How common were gaiters?

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Tonight I was reviewing the article Gaiters for the Army of the Potomac in the Civil War by Frederick C. Gaede and Juanita Leisch Jensen. The article is interesting and the authors do a fine job of discussing this issue and describing the gaiters. I think we tend to see gaiters as early war or only for Zouaves. This appears to not be completely true. The U.S. government continued to purchase gaiters for the Army of the Potomac for much of the war.

gaiters.jpg


The gaiters made by the various manufacturers differed a bit but by late 1862 seem to have been based on a standard pattern. It appears that after the summer of 1863 the purchase of gaiters for the Army of the Potomac seems to have ended. Still in 1862 and 1863 a fair amount of gaiters were purchased. The question is how many were issued and how often were the gaiters worn.
 
It just occurred to me that perhaps I should show the type of gaiters we are discussing. So here are the two major styles.

gaiters 3.jpg
 
anyone want to take on explaining the difference between gaiters and leggings? Here is a note for a post war sale of unadded uniforms and equipment in 1866. Note that terms gaiters and leggings was used. Also uniform coats and flannel frock coats are listed. Knit blouses?

gaiters 5.jpg
 
Posting threads like this is nice, but sometimes things need to be said about authors of such articles like Frederick C. Gaede.

Fred Gaede has been a well respected member of the collecting community for decades. A published collector with tremendous knowledge and a major force in the Company of Military Historians. Here is just a glimpse into Fred Gaede.

http://www.lib.umd.edu/dcr/collections/mdhc/results.php?start=40&limit=20&cat63=on&

50)
Gaede, Frederick C. “Bayonets & Muskets for Maryland: J.J. Henry’s War of 1812 ‘Consortium’: Part 1 of 3.” Journal of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors, Inc., 74 (Winter 2010):13-20.
Category: Biography, Autobiography, and Reminiscences | Military | War of 1812

51)
Gaede, Frederick C. “Bayonets & Muskets for Maryland: J.J. Henry’s War of 1812 ‘Consortium’: Part 2 of 3.” Journal of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors, Inc., 75 (Spring 2011):12-19.
Category: Biography, Autobiography, and Reminiscences | Military | War of 1812

52)
Gaede, Frederick C. “Bayonets & Muskets for Maryland: J.J. Henry’s War of 1812 ‘Consortium’: Part 3 of 3.” Journal of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors, Inc., 76 (Summer 2011):12-19.
Category: Biography, Autobiography, and Reminiscences | Military | War of 1812

53)
Gaede, Frederick C. and Joseph R. Marsden. “Maryland Acquisitions of Muskets and Bayonets for the War of 1812.” Military Collector and Historian, 65 (Summer 2013): 108-29.
Category: Military | War of 1812

54)
Gaede, Frederick C. and Stephen E. Osman. "Notes on the 1813 Infantry Cap."Military Collector and Historian, 43 (Fall 1991): 102-14.
Category: Military | War of 1812


Book-065-2.jpg
 
Well we need to told about Juanita Leisch Jensen as well. She is a well known speaker and writer who concentrates on Civil War women and civilians. A fellow in the Company of Military Historians. Many may know her for her book Who Wore What or her book Introduction to Civil War Civilians.
 
Tonight I was reviewing the article Gaiters for the Army of the Potomac in the Civil War by Frederick C. Gaede and Juanita Leisch Jensen. The article is interesting and the authors do a fine job of discussing this issue and describing the gaiters. I think we tend to see gaiters as early war or only for Zouaves. This appears to not be completely true. The U.S. government continued to purchase gaiters for the Army of the Potomac for much of the war.

View attachment 108931

The gaiters made by the various manufacturers differed a bit but by late 1862 seem to have been based on a standard pattern. It appears that after the summer of 1863 the purchase of gaiters for the Army of the Potomac seems to have ended. Still in 1862 and 1863 a fair amount of gaiters were purchased. The question is how many were issued and how often were the gaiters worn.
Just supposition, but I have to believe that just like the Artillery hat/shako, many of the heavies in forts were still issued clothing not deemed fit for service on campaign or in the field. One would think that they would look snappy to some martinet for dress parade in the forts around DC.

Field requisitions would show what was requested by regimental QMs and I doubt many gaiters show up. I just don't see gaiters in late war photographs, it seems to me just another couple of pieces of unnecessary baggage.
 
We're gaiters effective leg wear? Gaiters were widely used in the Spanish American War and in the began ingredients or through part of Wold War One and World War Two by the U S. Army. Treacherous warfare seems to have had the men switch to leg wraps.
 
Depending on the terrain, Span Am and tropics would necessitate something to protect that region of the leg from plants and insects that might do damage. ACW not so much, as a reenactor they don't seem to do much except keep ticks out, but you just stuff pants leg into sock. I would think with advancements in footwear and uniform material to become lighter and a bit more comfortable than the ACW period wraps and gaiters would be more acceptable. The ACW heavy woolen socks needed to cushion brogans worked well as trouser stuffers IMHO.
 
We're gaiters effective leg wear? Gaiters were widely used in the Spanish American War and in the began ingredients or through part of Wold War One and World War Two by the U S. Army. Treacherous warfare seems to have had the men switch to leg wraps.

Legwraps or gaiters were useful in moist or tropical environments in that they kept
moisture out of boots and away from the lower legs. Trench foot was a common
ailment during World War I that pulled many men off of the battle lines and into
the hospitals. In tropical climates, the extra wrapping around the lower legs could
give an extra layer of protection against snake bites which were one of the occupational
hazards in jungle warfare.
 
Gaiters were popular in the U.S. Army for many years and were still standard issue during much of World War Two.
 
Gaiters and leggings are the same thing, although leggings tend to be a civilian term for them. They're not bad to wear. A little hot and heavy, but they keep dust from going up your trouser legs and little rocks out of your shoes. I wear them when appropriate for 1862 Iron Brigade impression. I think they were unpopular for 2reasons: 1)they are distinctively military, and all those civilians in uniform rebelled at things that made them look too military. The other is that they're impossible to keep clean, being white canvas. They're not sturdy, either. You'll need to replace them at least once, maybe twice a year, to maintain a military appearance. That's a needless expense from a government standpoint.
 
The surplus sales ad I posted lists both gaiters and leggings up for bids. This makes me think the quartermaster saw some difference between the two.
 
To make a long story short, some members (American and Indigenous) of the Recon Company at CCC wore leggings to prevent leeches from getting in at the tops of their boots. Some took a can of black spray paint and added a camouflage pattern to their leggings.

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RT NY returned from mission. Wolcoff, Wilson, Moore

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Sgt Lynch & Johnson (RT Ohio)
 

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The following book contains detailed information on the requisitioning and issuing of leggings to the Iron Brigade in May of 1862.

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"We give up! We'll take the gaiters! :bounce:
I think it's instructive that the gaiters were issued to the Brigade in May, were grey by September, gone by December and never issued again.
 
the only ones I know definitely units wearing gaiters:
7th new York National Guard Infantry {drummer}
110th Pa Infantry regiment
 
To make a long story short, some members (American and Indigenous) of the Recon Company at CCC wore leggings to prevent leeches from getting in at the tops of their boots. Some took a can of black spray paint and added a camouflage pattern to their leggings.

wolcoff_3.jpg

RT NY returned from mission. Wolcoff, Wilson, Moore

wolcoff_2.jpg

Sgt Lynch & Johnson (RT Ohio)
What is that firearm with the drum magazine?
 
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