Could one tell regulars by sight?

[Billy1977]

Hello everybody, I was wondering the other day would it have been possible during the war to be able to tell the Union's regulars on sight? What I mean is, being professionals rather than volunteers, would they have looked any different, enough so to be noticeable? Neater and tidier uniforms in camp maybe? Or wearing the brass shoulder scales everywhere but in combat (where the shiny brass might catch a sharpshooter's eye)? More "soldierly bearing" and less sloppy looking at least before a long march or combat and wearing their accouterments in the manner prescribed by the manual (if it did prescribe a preferred manner)? Or was there really not much of a difference in appearance between regulars and volunteers, much more so (on average) between Eastern Theatre and Western Theatre personnel? Many thanks in advance to anybody that can answer this for me.

 

[thomas aagaard]

As far as I know The regular infantry only had one Color. (flag)
This is what the drill books expect and they had no State color, like volunteer units had.

 

[StephenColbert27]

At least at the start they had different uniforms. The Iron Brigade actually dressed in uniforms meant for Regulars. In addition, I would bet that they were more disciplined on the march (less straggling, more orderly, etc.). Lastly, I imagine their camps were much better made up and done according to the official regulations, which volunteers often did not do, at least at the start.

 

[redbob]

In the two books that I have on the Regulars, Sykes' Regular Infantry Division, 1861-1864 (AoP)by Timothy J. Reese and That Body of Brave Men (Western Army)by Mark W. Johnson; it quickly becomes obvious that the Regulars stood head and shoulders above the volunteers in manner, appearance and discipline. As such they became the "go to" guys in crisis situations which resulted in them pretty much being shot out of existence by the end of the war.

 

[DixieRifles]

Im ni expert but I would say Regulars had more military bearing & discipline.

For our local history week, there was one reenactor representing the two regiments that fought here.
13 Regular was wearing a nice frock coat with a pack(ok that is what I call it).
Whereas the guy for the 66 Indiana wearing a short coat(as I recall--need to find my photos) with a bed roll and knap sack. Looked a little misfit and worn.

 

[Larryh86GT]

I was curious if there were "boot camps" during the CW and found this:

In the Regular Army, before, during and after the Civil War recruits received only rudimentary training at there post where they entered the service – consisting of barracks and personal housekeeping and the beginnings of close order drill. The real training came when they joined their permanent unit. Training was principally a matter handled by the company officers and sergeants and corporals on an "On the Job" basis that involved no small amount of physical guidance in awkward squads or Good Old Company Q.

Volunteer units during the Civil War received their training very much on a blind leading the blind basis since nobody knew much of anything, from the basics of camp sanitation to musketry to battlefield maneuver. It was the fortunate unit that had an old soldier who at least knew what was expected and how things were done. US Grant got his start as a regimental commander because he had a background that could be used to shape up an Illinois regiment that had suffered under inexperienced leadership. Generally, however, the privates NCOs and officers learned together – in a good unit the officers were a chapter ahead of the NCOs and the NCO were a chapter ahead of the privates. For the first month or so those volunteer regiments were just a big school where the teachers were as ignorant as the students.

and:

Boot camps did exsist in America during the 19th century. Duing the Indian Wars:
Upon volunteering troops were sworn in, given a phisical exam, and a bath.
There were three "recruit depots" one in David's Island New York, another at Columbus Barraks Ohio and one at Jefferson Barraks Missouri. The first two were for infantry the last for the cavalry.
At the depots the new soldiers were given uniforms and taught the basics of the Army system, basic drill, and how to care for themselves in the field.
The process lasted anywhere from a few weeks to several monthes. They were then sent to a unit where training continued.
While not nearly as systematic or as rigorous as the present system it did exsist.
My information comes from "The Enlisted Men of the Indian Wars" by Don Rickey Jr. and was published in Military Affairs Vol.23 No.2

 

[Irishtom29]

Im ni expert but I would say Regulars had more military bearing & discipline.

For our local history week, there was one reenactor representing the two regiments that fought here.
13 Regular was wearing a nice frock coat with a pack(ok that is what I call it).
Whereas the guy for the 66 Indiana wearing a short coat(as I recall--need to find my photos) with a bed roll and knap sack. Looked a little misfit and worn.

Well, I don't consider the notions of a couple of reenactors reliable evidence.

 

[DixieRifles]

Well, I don't consider the notions of a couple of reenactors reliable evidence.

True. I thought it was a good teaching aid.
After months of campaigning together and marching the same muddy roads, Im sure it would be difficult to distinguish between the two.

 

[Billy1977]

Thank you all for your responses! What you've said is pretty much in line with what I was thinking but you've added much more details than I knew. Thanks again! I really love this forum. Do you think the folks of that era who lived through it had any inkling that people 150+ years later would still be so interested in their war?

 

[redbob]

Thank you all for your responses! What you've said is pretty much in line with what I was thinking but you've added much more details than I knew. Thanks again! I really love this forum. Do you think the folks of that era who lived through it had any inkling that people 150+ years later would still be so interested in their war?

An ancestor who served in the 11th Alabama and crossed the field at Gettysburg on the third day left an account of his views on war so that his family would always know what his war was like.