butternut vs gray

They are 2 different colors. The grey was the standard color of militia units pre and early war but in the later years of the war they were making butternut. Here is a link to a great site that explains the difference.
http://adolphusconfederateuniforms.com/basics-of-confederate-uniforms.html

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Butternut isn't really a specific color. The low quality fabric of jean cloth which most depot issued garments were made with was dyed with vegetable dyes and walnut shells at an attempt to make grey. Many grey jean uniforms quickly weathered to a tan or brownish shade as a result or just came out that color from the get go. This can be clearly seen if you look at some of the studies of original pieces where they've been able to examine protected areas of cloth.
 
Any victorious Confederate States of America/Confederacy would have made gray and butternut basically become the national colors of the nation and some good nicknames beside Southrons are Butternuts and Grays respectively.
 
Confederate uniforms varied greatly by when and what manufacturer. Domestically dyed uniforms in various "butternut" shades were turned out throughout the war (as well as white, undyed uniforms), but contrary to popular belief, more cloth was being run through the blockade in the later half of the war compared to earlier. In 1863-65, a large number of uniforms were produced with blue-gray (cadet gray) cloth imported from England (aka English Army Cloth). The Army of Northern Virginia was especially uniformed in this color toward the later half of the war, its main supplier being the Richmond Depot. I've also read that the Houston Depot, a major supplier in the Trans-Mississippi, primarily used imported cadet gray cloth.

In addition to Fred Adolphus' website already mentioned, this analysis of Richmond Depot uniforms is also worth checking out:
https://www.libertyrifles.org/research/uniforms-equipment/richmond-jackets
 
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