Uniforms Difference in uniforms

[Capt7thWvCoA]

Good afternoon everyone, I was wondering was there a difference in uniforms between the us volunteer infantry and us regular army infantry? I want to try to put together a regular army infantry impression at some point and was curious if they had different uniforms.

 

[infomanpa]

Good afternoon everyone, I was wondering was there a difference in uniforms between the us volunteer infantry and us regular army infantry? I want to try to put together a regular army infantry impression at some point and was curious if they had different uniforms.

Except for insignia, I don't believe that the uniforms were different.

 

[Dan Kohli]

There was some minor difference because of a unit's origin or area of service, but when the Federal Government started supplying the uniforms there was not much of a difference. The Regulars might have still carried their neck stocks amongst other things, but to be definitely sure you should try and find out what the unit had carried with them.

Here's an example of the 12th U.S. Infantry in 1863 right after Gettysburg. These were the Liberty Rifles impression guidelines for an event.

Silent Machines: 12th US Regulars after Gettysburg — The Liberty Rifles

An event hosted by the Liberty Rifles portraying the 12th US Regulars in June 1863. We’ll be on the original ground, recreating the regiment to scale, and obsessing over the details, taking no shortcuts, and making no excuses.

www.libertyrifles.org

 

[jepridgen]

Go with the Liberty Rifles impression from Silent Machines if you are anywhere in the East around that time. Those guys do some outstanding research. Everyone above is correct. The further we war progressed, the less effort was made to equip regulars separately. In the beginning, there was a difference as regulars had frock coats, Hardee hats, stocks, dark pants, etc. That's why the Iron Brigade stood out early on because their commander had them equipped more like regulars. Regulars started out equipped as detailed in the US Army Regulations, and from everywhere I've read, they generally seemed to maintain a better appearance that separated them from their volunteer comrades.

 

[RedRover]

The Regular troops wore the regulation uniform of the US Army. That included the "uniform" and the "fatigue dress."

The full uniform, of infantry was this:

And there was fatigue dress, including a forage cap and blue flannel "blouse" in lieu of the coat:

it was customary (but not universal) in the period, for the troops to wear fatigue dress on campaign.

The Regular Army soldiers recieved a full clothing allowance from the Army each year. If the soldier was thrifty and handy with a needle, etc. he might not draw his full allowance, in which case he was paid for clothing not drawn. If his clothing was lost or destroyed through negligence, and he had to overdraw his allowance, it came out of his pay.

The principal distinction between the Regulars and Volunteers was, the Regular Troops received ALL of their clothing from the US Army.

The Volunteer soldiers of the US Army were due the same pay, and allowance for clothing as the regulars, but there was no law which specified they had to wear US Army clothing. Many States supplied their own volunteers for a time, with the federal government reimbursing them.

However, by mid-war, the Army Quartermaster system was capable of supplying the wants of most of the army for the most part. Volunteer units, generally, did not bother to draw the full uniform and fatigue dress. Only what they needed at any given time.

John Billings, in Hardtack and Coffee:

Only on March 3, 1865 was it directed by law that Volunteer Troops be actually ISSUED the FULL Regular Army clothing in Kind (not in clothing money).

 

[Dan Kohli]

If I remember correctly, the Regulars my have polished their brass more often.

 

[RedRover]

No change. except the Uniform of the army was to include sky-blue trousers from Dec., 1861.

 

[RedRover]

From James Shouler, in the 1880s, a simple description:

His mention of the general disuse of sashes in the field by officers is also mentioned in the excellent book by Thomas Publications, "Union Army Uniforms at Gettysburg." If I remember correctly, Gen. Hancock informed the painters of the Gettysburg cyclorama that sashes were not worn on the march or in battle, etc.

The Regular troops, and volunteers, by and large dressed little differently in the field. Here is a painting by the Prince de Joinville, of US Regular infantry in the Peninsula campaign in early 1862, in their fatigue dress in camp. They still wear the dark blue trousers regulation until Dec., 1861 (when sky blue was adopted);

Soldiers of the 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry in US Army fatigue dress in 1864:

 

[RedRover]

The book "Diary of a Dead Man" from 2004 includes the diary of Ira Petit of the 11th US Infantry Regiment.

he mentions;

But they did not bother with dress uniforms in the field. He mentions turning in his uniform coat and gloves for storage;