Uniforms Uniforms of the Mississippi Marine Brigade.

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
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It is claimed that the Mississippi Marine Brigade had difficulties obtaining uniforms and had to wear whatever they could get their hands on and at times wore civilian clothing. However, in this uniform plate by Edward S. Milligan with the painting done by Joseph Hefter they appear rather well dressed. I kind of like the German style caps with a green band. Would an artillery man usually be armed with a carbine? It appears that these caps had three types of insignia; crossed cannons, infantry bugle and souled anchors. There is not ant known photographs of crossed sabers being worn on these green trimmed cap. next question, what kind of jacket is the infantry man wearing? For a sergeant conducting a raid type operation one would think he would have forgone the sash. What kind of jacket is the artillery man wearing? Hefer states that the uniforms shown came from photographs of the brigade. This uniform plate is from 1982 and perhaps additional details have come to light since this was printed.
 
https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/t...m-g-parker-mississippi-marine-brigade-4021224

Lot of 3 CDVs of the boyish looking Pvt. Hiram G. Parker, all ink signed on verso, credited to G.A.M. Campbell: Jacksonville, Illinois; G. Hoffman: St. Louis, Missouri; and the last without a backmark. Inked on the Jacksonville view is, "Hiram G. Parker / U.S. Steamer Baltic / Comp. B. 1st Reg't Infty / Mississippi Marine Brigade," showing him wearing a plain fatigue jacket with eagle buttons and striped civilian cravat. The placket of the unusual collarless jacket appears to be trimmed with lighter colored infantry branch of service braid. The St. Louis image is signed, "Hiram G. Parker / Co. B. 1st Regt Inft / Miss Marine Brigade" and depicts Parker in the same collarless jacket, this time having a unidentified metal badge pinned to the breast. The third carte shows Parker with longer hair wearing a fatigue jacket having cloth epaulets, eagle buttons, and placket trim. Verso signed, "Hiram G. Parker / Flag Ship Autocrat / Comp. B. !st Reg't. Infty. / Miss Marine Brigade. / Gen. Ellett Commanding" with "Enlisted Jan. 1863" along the opposite border.
Hiram G. Parker (1845-1918) worked as a farmer in Jacksonville, Illinois when he enlisted as a Private in Company B, 10th Illinois Infantry on August 13, 1861. He was discharged on January 3, 1863 in order to enlist in the Mississippi Marine Brigade (MMB) serving with that ad hoc unit until it was formally disbanded in December 1864. Only cursory details are known of the continuum of Hiram Parker's post-war life, including his marriage in Illinois and subsequent migration to Kansas in 1870. He took a position as a prison guard at the State Penitentiary, after which he entered the general mercantile trade in Lansing. Parker died in San Francisco on December 31, 1918.
A number of different Illinois regiments supplied men to the innovative MMB, first commanded first by Charles Ellet, Jr. (1810-1862) and later his brother Alfred W. Ellet (1820-1895). Appointed Colonel of Engineers by Secretary of War Edward Stanton, the former civil Engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. oversaw the construction of the United States Ram Fleet in Cincinnati and commanded the fledgling force of converted river steamers against a Rebel flotilla at the Battle of Memphis, where he was mortally wounded. Alfred W. Ellet, formerly Lieutenant Colonel, 59th Illinois, assumed command of the Ram Fleet in June. He was promoted to Brigadier General in November 1862 after proposing a mixed force of infantry, cavalry, and artillery that never exceeded 850 men to act as "marines" aboard the roving Mississippi Ram Fleet. Ellet led the MMB during the Vicksburg Campaign in a series of smaller combined operations that generally reflected well upon the nascent command, despite complications of leadership. In the face of ongoing administrative problems and internal complaints, the Secretary of War ultimately scuttled the MMB in August 1864. At this point a number of long serving officers were relieved or discharged angering General Ellet, while the "marines" were removed from their vessels and assigned to shore duty in Vicksburg.

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https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/t...m-g-parker-mississippi-marine-brigade-4021224

Lot of 3 CDVs of the boyish looking Pvt. Hiram G. Parker, all ink signed on verso, credited to G.A.M. Campbell: Jacksonville, Illinois; G. Hoffman: St. Louis, Missouri; and the last without a backmark. Inked on the Jacksonville view is, "Hiram G. Parker / U.S. Steamer Baltic / Comp. B. 1st Reg't Infty / Mississippi Marine Brigade," showing him wearing a plain fatigue jacket with eagle buttons and striped civilian cravat. The placket of the unusual collarless jacket appears to be trimmed with lighter colored infantry branch of service braid. The St. Louis image is signed, "Hiram G. Parker / Co. B. 1st Regt Inft / Miss Marine Brigade" and depicts Parker in the same collarless jacket, this time having a unidentified metal badge pinned to the breast. The third carte shows Parker with longer hair wearing a fatigue jacket having cloth epaulets, eagle buttons, and placket trim. Verso signed, "Hiram G. Parker / Flag Ship Autocrat / Comp. B. !st Reg't. Infty. / Miss Marine Brigade. / Gen. Ellett Commanding" with "Enlisted Jan. 1863" along the opposite border.
Hiram G. Parker (1845-1918) worked as a farmer in Jacksonville, Illinois when he enlisted as a Private in Company B, 10th Illinois Infantry on August 13, 1861. He was discharged on January 3, 1863 in order to enlist in the Mississippi Marine Brigade (MMB) serving with that ad hoc unit until it was formally disbanded in December 1864. Only cursory details are known of the continuum of Hiram Parker's post-war life, including his marriage in Illinois and subsequent migration to Kansas in 1870. He took a position as a prison guard at the State Penitentiary, after which he entered the general mercantile trade in Lansing. Parker died in San Francisco on December 31, 1918.
A number of different Illinois regiments supplied men to the innovative MMB, first commanded first by Charles Ellet, Jr. (1810-1862) and later his brother Alfred W. Ellet (1820-1895). Appointed Colonel of Engineers by Secretary of War Edward Stanton, the former civil Engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. oversaw the construction of the United States Ram Fleet in Cincinnati and commanded the fledgling force of converted river steamers against a Rebel flotilla at the Battle of Memphis, where he was mortally wounded. Alfred W. Ellet, formerly Lieutenant Colonel, 59th Illinois, assumed command of the Ram Fleet in June. He was promoted to Brigadier General in November 1862 after proposing a mixed force of infantry, cavalry, and artillery that never exceeded 850 men to act as "marines" aboard the roving Mississippi Ram Fleet. Ellet led the MMB during the Vicksburg Campaign in a series of smaller combined operations that generally reflected well upon the nascent command, despite complications of leadership. In the face of ongoing administrative problems and internal complaints, the Secretary of War ultimately scuttled the MMB in August 1864. At this point a number of long serving officers were relieved or discharged angering General Ellet, while the "marines" were removed from their vessels and assigned to shore duty in Vicksburg.

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This is very interesting. I wonder if his dress was typical and where the 8 button jacket came from? Privately purchased?
 
Although the Mississippi Marine Brigade uniforms are interesting very few Civil War uniform artist opt to show them. The only other uniform plate I know of is by Darby Erd in The United States Infantry An Illustrate History 1775-1918 by Gregory J.W. Urwin.
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It appears that Darby Erd had a poor Mississippi Marine being attacked by a hog. An alternative interruption of Erd's plate could be reinforcing the concept that they were more interested in foraging and looting than fighting guerrillas. Erb may have based the uniform in this plate on the Company of Military Historians uniform plate by Joseph Hefter. Note the same knife in both illustrations. This uniform plate by Darby Erd is a combination of Union soldiers and was not intended to show a specific action. Note the longarm on the private of the 21st Ohio.
 
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I will try to answer the artilleryman questions:
1.) For the particular battery the one ordinance report that I saw, stated that the battery had 22 revolvers and 22 sabers. The doctrine for long arms usage by light artillery which was unusually well adhered too. It was the Army’s opinion that the the only time that a battery of light artillery would be equipped with artillery and long arms would be when the battery is not supported by infantry or cavalry or both in this case.
2.) His jacket does not look like an issue jacket of the time period. I think the artist may have used a post-war jacket as inspiration. Knowing that they normally used 3 inch rifles I believe they had the mounted service jackets that were used by the light artillery.

Sorry if I am not clear it’s late where I’m at. I’ll try to fix it tomorrow if there are any issues with my ramblings.
 
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