Shortcomings of Continental Uniforms in the ACW

SouthernYankee

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Hi everyone,

I know that the wearing of Continental type uniforms by some militias, most famously the Continental Morgan Guard, has been discussed in other threads, but I haven't seen much on the shortcomings of these uniforms.

Judging from the period pictures that I've seen, it seems as though the vast majority of soldiers who began the war in Continental uniforms had replaced them with more contemporary styles by 1862, and the Continental Morgan Guard reenactment website specifies that impressions from 1862-1865 should be done with typical Confederate uniforms instead of the Continentals.

So my question is, what were the shortcomings of the uniform? Obviously, similar uniforms had been worn by armies during the American Revolution and throughout the early Napoleonic period, so they were definitely becoming outdated by the 1860s, but what put them at a disadvantage when compared to contemporary uniforms? Was there something specifically wrong with them or was it more of a supply and replacement issue?

If, by chance, anyone has reenacted in a unit that used the Continental style uniforms, was there a particular disadvantage or annoyance that you experienced?
 
Try wear one of each ;-)

An uniform need to be practical during combat that allow you to use your weapon.
And it need to protect you against the environment the rest of the time.

Even during the Napoleonic wars you can see an development from fancy uniforms to more practical uniforms.

I don't have time now, but I will try get back with how the danish army changed its uniforms and infantry gear from 1842 to 1864... I think this change is comparable to the general development in Europe.
 
We portrayed The Morgan Guards during the filming of Gods & Generals, there was nothing very disadvantageous about the uniform; I think that conformity and the attempt to comply with uniform regulations of the CSA were the main drivers
IMG_0965.JPG
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One must also consider that these were only patterned after colonial uniforms, there were differences from Colonial dress and these were largely ceremonial militia wear for drills on the town green. Both sides had them, somewhere I have a couple of uniforms from the Albany Blues (I think), these have doeskin breeches, a vest and tail coat, this configuration would be tiresome, but would look good on the green.
 
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As a uniform of an individual company in most cases, like most early war company uniforms they would soon be replaced with a more contemporary uniform, either to uniform the entire regiment or once the company uniforms wore out. So to see a company uniform replaced by 1862, whether Continental or not, was nothing unusual.
 
Thank you all for the replies, they have been very helpful.
Try wear one of each ;-)

An uniform need to be practical during combat that allow you to use your weapon.
And it need to protect you against the environment the rest of the time.

Even during the Napoleonic wars you can see an development from fancy uniforms to more practical uniforms.

I don't have time now, but I will try get back with how the danish army changed its uniforms and infantry gear from 1842 to 1864... I think this change is comparable to the general development in Europe.
Hi Thomas, I didn't realize that American Civil War reenacting was a thing in Europe, but there seem to be quite a few European people here, which is neat. I'd love to learn some more about Danish uniforms as well, I'm quite smitten with any well dressed soldier haha, though I don't think anything compares to a French Grenadier circa 1812 :smile:


One must also consider that these were only patterned after colonial uniforms, there were differences from Colonial dress and these were largely ceremonial militia wear for drills on the town green. Both sides had them, somewhere I have a couple of uniforms from the Albany Blues (I think), these have doeskin breeches, a vest and tail coat, this configuration would be tiresome, but would look good on the green.
This is good to know. I wasn't sure if the uniforms were a modernized version or if they had still included the old style breeches, which I would think would make them significantly more uncomfortable compared to some wool trousers.
Thank you for the picture as well, I hadn't found anything on Google except some paintings and a few black-and-whites. It is nice to see a clear, colorful image of them.
 
Thank you all for the replies, they have been very helpful.

Hi Thomas, I didn't realize that American Civil War reenacting was a thing in Europe, but there seem to be quite a few European people here, which is neat. I'd love to learn some more about Danish uniforms as well, I'm quite smitten with any well dressed soldier haha, though I don't think anything compares to a French Grenadier circa 1812 :smile:



This is good to know. I wasn't sure if the uniforms were a modernized version or if they had still included the old style breeches, which I would think would make them significantly more uncomfortable compared to some wool trousers.
Thank you for the picture as well, I hadn't found anything on Google except some paintings and a few black-and-whites. It is nice to see a clear, colorful image of them.
The picture is only a representative Hollywood depiction of the uniform, keep in mind that when we "costumed up" and went to make up, we were told that these were the same uniforms used for the "Patriot" with some alterations.

Get a copy of "Echoes of Glory" (at least the 2 volumes concentrating on North and South); I consider it a must have starter reference for uniforms, accouterments, weapons, flags and personals. Items depicted for the most part are identified to soldiers who wore or carried them during the war. There are a few original militia uniforms depicted including Morgan Guard as I recall.
 
This is a painting showing the danish M/1842 uniform.
"Big hat"
Close fitted read jacket.
Sky blue trousers.
White leather over the shoulders with the black cartridgebox on the right side
And the bayonet and side arm (Saber) on the left.

By the time of the 3 year war in 1849 the soldiers now had a new skyblue "hat" similar to a kepi.
(the soldier in the back have one on his head)
And with the change from flintlocks to Percussion muskets, a black "cap box" was added to the cross belt.
1024px-Reservesoldater_fra_1848_p%C3%A5_marschen.jpg

(about 20% the infantry battalions was "jägers" using green uniforms and armed with rifles)


The army realized that red uniforms and white leather was a pretty bad idea with the bigger and bigger number of not only older rifles,(that was slow to load) but rifle muskets that was faster to load.
(yep, rifled muskets was in use by European armies by 1848)

So they wanted something less obvious.

The army did some testing and figured out that dark blue and gray was the two best colors to make the soldiers less clear when on a smoke filled battlefield. (so the smoke was the "concealment" not the idea that the men should take cover)

The army ended up with a dark blue, since you sort of had to remember to have uniforms that looked good.
But the new jackets was longer and more loosely fitted, making it more comfortable to wear.

This is a painting showing a glorified version from later in the war.
The uniforms are now dark blue, but the leather is still white.
During the battle of Fredericia in 1849 the danish infantry used both red and blue uniforms.

Tropper_1849.jpg

By the end of the war, the white leather had been replaced by black leather.

The uniform in 1864 was chaged in some way... but that will have to wait until later...
 
1864:
En-dansk-soldat.jpg

The "hat" is now the same very dark blue as the uniform.
Instead of the typical cartridge box handing on a shoulder belt you now got two smaller boxes on the front of the body.
Both have a smaller room for percussion caps.
And the belt is attached to the straps from the "backpack" so the weight is also carried on the shoulders.
A sidearm and bayonet is still carried on the left side. (he don't have his sidearm)
The sidearm, a short "sword" was not for fighting but seen as a tool. (the regulations very specifically tell us that the soldiers should not be drilled in its use, since the bayonet is the weapon for close combat)

Group of reenactors:
udstyr.jpg




Painting of the 1864 war. (painted about 30 years later, but the painter did serve himself as young officer during the war)

Note that most are now wearing black. The reason is that the "great coat" is black.
But the army ran out of the cloth, so some was made of skyblue... so some of the older men who was mobilized was issued the skyblue coat.

The army also ran out of the ordinary uniform jacket. So some 2000 men was issued civilian Islandish sweaters.
The war started in February 1864, so everyone was wearing their greatcoats anyway, so it was not a big issue, and since they where both more comfortable and warmer than the uniforms they where actually rather popular.

One advantage of the danish system, is the fact that every soldier had two sets of footwear, and one had to be long boots... Nice when fighting a winter war. (and very popular loot with the Prussian soldiers)
Similar the danish canteen was made of glass, covered in leather. Help keep the water from turning to ice.

Fra_forposterne_1864.jpg



The US development.
I would argue that we see the same development here. (just slower)
From tight fitted short jackets with a lot of color (white) to longer looser jackets with less color.
From big hats to more lose forage caps (or civilian hats)
from everything carried on shoulder belts... to bayonet and capbox on a belt.
So a bigger and bigger focus on that the uniform should be practical.

One thing both the danish and US armies did was to exchange uniforms with other armies.
In 1858 Denmark send a complete "kit" for infantry and one for light cavalry (no weapons) to the US.
Where the stuff ended up noone knows... (I think the items was issued in the early part of the war)

And the US army send a similar set to Denmark.
This still exist and can be seen in the danish arsenal museum in Copenhagen.

This is a unique collection since it is two complete prewar sets of infantry and cavalry gear.
Where US museums got items from the war, and usually from many different sources...
Expired Image Removed

Se more pictures here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wxggszcj5h3o7es/P1010649.JPG?dl=0
 
Southern Yankee, I never understood knee breaches until I moved to Virginia. The red clay and mud gets almost knee deep on years like this. It is pretty much wear boots, shorts or change your Levie's often.
 
Continental uniforms were out of style, but I am not sure they were all that much less practical. Pre Civil War and early Civil War enlisted frock coats could be worn hook up at the side of the leg and in some ways looked similar to the Continental coats. When you add Continental overalls and the option of wearing vests with sleeves, Continental style uniforms were not completely impractical.
 
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