Uniforms Did Confederates in Vicksburg wear yellow uniforms.

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Forum Host
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Hudson Gazette (Michigan), from Vicksburg- letter form a Hudson Boy, July 25, 1863, p. 2, col. 4.

In a few minutes we came into the city, and there I saw what I never expected to see again. The streets were full of rebel prisoners, in all matters of clothes, the most predominate colors of which were butternut, blue, white, yellow and grey, but all so dirty that the original color could hardly be distinguished. I can hardly believe that any attempt to uniform them has ever been made.
 
All I have is the letter. However, if the "Hudson Boy" meant yellow trim why no mention of red? Were there more cavalry men in Vicksburg than artillery men? I posted this to see what other thought.
 
Last edited:
All I have is the letter. However, if the "Hudson Boy" meant yellow trim why not mention of red? Were there more cavalry men in Vicksburg than artillery men? I posted this to see what other thought.
Pemberton had no cavalry to speak of. One of the weaknesses of his command that he actually recognized and asked for more. He never got them. Which is one reason he had to send three infantry brigades after Grierson's raiders.
 
These period description of uniforms are interesting, but the author of the letters often assume the readers understand what they are talking about. We are left wondering what was meant.
 
The loess soil around Vicksburg is yellowish.
From Wiki
800px-LoessVicksburg.jpg
 
In Cleburne, Texas, in a local museum there is, or used to, a set of civilian clothes worn by a Texas Confederate during the war. Memory tells me was a cavalryman. The matching trousers and sack coat are indeed an odd shade of pale yellow. A couple of young guys in our reenacting unit in Texas had outfits made to copy the museum artifacts. They always stood out, that's for sure. Coupled with the yellowish clay pictured in the photo in this thread, I don't doubt the Union soldier's recall of yellow uniforms.
 
Various mineral-based dyes were definitely used by the Confederacy including iron oxide (rust). Plant-based dyes from walnuts and butternuts also produced a variety of hues including yellow-tan to red-brown, and could be altered with the addition of different mordants or modifiers. Here are three iron-dyed fabrics produced by Ben Tart. The shades vary due to the base cloth used. The examples below are iron-dyed wool/cotton jeancloth; natural on natural, mixed gray on natural, and natural on tan.

yellerdog.gif
 
Hudson Gazette (Michigan), from Vicksburg- letter form a Hudson Boy, July 25, 1863, p. 2, col. 4.

In a few minutes we came into the city, and there I saw what I never expected to see again. The streets were full of rebel prisoners, in all matters of clothes, the most predominate colors of which were butternut, blue, white, yellow and grey, but all so dirty that the original color could hardly be distinguished. I can hardly believe that any attempt to uniform them has ever been made.


I recall reading an account of rural Georgia which mentions the predominant shade for men's summer work clothing was "copperas color" (iron sulfate) or "yellow as a chicken's legs" which I suppose is roughly what Mr. White has posted in his cloth images above. It makes a brassy yellow color on cotton.

Best,

Jesse Marshall,
Hernando, FL.
 
I recall reading an account of rural Georgia which mentions the predominant shade for men's summer work clothing was "copperas color" (iron sulfate) or "yellow as a chicken's legs" which I suppose is roughly what Mr. White has posted in his cloth images above. It makes a brassy yellow color on cotton.

Best,

Jesse Marshall,
Hernando, FL.

Sounds possible and not a bad explanation.
 
I guess I've never seen Yellow clay. Red clay usually stands out to me. IMHO, Vicksburg clay ranges from mud to light tan.

The River of Death (Also known as the Big Black River) is yellow...and reeks. If neon yellow was found in nature, it would be.

I know the mud we got off the car was pretty yaller.
CVT_3448.JPG
 
Back
Top