Cs uniforms

[Capt7thWvCoA]

Did all cs officer uniforms have the sleeve braids on them ?

 

[Patrick H]

I'm curious about that, too. I'll be watching. Welcome...if I haven't already welcomed you in another thread.

 

[Kurt G]

No , there are several illustrations of CSA officer's uniforms in "Echoes of Glory;Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy" showing no braid .

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Nope, personally I suspect the majority of them didn't. Officers had to pay for their own uniform, wasn't an issued item, in essence they had to go to a tailor and have it made. Theoretically they had to follow regulations and have a uniform matching those regulations, but one must ask if the gold braid was available in their home town, or a substitute there or available if they were somewhere else, and could they afford the braid on the uniform.

Another thing to remember, and "Echoes of Glory" illustrates this well, is the condition of surviving officer's uniforms. Most of the fancy double-breasted officer's uniforms, with braid and without, are usually in very good condition, even compared to good condition enlisted uniforms. This is a good indicator that they weren't worn very often, at least in the field, where a lot of officers lived in the same horrid conditions, (excepting the Generals, and Colonels on occasion), so it stands to reason that if their fancy regulation, or even semi-regulation uniforms should exhibit the same condition of enlisted uniforms, and they don't. Frock coats were expensive, but other garment were not, and it stands to reason officers had separate everyday field uniforms. A good example of this is a horrible condition civilian sack coat in the Texas Civil War Museum worn by a captain, (can't remember his name or unit, check the CS sack coat article at adolphusconfederateuniforms.com very first uniform covered), and its plain, devoid of any insignia, and that particular officer supposedly had a officer's frock coat and its more likely he wore the sack coat from home more.

Something else to remember, and this holds true for both sides, large and colorful officer's insignia tended to get officers shot. One just has to look at officer's uniforms from early war, and then at late war, big difference, and gold Austrian knots on the sleeves was going to stand out, and possibly get the owner shot first. I know if I spent $15 to $30 bucks on a real nice officer's uniform, I wouldn't want to see it worn to rags, I'd stick it back and wear a cheap $2 dollar sack coat or shell jacket from home to rags. Also after 1864 the Confederate Government authorized officers to draw enlisted uniforms and add their insignia, this most likely spelled the end of home made garments.

 

[Klaudly]

In the second part of the war, I believe that only a few officers had uniform with gold Austrian knots in battlefield. They probably had a nice uniform with sleeve braids that they wore for special occasions.

 

[zburkett]

Some Confederate officers didn't wear uniforms. In the history "The Comanches, A History of White's Battalion, Virginia Cavalry" the uniforms are described a "usually something gray."

 

[Klaudly]

For example, Alexander D. Payne, Black Horse Troops, Co H, 4th Virginia Cavalry, has only the captain's stripes on collar:

 

[UCVRelics]

I always love these threads. To answer your question no they did not. When the war started CS troops both officer and enlisted left home decked out in the finest the locals could provide. By the end of the second years thing were not so noble. The war took its toll on cloth and replacements were getting few and far between. By the end of the war most CS soldier were in clothing sent from home. Officer were a little different as most field grade officer had an everyday one and a dress one. By the end of the war most CS officers were wearing their dress uniforms especially in the deep South.

 

[Billw12280]

No , there are several illustrations of CSA officer's uniforms in "Echoes of Glory;Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy" showing no braid .

I wasn't sure how I would like that book initially but it has fast become one of my favorites for viewing current photos of original uniforms. I wish there was more narrative to go along with the photos but it is still an excellent reference set.

 

[Kurt G]

I paint miniature soldiers and it and the Union companion are great references .

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Something else to remember, and this holds true for both sides, large and colorful officer's insignia tended to get officers shot.

Absolutely.

Especially after 1862.

There were even official CSA regulations regarding the sleeve braid.

After the revised CSA uniform regulations of 1862, CSA sleeve braid was for the most part only seen on dress uniforms.
In the "field". . . officers were now trying hard not to draw attention to themselves.

Another discussion about this topic:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/sleeve-braid-gullions.113884/

 

[Package4]

Did all cs officer uniforms have the sleeve braids on them ?

This is a very good question with a few different answers:

*Dress uniforms (frock coats) for the most part yes, but not always.
*Field coats, most of them no, but not always.
*Some dress coats are missing their knots as post war there was a Federal regulation that no Confederate insignia was allowed to be shown. The Bond coats are prime examples, he had braid on both his frock and overcoat, in addition to Maryland buttons on each. Bond painted the braid (sleeve knots) and buttons on one coat (black) and removed the braid (found in the tail pockets), but painted the buttons black on the other. Both of these coats were highlighted in a wonderful article in North South Trader's Magazine. Last I heard the frock is at Gettysburg or Harrisburg and the overcoat is for sale at Midwest Relics. I was lucky enough to view the coats just after they were purchased from the family through an Oakland, CA auction.

So the answer is yes, no & maybe, I suspect that many of the extant officers frock coats today had braid, but were removed as a souvenir or removed to comply with the post war law. There is difficulty when examining the coats as braid was lightly stitched by hand and leaves little to no trace that it was once there after removal.