1st SC Infantry Regiment Reeanctor's Uniform

Joined
Feb 9, 2018
I was reading on the uniform information of the 1st SC Infantry Regiment after it moved from dark blue to grey coats. I do have a medium-grey frock coat. Single-breasted. But it doesn't have the green trim or edging as the uniform was prescribed to the unit. Anyone know if it would still be accurate to use this uniform to reenact as a private of the 1st?
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Frock coats were seen in every theater of the war so I would think it would be acceptable. I would check with your unit though to see if they have any guidelines. Being the 1st SC spent about all of it's service with the ANV I would look into upgrading to a good quality Richmond Depot jacket at some point. Once their specialty uniforms wore out I'm sure they were replaced with Depot issue clothing. Although not having done any specific research on the uniforms of the unit myself I could be wrong. @tullock may be able to tell you exactly what they were issued.
 
There was more than one 1st South Carolina infantry regiment: Gregg's regiment, Hagood's regiment, 1st SC Regulars, and Orr's 1st SC Rifles.

You mention green trim. The Rifles started out with a dark blue uniform trimmed in green (green being traditional for rifle units), however many ended up being manufactured in gray, possibly to conform to CS uniform regulations, though still maintaining the green trim. That uniform would have only been in use in 1861, possibly into early 1862. In August 1861, Col. Orr commissioned a more suitable uniform for the regiment consisting of a "thick heavy woollen plains or jeans coat, overcoat and pants." The ladies' aide societies making these uniforms were advised to "Dye the cloth brown.... from the trees and shrubs of our own forests." This is according to Ron Field's The Confederate Army, 1861-65, Vol. 1.

Frock coats were also issued by the South Carolina state quartermaster through 1862 (some with trim or facings and some without), but they were later replaced with shell jackets by 1863. South Carolina troops serving in the ANV would have also been issued uniforms from the Richmond Depot.
 
This is the reference I use for the 1st South Carolina. I covers the uniforms of the individual companies that made up the regiment and has information about the uniforms the regiments received.
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This book seems to indicate that the first regimental uniforms included gray frock coats. I do not see any reference to the enlisted gray frock coats having green trim.

There is some information about the uniforms of the companies when the regiment was reorganized as the 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Provisional Army) in august/September of 1861. The information in the book for this time period would be a bit long for me to type out.
 
It is unclear what time frame you want to look like. Is your impression for the summer of 1861 or after August of 1861 (early winter of 1861)? Are you looking a a specific company in the summer of 1861 or a specific company of August of 1861?

From what I have seen, your frock coat would not match any of the uniforms described in the book. Perhaps it could be modified to look like one of the uniforms.

If your are talking about the 1st SC Regulars, or Orr's 1st SC Rifles, I would need to look over information I have on them.
 
As I said in my post, there was more than one South Carolina infantry regiment designated the 1st: Gregg's regiment, Hagood's regiment, 1st SC Regulars, and Orr's 1st SC Rifles.

I think @Christopher Morris might've been referring to the 1st SC Rifles since their initial uniforms had green trim. The Don Troiani painting he posted above is the Rifles at Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island in 1861

It can be confusing. Hagood's regiment, Gregg's regiment and the Rifles all served in the ANV, the last two in the same brigade (Gregg's/McGowan's).

Hagood's regiment served in Jenkins'/Bratton's brigade.

IIRC, the so-called 1st SC Regulars mainly served as garrison troops at Charleston Harbor until joining Joe Johnston's army during the Carolinas Campaign.
 
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