Hey, I'm slowly putting together a very deep south uniform. Its drab and dust. But I wonder about the cut.
Fremantle wrote thatbcivilian clothes were used in the ANV if what was issued wasn't what the common solder wanted to wear. Civilian clothes would creep back in.
So where does cvilian end and issue began?Please give me some notes if you will. Thanks.
As mentioned above in the previous posts, reenactment clubs have their own rules, which can vary by group, or by the event.
Some notes...
Historically, The first year and a half of the war the Confederate volunteers, under the commutation system by which each soldier received money from the CSA for their clothing, largely clothed themselves by various means. Some companies adopted full military dress, and some had less or something extemporized to that effect, and some had none. "Personne" noted the Confederate troops at Charleston in 1861 included those pre-war militia volunteer companies with uniforms, but the commands raised in the country were rather less formal...
"The great body of troops from the interior appeared in the ranks just as they left home, and human eyes never rested on a more motley throng. There was no mark to designate the respective regiments, and only an intimate knowledge of the physiognomical or other personal peculiarities of the troops of the different States enabled one to discover whence they came.
The dress was a tangled compound of frock coats, swallow tails and jackets, with a liberal sprinkling of shirt sleeves: pants of every hue and shape, from the gay cassimere to the patched emblems of better times, whose nether extremities were lost in the tops of boots or gathered within the stockings; while a headgear of slouched hats, caps and stove pipes, presented an outline on parade indescribably ragged. The outfit was completed by a dingy blanket, or in lieu thereof a patched bedquilt, a homemade knapsack and a canvas bag in which to carry rations. A belt around the body held the inevitable revolver and bowie-knife, while thrown carelessly over the shoulder was a rifle, musket or double barrelled shot gun. Not infrequently added to this miscellaneous inventory was a violin, guitar or accordeon, and some of the old hunters and campaigners of the woods were even practical enough to bring their private cooking utensils, which dangled in picturesque profusion from behind as they marched.
In one instance a sweet-toothed volunteer brought with him a jug of molasses; and it is related of another that he started from home with a cow which he proposed to milk for the regiment."
After being paid clothing money by the CSA, some of these un-uniformed companies, regiments, etc. subsequently purchased something uniform. Others perhaps didn't bother. But with the Government clothing money, many clothing concerns advertised to produce uniforms of whatever kind wanted by the volunteers...
From Richmond, mid-1861:
Some ladies formed their own concerns to aid in outfitting the volunteer soldiers...donating their labor for the effort, and reducing the cost of the clothing...
Some enterprising gentlemen or interests, to promote recruiting, bought uniforms for their prospective commands themselves (or by means of public subscriptions etc.) and provided them to any man who joined as a recruit... (and to be paid back by the soldier's CSA clothing money):
But many units formed without concerning about this. A Texas volunteer recalled his newly organizing company thought soldiers should have uniforms, but between them they could not decide on the pattern or color. Their captain remained silent as every man gave an opinion. Finally they agreed,
"that each man get just was suited his fancy and have it made up in any style he chose—jes' so it was uniform."
The Richmond Times Dispatch suggested not worrying about making uniforms any kind of military priority:
Richmond Times-Dispatch, 6-5-1861.
As the war continued past the expected few months, and the blockade and economy rendered the Confederate money devalued, and goods for uniforms of any kind scarce, the public was called upon generally to outfit their soldiers for the winter. This notice appeared throughout the South, and calls for "army jackets" of gray or brown jeans as best. Thereafter the "gray jacket" became the common dress of the Confederate soldiers across the country...
Charleston Courier, Charleston, SC, 8-19-1861; Augusta Chronicle, Augusta, Ga., 8-21-1861; Tuscaloosa Observer, Tuscaloosa, AL, 8-28-1861; etc. etc.
Some folks just forwarded old clothes, etc. to their soldiers.
Confederate troops in the west in the fall of 1861.
And at Fort Donelson, the Confederate army taken prisoner was described as "uniform" principally in dressing in homespun:
"The Southern prisoners made at Fort Donelson, whom I have seen at the West, had no uniform. They were indeed dressed very much alike, but it was the uniform dress of the countryman in that region. Yet they were treated by us as prisoners of war, and well treated too."
And...
"Their dress was not military, but almost uniform in texture and color, being of home-made cloth dyed a dingy yellowish brown with the juice of the butternut. It fit their arms and legs as close as the skin, showing all the bows and angles which nature in her step-motherly way bends or sharpens in the neglected children of poverty and ignorance."
Another account mentions the prisoners were for the most part in citizens' clothes, "having no military mark except black stripes on the pants." Many with gray caps with black bands, etc.
A description of some Tennessee troops at Shiloh, who didn't bother about uniforms beyond common country fur caps: "Their uniform was like Joseph's coat of many colors, after the wild beasts had done with it. Every man had just what he left his home in, and that dilapidated by the wear and tear of camp."
Lt. James Williams of the 21st Alabama, had ordered a blue uniform, but after the battle of Shiloh determined not to wear it in the field to prevent confusion, and was making due; "I will take pride in being a good soldier dressed in citizen's clothes!"
During the Seven Days Battles about Richmond in the summer of 1862, some of Lee's troops were described rather informally dressed...
In October, 1862 a law was passed repealing the clothing money, and requiring the CS Government to provide clothing to all CSA troops, and from thence commenced large production and purchase, so far as possible, to issue clothing in kind to all CS troops; principally gray jackets, trousers, caps, and cotton shirts, etc. Soldiers were no longer to receive commutation of clothing money, were thereafter given an allowance against which to draw government clothing. Any balance from undrawn government clothing was to be paid the soldier at the end of the year. The veterans of McGowan's South Carolina Brigade recalled...
Soldiers could continue to dress as they pleased, or in homespun of whatever kind, as there was no punishment for not drawing army clothing, but extra pay for those who drew a minimum, or didn't need to draw any.
In fact while the above law was enacted, the Government in the fall of 1862 was again appealing to the public to send clothing to the troops, of whatever kind available...
Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph, TX, 10-31-1862.
From Dallas, TX:
Dallas Herald, 10-4-1862.
The Confederate Army Quartermaster Department rendered aid in forwarding clothing from home to the troops:
Yorkville Enquirer, 11-19-1862.
Although the CS Government directly produced many, many thousands of gray jackets and trousers, etc. after 1862 for the army, many troops continued to prefer home-made articles, military or not in cut. Bragg's Army in the summer of 1863 was described by Col. Fremantle of the British service, who was present to review part of Cleburne's Division:
While the roundabout jacket was the prevailing standard, the pattern of home-made army clothing was not always made to any military fashion. For example, Photographed at Lynchburg, Va. in March, 1864. Dr. John S. Pendleton, surgeon of the 45th Battalion of Virginia Infantry (left), and his brother William C. Pendleton, a private in Company A of the same outfit...
Dr. Pendleton's suit of genuine butternut jeans made in Tazewell County, Va. from cloth woven by their mother. Private Pendleton's was made from jeans woven by their aunt Mrs. Kate Cecil Peery. (from Pendleton's History of Tazewell County.)
Confederate prisoners, sketched in April, 1863:
During his tour of the Confederacy in the summer of 1863, Col. Fremantle of the British Army found Confederate troops generally, from Texas to Virginia, made no pretense to imitate "regular soldiers" as regards dress.
A Union veteran taken prisoner by Lee's army during the outset of the Gettysburg campaign noted of Ewell's Corps of Lee's army:
Some of Stuart's Cavalry (Capt. Reuben Boston's Squadron, 5th VA Cav.) captured at Aldie, Virginia in June, 1864. A few of the chaps at right in citizens' coats, etc. hats and trousers various...
A description of the prisoners of Lee's army after Gettysburg.
At Gettysburg Ed Forbes sketched the prisoners taken in Pickett's Charge... and while confirming they wore no particular uniform or color, says in the aggregate mass they presented as a "dingy gray" appearance...
Stark's Element of Natural History (1828), describes "dingy gray" as the color of the fur of the spotted hyena (outside the dark spots), or the feathers of the Cape Barren Cereopsis goose, etc.
Pemberton's Army of Mississippi described after surrendering at Vicksburg in July, 1863 somewhat similarly:
"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."
Walker's Texas Division in the far southwest were then yet rather un-uniform in camp and field...
At Chattanooga in October-November, 1863 Bragg's army received lots of army clothing, which Wash. Ives described as dark and light gray jackets, but it did not necessarily put the army into entire or complete uniform particularly. After the Battle of Missionary Ridge in late November Soldiers of the 123rd New York noted the Confederate prisoners:
"The rebels had no sort of uniform, but were dressed in all manner of suits, the butternut color predominating, and for hats—no two had hats or caps alike."
Englishman Yates Thompson noted the same among the mass of prisoners collected from Bragg's army at that time:
"On the way we passed an open space where were congregated some fifty or sixty men in various faded shades of butternut. Dr. L. said they were Confederate prisoners ... Only one of the prisoners had a uniform, an artillery man in a buff jacket with red facings: the mass of Rebels in the West fight in their common clothes."
Shortly after, General Joseph E. Johnston took command of the defeated Army of Tennessee, and exhausted every avenue, public and private, to clothe the troops. Phil Stephenson of the Washington Artillery recalled of the Spring of 1864:
For example, besides army clothing, the ladies of Columbus, Georgia expended great efforts...
In the spring of 1864 a deserter from Johnston's army, the chaplain of the 5th and 13th Arkansas of Hardee's Corps deserted into federal lines that spring in army "grey fatigue dress" of pants and jacket, but who noted the soldiers of the Army of Tennessee were then "dressed every way, just about like the citizens."
A photograph of some of Joe Johnston's Army of Tennessee men as prisoners, ca. 1864. The two chaps in the center in what appears to be common citizen's coats... Trousers and hats various, but the common "gray jacket" of whatever make too...
Johnston's troops were allowed rotations of furloughs, which allowed for many to bring back clothing to their comrades in the army.
In Texas in February, 1864, a soldier suggested the army there do the same...
Many of the Army of Tennessee continued in varied dress through 1864.
From the Battle of Atlanta cyclorama, which was produced with the aid of wartime news artist Theodore R. Davis, who was present with Sherman's armies...
And in October, 1864, marching toward Tennessee, a Union prisoner noted of that army, now under Hood:
From the Battle of the Wilderness in May, 1864, soldiers of the 7th Rhode Island described several thousand prisoners from Lee's army, many with citizens' garments yet completely intermixed...
Many images of prisoners taken at that time...
Here's a close-up, with the chap at right apparently wearing a citizen's frock coat among the more common jackets...
In early 1865 Allen C. Redwood visited his old friends of the 55th Virginia Volunteers of Heth's Divisions on the lines about Richmond and Petersburg, and noted they may very little pretense of uniform particularly...
From Charleston, SC, Conrad Chapman depicted the troops serving there in 1863-64. Evidently generally better clothed than CS troops elsewhere, often in suits of blockade run goods...
But still Including some rebs in practically citizen's dress guarding the Hunley on the dock...
Chapman's own self-portrait, with a citizen's coat and hat, and perhaps a pair of gray army trousers...
And a winter scene, the picket in citizen's coat and fur cap, etc.
Some of Chapman's subjects in General Wise's brigade camp near Diascund Bridge, VA in 1863:
Confederate soldiers in Florida made use of homespun. As early as February, 1862 Union troops occupying Jacksonville noted the poor state of dress among the Confederate soldiers... much like those serving elsewhere at that time...
"In the month of February, 1862 when the United States troops occupied Jacksonville, Florida, some Confederate soldiers were captured. A motley crew they were, whose picturesque variety of raggedness bore here and there some indications of aim at military style, but nothing of what could be called "uniform."
Col. Higginson of the 1st South Carolina USA on an expedition up the St. Mary's River on the Georgia/Florida border in early 1863 noted some Confederate prisoners "stunted and forlorn as Falstaff's ragged regiment," and that civilian dress among the locals "proved nothing as to their being soldiers."
A general description of the late war dress of Confederate soldiers in the deep South from December, 1864 was described as a gray jacket and pantaloons generally, by an Andersonville prisoner...
[
Prison Life Among the Rebels…, 49.]
From early 1865, a couple of jackets worn in Georgia. At left one traded to a Union prisoner from Andersonville while being sent to Jacksonville for exchange. At right, a somewhat similar garment worn by B.W. Adams of the 4th Kentucky Cavalry in Georgia when the war closed...
Among the Confederate Cavalry, General Wheeler complained of a lack of regular government support for his western cavalry's clothing. He recalled on one raid his "Texas Rangers" captured in raiding a sutlers' wagon train a quantity of new citizen's black dress coats with claw-hammer tails, which many of them immediately adopted as their new "uniform."
In the winter of 1863-64, much of Forrest's cavalry was furloughed homeward to rest and to procure clothing...
Same at the close of 1864:
In early 1865 a description of part of Forrest's Cavalry in "dingy gray jeans"...
Here's just such a "dingy gray" jacket made for Pvt. Oldham of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry of Forrest's command by his mother:
Many of Forrest's men were conscripted, and brought into the field as they were found.
For lack of hats in the country, hats of quilted calico, or woven pine needles, etc. resorted to in the deep south, and many such were employed by the soldiers in lieu of army caps...
Andersonville, Georgia inmate John McElroy, among others, mentions the poverty of hats among the men of the south during the war years.
"The Rebels were badly off in regard to hats. They did not have skill and ingenuity enough to make these out of felt or straw, and the make-shifts they contrived of quilted calico and long leaved pine, were ugly enough to frighten horned cattle.
I never blamed them much for wanting to get rid of these, even if they did have to commit a sort of highway robbery upon defenseless prisoners to do so. To be a traitor in arms was bad certainly, but one never appreciated the entire magnitude of the crime until he saw a Rebel wearing a calico or a pine-leaf hat. Then one felt as if it would be a great mistake to ever show such a man mercy."
Ms. A.C. Cooper of Atlanta recalled making such homemade hats as predominated in the deep south:
"Hats for the boys and men were made of remnants of the soldier's clothes, or of rushes, sometimes of pine needles twisted and sewn together with strong homespun twisted and dyed thread. Heavy? Yes, but what would you do? They could not go bareheaded." [Our women in the War, 439.]
Here's a Union officer freshly escaped from CSA prison in the South wearing one of the quilted hats common in the deep south...
Here's another, worn by John D. Cay of the 5th Georgia Cavalry, made by his mother from a blanket. His mother also made his coat or jacket, and with twigs instead of buttons...
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