Dark Blue Trousers

[Manassas 1861]

Does anybody now of a website that sells quality 1858-61 federal army dark blue trousers? I'm hoping to get a contract blouse from Wambaugh, White, the trousers could make a new federal impression.

 

[RedRover]

Wambaugh and White sell schuylkill arsenal US Army trousers in dark blue kersey, like the 1858-61 Army trousers. Either ready made or as a kit...

Schuylkill Arsenal Trousers

Wambaugh, White & Company produces high-quality, museum-grade reproduction Civil War uniforms and clothing.

wwandcompany.com

He also sells USA Schuylkill arsenal Army trousers in dark blue in kit form...

Schuylkill Arsenal Trouser Kit

Wambaugh, White & Company produces high-quality, museum-grade reproduction Civil War uniforms and clothing.

wwandcompany.com

 

[captaindrew]

Why dark? With the exception of a very few units you're limiting yourself to a very early war impression. Cool to have? For sure, but I'd have a pair of sky blues first for sake of versatility.

 

[RedRover]

Historically, when the US Army regulations changed from the dark blue to the sky blue cloth for trousers in December, 1861, the troops were wearing the dark blue ones. And those on hand, or in store, were still worn and issued until exhausted. After December, 1861 the Army only produced or contracted the sky blue trousers, and these were issued once available in quantity after early 1862. The dark blue trousers were yet to be seen, here and there, to the close of the war.

From mid-1862 in the Peninsula, the Prince de Joinville illustrates US Army regulars yet in the dark blue trousers.

From May, 1862, men of the 5th New Hampshire on the Peninsula. Mix of dark blue and the new sky blue trousers.

From late summer 1862, the 41st New York at Manassas.

August, 1862, Union infantrymen at Manassas, the chap at right in dark blue trousers.

But even after 1862, it appears the 1858 pattern trousers were yet seen in the ranks, here and there.

April, 1863, two of these US Army engineers still wearing the dark blue trousers.

From the late summer of 1863, US soldiers at Charleston, SC. A couple of these fellows in the dark blue trousers.

Also at Charleston, August, 1863, the men of this battery of the 1st US Artillery yet wear the 1858-61 pattern dark blue trousers.

From August, 1864 at Petersburg, VA, two of these Army engineers yet sporting the dark blue trousers.

Among Sherman's men, one of his bummers at Atlanta in September, 1864 yet in the dark blue trousers...

From 1865. Some of Sherman's soldiers at Fort McCallister near Savannah in early 1865. Some in the dark blue trousers.

Some Union soldiers in captured Fort Fisher, North Carolina, in early 1865, with a few yet in the old pattern dark blue trousers.

Among some Army of the Potomac men photographed at Appomattox in April, 1865, a couple yet sport the dark blue trousers.

History aside, as mentioned, different reenactment clubs and event rules have different standards, and may require sky blue trousers for Union impressions.

 

[captaindrew]

There is always exceptions to the rule as proven by the photos above. There's actually a very good article on the Liberty Rifle's website about this very subject with additional examples and where and when the dark blue may be appropriate. In general though almost all Federal guidelines, at serious events anyway, call for sky blue trousers. That should be your first choice in putting a kit together. Now if you have them already and want to invest in a dark pair to pull off some early war impressions or maybe an event comes along portraying the regulars, by all means go for it. But you should have a good pair of sky blue first.

 

[IgoesToFightMitSigel]

Historically, when the US Army regulations changed from the dark blue to the sky blue cloth for trousers in December, 1861, the troops were wearing the dark blue ones. And those on hand, or in store, were still worn and issued until exhausted. After December, 1861 the Army only produced or contracted the sky blue trousers, and these were issued once available in quantity after early 1862. The dark blue trousers were yet to be seen, here and there, to the close of the war.

From mid-1862 in the Peninsula, the Prince de Joinville illustrates US Army regulars yet in the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533642

From May, 1862, men of the 5th New Hampshire on the Peninsula. Mix of dark blue and the new sky blue trousers.
View attachment 533641

From late summer 1862, the 41st New York at Manassas.

View attachment 533632


August, 1862, Union infantrymen at Manassas, the chap at right in dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533633

But even after 1862, it appears the 1858 pattern trousers were yet seen in the ranks, here and there.

April, 1863, two of these US Army engineers still wearing the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533634


From the late summer of 1863, US soldiers at Charleston, SC. A couple of these fellows in the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533635

Also at Charleston, August, 1863, the men of this battery of the 1st US Artillery yet wear the 1858-61 pattern dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533636

From August, 1864 at Petersburg, VA, two of these Army engineers yet sporting the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533637

Among Sherman's men, one of his bummers at Atlanta in September, 1864 yet in the dark blue trousers...
View attachment 533638


From 1865. Some of Sherman's soldiers at Fort McCallister near Savannah in early 1865. Some in the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533643

Some Union soldiers in captured Fort Fisher, North Carolina, in early 1865, with a few yet in the old pattern dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533644

Among some Army of the Potomac men photographed at Appomattox in April, 1865, a couple yet sport the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533639
View attachment 533640


History aside, as mentioned, different reenactment clubs and event rules have different standards, and may require sky blue trousers for Union impressions.

Hello. Is there information on which unit is shown on the Appottamox Court House Pictures? My Reenactment Group is working on the correct impression of the 52nd NY and I know from a newspaper obituary to one of the 52nd members that he is said to have had duty there during the capitulation? Thanks, "Gold".

 

[RedRover]

Hello. Is there information on which unit is shown on the Appottamox Court House Pictures? My Reenactment Group is working on the correct impression of the 52nd NY and I know from a newspaper obituary to one of the 52nd members that he is said to have had duty there during the capitulation? Thanks, "Gold".

Hello. The photograph was taken by Timothy O'Sullivan in the days after the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox Courthouse; at the courthouse... Unfortunately the unit is unknown.

But like most of the images shown, there are some soldiers wearing the old pattern dark blue Army trousers yet intermixed. From another in the series of photographs at Appomattox... the fellow at right in the 1858 pattern trousers...

Here's General Grant's Cavalry escort at City Point in the spring of 1865, regulars of the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment. Notice even they have a few men yet with the 1858 pattern dark blue trousers (though for the photo at least placed in the rear rank to show less)...

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

Hello. Is there information on which unit is shown on the Appottamox Court House Pictures? My Reenactment Group is working on the correct impression of the 52nd NY and I know from a newspaper obituary to one of the 52nd members that he is said to have had duty there during the capitulation? Thanks, "Gold".

Which reenactment group? Do you guys have a website or page?

 

[IgoesToFightMitSigel]

Which reenactment group? Do you guys have a website or page?

https://52ndnewyorkinfantry.de/

Thank you for your intetest.
I am part of a German reenacting unit that is focussed on the display of the "52nd New York Infantry" during the civil war.
As the unit had a big number of soldiers of german heritage and thus is part of the history of Germany and the United States of America a number of history interested individuals began to incorparate this unit first in a computer simulation to later decide to reenact in reality (as well).

We think that part of history should be taught in Germany as it is underrepresented today - we try to achieve a bigger awareness by displaying that on historic events plus reports in social media.
We also were able to start a online fundraiser to donate for the 52nd Gettysburg memorial to the American Battlefield Trust.

 

[JOHN42768]

Historically, when the US Army regulations changed from the dark blue to the sky blue cloth for trousers in December, 1861, the troops were wearing the dark blue ones. And those on hand, or in store, were still worn and issued until exhausted. After December, 1861 the Army only produced or contracted the sky blue trousers, and these were issued once available in quantity after early 1862. The dark blue trousers were yet to be seen, here and there, to the close of the war.

From mid-1862 in the Peninsula, the Prince de Joinville illustrates US Army regulars yet in the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533642

From May, 1862, men of the 5th New Hampshire on the Peninsula. Mix of dark blue and the new sky blue trousers.
View attachment 533641

From late summer 1862, the 41st New York at Manassas.

View attachment 533632


August, 1862, Union infantrymen at Manassas, the chap at right in dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533633

But even after 1862, it appears the 1858 pattern trousers were yet seen in the ranks, here and there.

April, 1863, two of these US Army engineers still wearing the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533634


From the late summer of 1863, US soldiers at Charleston, SC. A couple of these fellows in the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533635

Also at Charleston, August, 1863, the men of this battery of the 1st US Artillery yet wear the 1858-61 pattern dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533636

From August, 1864 at Petersburg, VA, two of these Army engineers yet sporting the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533637

Among Sherman's men, one of his bummers at Atlanta in September, 1864 yet in the dark blue trousers...
View attachment 533638


From 1865. Some of Sherman's soldiers at Fort McCallister near Savannah in early 1865. Some in the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533643

Some Union soldiers in captured Fort Fisher, North Carolina, in early 1865, with a few yet in the old pattern dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533644

Among some Army of the Potomac men photographed at Appomattox in April, 1865, a couple yet sport the dark blue trousers.

View attachment 533639
View attachment 533640


History aside, as mentioned, different reenactment clubs and event rules have different standards, and may require sky blue trousers for Union impressions.

Thanks for photo selection of soldiers

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

https://52ndnewyorkinfantry.de/

Thank you for your intetest.
I am part of a German reenacting unit that is focussed on the display of the "52nd New York Infantry" during the civil war.
As the unit had a big number of soldiers of german heritage and thus is part of the history of Germany and the United States of America a number of history interested individuals began to incorparate this unit first in a computer simulation to later decide to reenact in reality (as well).

We think that part of history should be taught in Germany as it is underrepresented today - we try to achieve a bigger awareness by displaying that on historic events plus reports in social media.
We also were able to start a online fundraiser to donate for the 52nd Gettysburg memorial to the American Battlefield Trust.

Very good! My organization is in Cincinnati (as were the original Neuner), and we primarily focus on reaching out to schools and local German Heritage organizations. Our goals are similar - here in the US German heritage is vastly underrepresented in both the historiography of the Civil War and in living history representations. What few there are focus more on "what they wore" than "who they were," with no focus on music, food, or other cultural aspects. This is something our organization has been working to improve for a little over five years now.

Freut mich!

 

[Dan Kohli]

This is the above mentioned article from the Liberty Rifles website.

Photographic Compilation of Federal Enlisted Men Wearing Dark Blue Pants in 1862 and Beyond — The Liberty Rifles

www.libertyrifles.org

 

[LincolnHarlan]

1858-61 federal army dark blue trousers

try: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2357705677...oMfqjl3HKnI4JyTIHlhmC7UnRJDl|tkp:BFBMmu3-xcZl

 

[LincolnHarlan]

Which reenactment group? Do you guys have a website or page?

Don't know which group but Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert, was amongst those with Grant at Appromattix April 9th and witnessed Lee dismount from Traveler and go into the McLean home.

 

[JOHN42768]

Don't know which group but Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert, was amongst those with Grant at Appromattix April 9th and witnessed Lee dismount from Traveler and go into the McLean home.

Welcome, enjoy