1st Florida Cavalry (US) Uniform

[GhostsOfSeaside]

Hello,

I work at a museum in Pensacola, FL and am researching the 1st Florida Cavalry (US) for living history purposes. I have found a photograph of a man in the regiment, Pvt. George Washington Lee, who was photographed at Fort Barrancas in 1864. I'm new to the Civil War era in terms of living history, so help interpreting the uniform would be greatly appreciated. I know many jackets had trim denoting the branch of service, but does it appear this jacket has any trim?

Photo from Florida Memory: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/298909

 

[Manassas 1861]

Welcome to CWT. I'm not an expert but it looks like he's wearing a regulation shell jacket. Shoulder scales weren't really worn in the ACW because they weren't practical, mostly worn on parade. It looks like he has dark trim next to the buttons. So it's most likely cavalry.

US cavalry regulation uniform

 

[Kurtlg]

Yellow would show up as very dark in period images so it is possible that there is trim.

 

[scooter748driver]

Welcome from the Fort Sumter and the Fredericksburg forums.

Neat picture! BTW, what museum in Pensacola do you work at? The only one I'm familiar with is the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

 

[GhostsOfSeaside]

Yellow would show up as very dark in period images so it is possible that there is trim.

That's what I was wondering. I thought it could be there but just be difficult to see.

 

[GhostsOfSeaside]

Welcome to CWT. I'm not an expert but it looks like he's wearing a regulation shell jacket. Shoulder scales weren't really worn in the ACW because they weren't practical, mostly worn on parade. It looks like he has dark trim next to the buttons. So it's most likely cavalry.View attachment 500543
US cavalry regulation uniform

Do you think it's likely he only wore them for the photograph?

 

[GhostsOfSeaside]

Welcome from the Fort Sumter and the Fredericksburg forums.

Neat picture! BTW, what museum in Pensacola do you work at? The only one I'm familiar with is the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

Historic Pensacola in the downtown. It's actually a complex with an art museum, children's museum, history museum, and historic village.

 

[RedRover]

Private Lee is wearing a US Army 1858 pattern cavalry uniform jacket, trimmed yellow, with the brass shoulder-scales worn on parade (as previously mentioned, these were just for show, and not generally worn in the field).

the shoulder scales mount on the jacket by a post and loop of brass sewn on the shoulders.

CCsutlerimage, 1858 shoulder scales...


His trousers are probably the US Army sky-blue mounted privates' trousers, which have a reinforced inseam of a second layer of cloth for padding and wear. It appears that the seam of the saddle-piece is visible (Red arrow):

This reproduction vendors pictures show the reinforce seam:
Beauregard's Tailor, mounted trousers...



His hat is a non-regulation citizen's hat.

Union soldiers often wore non-regulation hats in lieu of either the black uniform hat, or the blue cloth forage cap. Here's some Union soldiers of the 10th Tennessee Cavalry in a mix of Army hats (the 1858 pattern, or "Hardee hat" as some call it these days) and citizen's slouch hats like Mr. Lee's

US Cavalrymen were provided either the common jefferson boots (Brogans) or the mounted boots.

Here's some 1st Arkansas Cavalry USA, in jackets etc.,

Heres a Photograph of Lt. Fred Jost of the 1st Florida Cavalry USA.

 

[Manassas 1861]

Do you think it's likely he only wore them for the photograph?

Probably, they're only used for parade.They were also used by Infantry and artillery, but they were rarely worn in the field.

 

[RedRover]

Probably, they're only used for parade.They were also used by Infantry and artillery, but they were rarely worn in the field.

artilleryman John Billings, with the Army of the Potomac, noted in "Hardtack and Coffee,"

The History of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry regiment notes;

Images of Union cavalrymen often show they frequently wore the simple four-button flannel fatigue blouse, or sack coat, in lieu of the cavalry jacket. Also many wore the cavalry jacket, but modified it by removing some or all of the yellow trim...



Though entirely useless, and certainly a potential nuisance, in the field, the shoulder-scales were still part of the regulation uniform of the army, and were worn by troops in garrison in their full dress for parade, guard duty, etc. Like these federal soldiers on parade at Fort Pulaski near Savannah, Georgia (though like many eschewing the regulation army hat for the fatigue forage cap).

 

[Dan Kohli]

Looking at the 1st Florida Volunteer Cavalry (Union)'s NPS battle unit details, it looks like they were stationed in Barrancas for most of the time of its existence. The exceptions were the short local expeditions, and their participation in the siege of Fort Blakely. They likely had been issued a dress uniform with the scales, in some cases the garrison soldiers in the costal areas when on patrol with their shoulder scales on.

It also appears in photos that some garrison soldiers habitually wore the scales.

Battle Unit Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service)

Regiment Details

www.nps.gov

The Patrol — The Liberty Rifles

www.libertyrifles.org

https://www.libertyrifles.org/research/impression-archive/the-patrol-3rd-new-york-cavalry-1st-rhode-island-light-artillery

The last one is having issues but it's the link on their website.

 

[major bill]

One of the early Osprey books show them in a uniform plate. A couple other artists probably based their uniform plates on the one in this book.

I went through the list of color uniform plates I have for Florida. Florida uniforms are not a popular subject for Civil War artist. The Company of Military Historian Historians suspended their Military Uniforms in America after over 1000 color uniform plates. The Company of Military Historian Historians will restart the series. Florida from all eras are way under represented. Perhaps one their members could do a uniform plate on Civil War uniforms worn in Florida.

 

[Bentonville]

One of the early Osprey books show them in a uniform plate. A couple other artists probably based their uniform plates on the one in this book.
View attachment 500832

I went through the list of color uniform plates I have for Florida. Florida uniforms are not a popular subject for Civil War artist. The Company of Military Historian Historians suspended their Military Uniforms in America after over 1000 color uniform plates. The Company of Military Historian Historians will restart the series. Florida from all eras are way under represented. Perhaps one their members could do a uniform plate on Civil War uniforms worn in Florida.

I'm from central Florida. They told us in 'social studies' class there was one battle fought, Natural Bridge, and it was not said who the winner was. Just that it took place in 1865. About a paragraph.

I was living in Sharpes, annexed by Cocoa but old names die hard, and it was founded by a soldier. He and his family are buried about five minutes from where I lived. It's on a small picked dirt road. So I saw a guy out there one day. I said to him, "Excuse me, sir. Who owns that Cemetery down there?"

He said he did and it was looking a little rough. I asked him if he minded if I cleared a few branches away as we'd had busy hurricane season. He said yes and told me the local SCV camp comes down once a year and does a full clean up, reenactors show up and let few volleys off.

Everything is getting very sterile on the coast but as you move inland you find places like Vernon, St Marks, Mariana. Just this big mouse and sprawing retirement communities eating up land. Eating up history.

 

[Package4]

Hello,

I work at a museum in Pensacola, FL and am researching the 1st Florida Cavalry (US) for living history purposes. I have found a photograph of a man in the regiment, Pvt. George Washington Lee, who was photographed at Fort Barrancas in 1864. I'm new to the Civil War era in terms of living history, so help interpreting the uniform would be greatly appreciated. I know many jackets had trim denoting the branch of service, but does it appear this jacket has any trim?

View attachment 500521
Photo from Florida Memory: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/298909

I'm not sold on this being a cav jacket, yellow does not typically come out this dark, this may be an individual in an artillery jacket, or more likely stripped the yellow worsted tape from the jacket.

 

[farrargirl]

Welcome from your neighbor down the bay in Alabama! Wondering if there are any CW displays,etc. at the Wentworth Museum?

 

[RedRover]

I'm not sold on this being a cav jacket, yellow does not typically come out this dark, this may be an individual in an artillery jacket, or more likely stripped the yellow worsted tape from the jacket.

I'd vote for his having just removed the yellow trim. Not necessarily odd.

Here's a Colorado Cavalryman with a mounted service jacket, with the colored trim removed:

The Adair brothers of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry, USA, have done the same.

Some fellows of Co. D, 2nd Tennessee Cavalry, USA, with the jackets untrimmed...

Here's some 9th Tennessee US cavalrymen, jackets with the trim, but removed on their comrades'...

Some comrades of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry. Jackets with collars modified (lowered, etc.), tape trim removed from some, etc.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

I'm not sold on this being a cav jacket, yellow does not typically come out this dark, this may be an individual in an artillery jacket, or more likely stripped the yellow worsted tape from the jacket.

I agree with @Package4.

 

[GhostsOfSeaside]

Welcome from your neighbor down the bay in Alabama! Wondering if there are any CW displays,etc. at the Wentworth Museum?

There is a little on the first floor. There was a whole gallery at one time, but they rotate out over the years.

 

[GhostsOfSeaside]

I'd vote for his having just removed the yellow trim. Not necessarily odd.

Here's a Colorado Cavalryman with a mounted service jacket, with the colored trim removed:
View attachment 500875

The Adair brothers of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry, USA, have done the same.

View attachment 500871


Some fellows of Co. D, 2nd Tennessee Cavalry, USA, with the jackets untrimmed...

View attachment 500872

Here's some 9th Tennessee US cavalrymen, jackets with the trim, but removed on their comrades'...

View attachment 500873



Some comrades of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry. Jackets with collars modified (lowered, etc.), tape trim removed from some, etc.

View attachment 500874

Did the soldiers typically remove the trim as personal preference, or did the did the government stop applying the trim to get the jackets out to the soldiers quicker?

 

[RedRover]

Did the soldiers typically remove the trim as personal preference, or did the did the government stop applying the trim to get the jackets out to the soldiers quicker?

The US Army produced clothing as described in the regulations, including cavalry and light artillery jackets with the tape trim. To receive payment for assembling the garments, they had to pass inspection, demonstrating that they met the pattern. Besides the US Government clothing, the volunteer troops could procure tailored clothing if they preferred, or have a tailor modify government clothing, etc. etc.

What the soldiers did with them after issue was between them and their superiors (if they cared). See post no. 8 above, the image of the 1st Arkansas Cavalrymen with their mountain howitzers. A couple of the guys have the trim on their jackets, and some of the others don't.

Michael R. Cunningham's 2020 article in Military Collector & Historian delved into the subject in some depth.

Here's a reference from the article to Wilder's mounted infantry brigade receiving cavalry uniforms, and removing the yellow trimmings...

photographs, etc. suggest it was not rare for cavalrymen to do without the brightly colored trim too for whatever reasons.

the modifications were various. Some removed the colored trim entirely. Others kept some. Some kept a single fales buttonhole loop of lace on the collar, and others removed both. Here's one with the collar lowered, and the buttons and loops removoed.

The trim was just whipped on for decoration. Removal just required yanking it off at the least.

it might also help to recognize that there was no specific "regulation" uniform for US Volunteer troops, (the majority). They could wear their own uniforms, uniforms provided by their States (or subject to their States' laws, etc.), or uniform clothing purchased from the US Army Quartermasters. After 1861, the latter is what most did. It is well known that a large proportion of the Volunteer infantry never bothered to draw the uniform regulation dress coats for infantry. And in the same vein, if the volunteer cavalry drew the cavalry jackets, and modified them occasionally for active service, etc., that would not have been much different.

Only in March, 1865 was a federal law passed that required the army to provide the full clothing outfit of a regular army soldier to each volunteer soldier.

And immediately post-war, with the volunteer troops mostly being discharged, there was yet on hand a large stock of US Army clothing.