Generals' distinctive clothing

[Stryker65]

A lot of generals had distinctive clothing during the war that specifically identified them, or set them apart from other generals. Here are a couple that I've come across:

1. General U. S. Grant wore a private soldier's uniform (@RedRover did a thread on him)

2. General F. C. Barlow traditionally wore a "checked flannel lumberjack shirt":

3. General M. K. Lawler famously wore a checkered shirt with the sleeves rolled up at Vicksburg, I can't find a picture of him in that though...
4. General D. H. Maury was nicknamed Puss in Boots since he (a small man) wore gigantic cavalry boots (no picture either)
5. General G. A. Custer always wore the gold lace in his hat and uniform, and the red bandana as a scarf:

What are some other famous ones?

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Uniforms - Most outlandish Confederate officer uniform? | Ranks, Uniforms, Clothing, & Gear

Officers on both sides provided their own uniforms and had considerable leeway on what they wore. Now General Custer may have crossed the line, but other generals did not exactly select uniforms that met the standers set in the uniform regulations. There were some Confederate officers who had...

civilwartalk.com

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

A.P. Hill's red shirt? | Antietam / Sharpsburg

I have read differing stories about AP Hill's red shirt during Antietam. Does anybody know whether he wore the famous red shirt when he arrived to rescue the day?

civilwartalk.com

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

The Civil War: Ambrose P. Hill Biography | The Civil War | Ken Burns | PBS

The Civil War is an epic nine-episode series by the award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. Between 1861 and 1865, Americans made war on each other and killed each other in great numbers if only to become the kind of country that could no longer conceive of how that was possible. What began…

www.pbs.org

"He often donned a bright red shirt just before battle, prompting his men to remark, "Little Powell's got on his battle shirt!" and begin readying their weapons".

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Well, Forrest did have ... (and was photographed ) ... in many regulation Confederate uniforms, but it seems he often preferred to fight in civilian clothing.

Not necessarily distinctive, but probably much more comfortable.

http://www.dannance.com/civil-war

 

[Pollaco]

The black plume in JEB Stuart's hat was certainly a trademark.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Federal general Israel Bush Richardson (killed at Antietam) liked to dress down exceptionally. He would wear dirty civilian clothes and an old straw hat. People mistook him for a farmer wandered into camp. His nickname was ¨Greasy Dick.¨

 

[RedRover]

Major General Mahone's jacket is pretty distinctive...

 

[MRB1863]

J.E.B. Stuart's red lined cape

 

[Pollaco]

Until he received his new uniform wasn't Stonewall Jackson usually seen wearing a blue union forage cap?

 

[RedRover]

Until he received his new uniform wasn't Stonewall Jackson usually seen wearing a blue union forage cap?

Stonewall in the first year of the war, wore his Virginia Militia officer's uniform (blue, from his VMI professorship). Here's the coat, with a bullet hole in the skirt from June 8, 1862.

He did wear, on occasion, a blue forage cap with this uniform in 1861-62. He also frequently wore an old "slouch hat."

For example, when he captured Harper's Ferry in September, 1862 he was wearing his slouch hat... John Esten Cook recalled; "the contrast between General White's neat uniform and Jackson's dingy coat is represented as being very striking; and the Confederate commander wore an old slouch hat, less imposing even than his yellow cap, of which some lady in Martinsburg had robbed him."
Another description from that incident:

"He was dressed in the coarsest description of homespun, which bore every mark of having seen much service. An old hat which covered his head harmonized with the rest of his attire—in fact, in his general appearance he was hardly to be distinguished from the rough-looking but hardy fellows who called him their commander."

J.F.J. Caldwell of the 3rd South Carolina volunteers, recalled there, "Our prisoners rushed over us, ran to the edge of the road, and joined vociferously in our cheering. Jackson saluted several times, pulled down his hat over his eyes (he had left off his old stained and faded cap), and putting spurs to his lean sorrel horse, galloped at some speed past us."

Regarding the bloody battle of Sharpsburg two days later on Septembe 17, 1862, Capt. W.S. Burgwyn of the 35th North Carolina, Ransom's brigade, noted; "General Jackson had on an old worn uniform, his slouch hat was pulled down over his eyes…"

Sketch of Gen. Jackson in camp, late 1862:

At Fredericksburg it was noted: "It was his habit to dress very plainly, and his men had grown accustomed to watch for their general just before a battle began, never failing to recognize him by the old slouched hat and the faded gray uniform, when too far off to distinguish his features.

At Chancellorsville too, he was wearing his slouch hat according to Jennings C. Wise, in his book "Long Arm of Lee," describes Jackson at Chancellorsville: "While the eager but silent Confederates were being deployed, their quick intelligence having already grasped the situation, Jackson sat astride "Little Sorrell" on the road. With his old slouch hat pulled well forward and his lips tightly compressed, he calmly but impatiently waited the completion of the dispositions for advance."

 

[10th Michigan Infantry]

Ambrose Burnside and his big bucket hat.

 

[Bentonville]

The Civil War: Ambrose P. Hill Biography | The Civil War | Ken Burns | PBS

The Civil War is an epic nine-episode series by the award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. Between 1861 and 1865, Americans made war on each other and killed each other in great numbers if only to become the kind of country that could no longer conceive of how that was possible. What began…

www.pbs.org

"He often donned a bright red shirt just before battle, prompting his men to remark, "Little Powell's got on his battle shirt!" and begin readying their weapons".

He also.had a officer's sack I've only seen on him.

 

[Bentonville]

Major General Mahone's jacket is pretty distinctive...

View attachment 495162

Mahone was a snappy dresser.

 

[RedRover]

Mahone was a snappy dresser.

View attachment 495315

Who could expect any less from the rail-road man and "readjuster party" man par excellence!

 

[War Horse]

Turner Ashby was known for his snappy dress.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Thought in some circumstances, any chosen distinctive modes of dress worn by senior line officers might have rendered them as conspicuous targets in fighting at close quarters. For example, at Gettysburg, although he was not a General, Col. Edward Cross was mortally wounded leading his brigade in the Wheatfield on July 2, wearing a black bandanna, tied around his head.

 

[Pollaco]

Ben McCulloch in his black velvet "uniform".

 

[Pollaco]

Gen. Joseph Shelby was known to also wear a black plume in his hat much like JEB Stuart.

 

[infomanpa]

A lot of generals had distinctive clothing during the war that specifically identified them, or set them apart from other generals. Here are a couple that I've come across:

1. General U. S. Grant wore a private soldier's uniform (@RedRover did a thread on him)
View attachment 495119
2. General F. C. Barlow traditionally wore a "checked flannel lumberjack shirt":

3. General M. K. Lawler famously wore a checkered shirt with the sleeves rolled up at Vicksburg, I can't find a picture of him in that though...
4. General D. H. Maury was nicknamed Puss in Boots since he (a small man) wore gigantic cavalry boots (no picture either)
5. General G. A. Custer always wore the gold lace in his hat and uniform, and the red bandana as a scarf:


What are some other famous ones?

What is it about Grant's uniform was that of a "private?" I don't know any privates that wore double breasted frock coats with buttons in groups of three. (not to mention the shoulder straps with stars)