Confederate POW uniforms

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Forum Host
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
I purchased some images today. One is from The Illustrated London News (March 29, 1862)
and shows Confederate Prisoners in Camp Georgia, Roanoke Island. Can we learn anything about uniforms from this newspaper illustrations?

pows.jpg
 
I purchased some images today. One is from The Illustrated London News (March 29, 1862)
and shows Confederate Prisoners in Camp Georgia, Roanoke Island. Can we learn anything about uniforms from this newspaper illustrations?

View attachment 156424
Thanks for posting this image.
Unfortunately, this may be an artist's rendition from a simple message, something like, "I saw prisoners living in log huts inside a timber stockade." Though it's a fine, period illustration, I don't think one can learn much from it.
 
Perhaps. it is early war, before the McClellan's Peninsular Campaign, and before Shiloh. The men look well fed awaiting exchange. Overcoats, on the Confederate guard Union soldiers sack coats, frock coats, slouch hats and forage caps. There also appears to be a man wearing a blanket like a serape. Some jackets which appear to be like the one Burnside designed. Everyone is well dressed, well uniformed.
 
I purchased some images today. One is from The Illustrated London News (March 29, 1862)
and shows Confederate Prisoners in Camp Georgia, Roanoke Island. Can we learn anything about uniforms from this newspaper illustrations?

View attachment 156424
Here is a copy of the original image before it was colored; I would disregard the coloring.....I do not believe that newspapers were colored at the time and that this was done later.
confederate-prisoners-in-camp-georgia-roanoke-island-american-civil-illustration-id664677717.jpg
 
Did the Federal Government have a uniform regulations regarding uniforms it issued to Confederate prisoners? Or did the Federal Government expect the Cofederate Government to send uniforms for the prisoners?

This would have became an issue once both sides kept captured soldiers longer.
 
Did the Federal Government have a uniform regulations regarding uniforms it issued to Confederate prisoners? Or did the Federal Government expect the Cofederate Government to send uniforms for the prisoners?

This would have became an issue once both sides kept captured soldiers longer.
I believe I read somewhere that there was not a federal issue of uniforms for a few reasons:
  • Escapees would be harder to catch if wearing federal uniforms
  • This would have been in effect towards the last year or two of the war when exchanges were halted
  • Federal gear was confiscated from POWs upon entering a prisoner of war camp. (Point Lookout diaries)
  • The US government wanted uniforms forwarded from the CS government and there is evidence that this had happened.
  • Federal blankets were the extent of the US issue according to extant information.
 
Not Civil War related. I had truck loads of Iraqi prisoner of war uniforms burned. One might be surprised how much space the uniforms of almost 100,000 prisoners take up.
 
At Rock Island the camp commander requisitioned greatcoats for prisoners but I don't know if the order was ever filled. There were also requests for donations of scarfs, socks, mittens etc from local churches and aid societies. These were filled and quite a lot of civilian donations were passed into that camp.
 
At Rock Island the camp commander requisitioned greatcoats for prisoners but I don't know if the order was ever filled. There were also requests for donations of scarfs, socks, mittens etc from local churches and aid societies. These were filled and quite a lot of civilian donations were passed into that camp.

This and the fact that many Confederate soldiers routinely wore items of pre-war civilian clothing give illustrations such as this a distinctly un-military look. I don't think that should be confusing, just reflective of reality.
 
Did the Federal Government have a uniform regulations regarding uniforms it issued to Confederate prisoners? Or did the Federal Government expect the Cofederate Government to send uniforms for the prisoners?

This would have became an issue once both sides kept captured soldiers longer.
There are two fairly prominent pictures, I believe one is from Ft. Delaware and ICRC where the other was taken, of Confederate officers in brand new Confederate uniforms, that were sent through the lines.

Picture taken in April of 1864, 9 months after capture at Gettysburg (correction, some were captured at Gettysburg, some with Morgan on his raid and elsewhere):

6-civilwar.jpg
 
Last edited:
At Elmira, the commandant would only issue clothing that was Confederate gray, and that would not facilitate blending in with the civilian population. A lot of clothing sent to Elmira failed this test and was destroyed.
 
Back
Top