniforms. When he gained a bit of weight between the 60 years; 1 inch to the waistline, he couldn't get into his tailored regulation uniform so, he went and got a replica--well, it was partly synthetic but, it matched the original blouse, etc. Summary, they don't make things like they use to. And, if you want the way they use to do it--you pay for the quality and the authenticity. My father is buried in his uniform--God bless him; with his ruptured duck, battle ribbons and in Class A form.

Finally, I do realize that not everybody can afford the authentic and in detailed uniforms of the Civil War in todays economy--However, I hope there could be some idea on how to help those in need to wardrobe themselves or, perhaps a quartermaster keeping uniforms donated by those who have closed their lives for what ever reason, to re-enacting actively; to issue them out or loan them out to those who can fit into them.

I passed on my uniforms--(can't fit into them let alone walk much anymore (old gimp now days).

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[Mark Wadsworth]

Dyeing with indigo dye is a royal pain in the tail. What happens with the naturial colored fabric once it's diped in the fabric it for the first time comes out a light green color and it starts to turn blue after it is exposed to the air. Then you need to do the same thing over again for a little more blue color. In order to get the rich dark Fed blue color takes 5-6 dips in the dye. It takes a good amount of work to use the real indigo dye. The modern dyed used my most folks is whole lot simplier. That is why naturial indigo dyed fabric is a whole lot more costly per yard.
On a side not make sure that you keep the bag with the indigo dye come place where the cat can not get to it. He got the bag and tore it and left blue foot prints all over the room. For a few months I had a cat that was half blue.

[larry_cockerham]

A lot of the northern uniforms down in these parts were also quite bloody.

The museum pieces generally (no pun) worn by richer folks seem to have had far less wear, as if a spare or two was kept in a trunk. All of the discussions about the ravages of time and sunlight, not to mention insects and powder burns, make the originals a tad difficult to match. I'll bet the Pakistanis that Shane mentioned do a pretty good job.