Uniforms Early War CSA Marine uniforms.

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Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
There is limited published information about CSA Marine uniforms. The Company of Military Historians have published three uniforms plates on this subject. Here is the CSA Marine uniform plate for the early Civil War years.
CSA Marines.jpg

The color plate is too large to fit on my scanner, but I think this rather poor scan shows show the basic uniforms. The CSA Marine early war uniforms are simular to the US Marines. My question is the Confederate Marine second form the left. In general his uniform is not simular to US Marines and he also wears a sailor style cap (pancake cap, flat cap, or Donald Duck cap). I am not sure there are photographs of US Marines wearing "sailor" caps. Also why a cap pouch but no belt for his ammunition pouch?

For your information the woman in the illustration is not a female Confederate Marine.
 
Major naval stores were captured by Confederate forces at both Pensacola and the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk. It seems that early CS Marines were issued captured US Navy caps along with blue and gray flannel shirts, blue and white trousers as well as a jackets all seized from US Navy storehouses. The quartermaster of the CSMC was Maj. Samuel Gonzalez who had previously served as storekeeper in the US Navy so it makes sense that these articles would be distributed to Marines.

Early on they adopted the 1859 uniform regulations of the Marine Corps hence why they were so similar to USMC uniforms.

The accouterments consisted of a black leather waist belt with a cartridge box, cap box and scabbard. There are some CSMC belt buckles floating around today but their authenticity has been called into question.
 
Here's some CS hat and emblem trivia from "US Marine Corps Emblems 1804- WWI" by Frederick Briuer. Per the Museum of the Confederacy curator, "No copies of Confederate Marine uniform regulations seem to be in existence...." and no cap ornament or Corps insignia has been located." Given the supply problems faced by the south, Confederate Marines may have been forced to simply make do without dress caps. On the other hand, an 1864 dated clothing allowance for Confederate Marines included one dress cap and three fatigue caps and three pompoms. This allowance was essentially equivalent to the 1859 enlisted US Marine allowance.

Also, the curator noted that there is a tantalizing possibility that Confederate Marine detachments had opportunities to use emblems and uniform articles captured from federal sources during the war, especially early on in the war, or purposely copied or put together Confederate versions of articles such as the 1859 dress hat arrangement. Most if not all hat emblems like the Roman block style "M" found on the 1859 pattern shields were put together by early surplus dealers intended for sale to the Confederacy but never really worn by Confederate Marines

IMG_0067.jpg
 
Ive seen this photo a number of times online, allegedly of Confederate Marines at Chickamauga. Looks almost too clear to be authentic, as if they were actually reenacts, but I will withhold judgment, as I am not a photography expert by any means. Not sure how closely they resemble the plates illustrated, either. The tunic appears to be similar to or the same as the illustrated Marine with a pancake cover, despite wearing kepi's in the photo.

CS_Marines_at_Chickamauga.jpg
 
Lieutenant Frances H. Cameron in his Confederate States Marine Corps Uniform c. 1864

View attachment 383117
Probably the most circulated image of a CS Marine officer.

Francis Hawkes Cameron

Born: June 1, 1838 at Hillsboro, North Carolina
Died: March 30, 1900 at Richmond, Virginia
Buried: St. Matthew's Church Cemetery, Hillsboro, North Carolina

Date of Rank:
2nd Lt. CSMC, September 20, 1861
1st Lt. CSMC, October 10, 1862

Served in both Charleston & Savannah from October 1861 until Spring 1862 when he transferred to Drewry's Bluff.
Took part in the Appomattox Campaign where he surrendered April 9, 1865 and was paroled on May 13.
 
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