Arkansas Union

[yellowthornoftexas]

.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Interested in uniforms worn by 1st Arkansas Infantry(Union)
and 1st Arkansas Cavalry (Union). I'm thinking for the Infantry, standard federal uniform and leathers and a slouch hat (plain). On the Cavalry, so many options!
Two members on dads side served with each of the two listed units.
Johan? You seem pretty knowledgeable on units from western theater.

Union Corporal Michael Hoppers, Company B 1st Arkansas Infantry.

 

[major bill]

Maybe a frock coat.

 

[major bill]

Frederick P. Todd in his classic uniform book, American Military Equipage 1851 -1872 has a black and white drawing of the 1st Arkansas Union Cavalry Regiment. It shows a fairly stand Union mounted jacket, foot trousers I can not post a copy as my computer is in for repairs and I am using my lap top which does not operate the scanner. Todd states "Arkansas Union regiments were furnished U.S. Army clothing, insignia, arms, and accouterments of a decidedly mixed variety."

 

[major bill]

These are the arms Todd gives:

1st Arkansas Union Cavalry, initially issued converted muskets, in 1862 used M1841 and M1855 and some Enfield rifles. In 1864 armed with Starr carbines, Colt navy revolvers, Pettingill and Remington army revolvers, M1840 sabers.

1st Arkansas Union Infantry, 1863 had Dresden and Suhl cal. rifled muskets which were largely repaced with Enfield rifles in 18164.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Yo East TN!!! Just double checked my ancestor, he too was Co B! Pvt Phillip Martin!!! His nurse became my gggrandmother!!! Lol

Alright ! Corporal Hoppers was a stepson of a 3 x great-granduncle that left Tennessee in the 1830's and settled in northwest Arkansas. Like east Tennessee, there was much Union sentiment there. He had four sons (my direct relatives) in the Union Army. Three were in Co.B of the 1st Arkansas Infantry. Another served in the 11th Missouri Cavalry. They were from Madison County, Arkansas.

 

[hanna260]

Mr. Thorn I do not know if this is helpful at all but here is a picture of someone in the 1st Arkansas Cavalry.

This is Alexander Houk who enlisted in 1862 and had a disability discharge in 1864. Now my knowledge of uniforms is truly embarrassing, so is that a uniform he is wearing or civilian clothes? LOL, I think I just brought more questions than I answered but hope this might add to thread in anyway!

http://ozarkscivilwar.org/photographs/houk-alexander-p/

 

[hanna260]

Oh, Hanna, PLEASE don't call me Mr! Lol makes a feller feel old! Please call me Al or YROT.

Sorry about that, YROT. Weird quirk of mine.

 

[major bill]

The photograph of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry shows him in a uniform. It seems to have 9 buttons and may be a frock coat. However it almost looks a a 9 button jacket.

 

[peteanddelmar]

The photograph of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry shows him in a uniform. It seems to have 9 buttons and may be a frock coat. However it almost looks a a 9 button jacket.

Major Bill do you know why on the sleeve their is one chevron almost like a PFC indication? But that was not used at that time? Or what was that stripe for?

 

[major bill]

Both the Union frock coat and mounted jacket used these inverted cord pointed chevrons on the sleeve cuff. This was also refereed to as cord piping. In this photograph it appears to be a yellow cord, yellow being for cavalry. Yellow piping can appear to be either light or dark in period photographs. The piping in this photograph does not appear to be the light blue for infantry. The red piping on artillery jackets some times appears dark as well. I do agree that it could be a militia style roundabout jacket. It was not unknown for mounted troops to wear roundabouts as opposed to the mounted jackets.

 

[James N.]

Unlike various Confederate militia-type units that might've started off to war wearing a variety of different uniforms, Federal units raised from Southern states would've almost exclusively been issued uniform items from government stocks. That means they would've been issued regulation U. S. uniforms of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, the only slight variations being in shades of color or cut depending on manufacturer.

 

[James N.]

that's what i thought also. so, what's your opinion of this coat? obvious union, and he's cavalry....government stock?

Exactly.

 

[major bill]

Perhaps it is similar. I am counting 9 buttons instead of 12 buttons normally found on the mounted jacket. I have seen mounted jackets with either 10 or 11 buttons and this may indeed have 10 buttons. PS. that photogrpah of a mounted jacket you posted is one sad mounted jacket. No that is really a very sad mounted jacket.

 

[major bill]

This is a real mounted jacket.

 

[major bill]

Here is a poor quality real jacket. Even this one is better than the sad one you posted.

 

[major bill]

If you had purchased it, well then vigilante actions would be fully justified. Remind me what the normal Texas punishment is for horse thieves is. Hold on there moderators I meant vignette ( a small illustration used on the title page of a book) and I in no way endorse capital punishment of ebay dealers.

 

[major bill]

Well the only reproduction Civil War uniform I ever wear was very inexpensive. The State Museum of Michiagn payed for it, so free is rather inexpensive from my perspective. I am a docent at the Michiagn Historical museum and the museum has a yearly budget for period costumes.

 

[James N.]

so, he's probably got a high necked collar an yellow cord on it too. looks like he may have a yellow trim along the buttons. can you see it JamesN.?

Note in your discussions with major bill that there's a variant of this jacket used by some militia or volunteer cavalry units that has a somewhat shorter collar with only a single false buttonhole loop and button. Also, there are 2 unseen "pillows" sewn into the back seams at the waist to help hold up the pistol/saber belt. These were sometimes cut off by the men, who found them uncomfortable when sitting normally in a chair.

Edit: I've owned 3 original artillery shell jackets, which are the same except for having red instead of yellow tape trim. In one, the heavy lining had been entirely chopped out, whether by an original user or a later reenactor, I have no idea. These were so common in the 1950's that members of the North-South Skirmish Association (the original Civil War reenactors) who fired original cannon in competition shoots often bought and wore these from surplus dealers like Bannerman's in New York.

 

[no3commando]

Unlike various Confederate militia-type units that might've started off to war wearing a variety of different uniforms, Federal units raised from Southern states would've almost exclusively been issued uniform items from government stocks. That means they would've been issued regulation U. S. uniforms of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, the only slight variations being in shades of color or cut depending on manufacturer.

So if one was to portray a basic 1st Arkansas Union Infantry Private say 1864.
Forage Cap
Sack Coat
Sky Blue Wool Trousers
An the basic leather gear?