JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
Ok, so it wasn't only at the beginning of the war this confusion existed? Wow, interesting, plus you'd have thought some of these militia would have had more regard for their own skin. I realize many never got as far as a battlefield but some did- it can't have been comfortable wearing exactly the wrong color. It must have been tough enough ascertaining friend from foe in the spur of the moment, as it were.
I just read of an instance where General Morgan put on a Union uniform and rode up to a Union picket line where he reprimanded the soldiers for not recognizing him as Officer of the Day- which of course they didn't. He then placed them 'under arrest' for the misdemeaner, took them back to the next post where he did the same, etc- eventually captured the entire position. I forget exactly how many and whom- but it must have been really, really confusing. Not only did you have to worry about your own side wearing a color you could recognize across the board, but also by the easiest of ruses the enemy could look just like you!
I just read of an instance where General Morgan put on a Union uniform and rode up to a Union picket line where he reprimanded the soldiers for not recognizing him as Officer of the Day- which of course they didn't. He then placed them 'under arrest' for the misdemeaner, took them back to the next post where he did the same, etc- eventually captured the entire position. I forget exactly how many and whom- but it must have been really, really confusing. Not only did you have to worry about your own side wearing a color you could recognize across the board, but also by the easiest of ruses the enemy could look just like you!