Lancer uniforms.

[major bill]

Before the Zouave uniform craze of 1860 in the 1840s and 1850s fancy lancer uniforms were worn by some well dress militia companies. Many carried lances, but perhaps not all. This trend was ending by the start of the Civil War. Still there are some interesting early War lancer uniforms.

Here is some information from my home state

The Washington Lancers (possibly Detroit, Wayne County) formed in 1856. They were a called a juvenile company, but the age of its members was not reported. They do not appear to have been accepted into the Michigan Militia and the Michigan militia laws did not allow companies in the Michigan Uniformed militia to be of persons under eighteen years old. No information about this company has been found after 1856 and it must have either disbanded or been renamed.
They appear to have worn uniforms; however, what they wore for uniforms was never given and they may or may not have worn lancer style uniforms. There are several style of lancer uniforms. The few accounts about them in local newspapers do not indicate that they carried lances or verify that they were mounted. It is not known if they ever obtained any weapons.
i "Military Visitors", Detroit Daily Free Press, July 30 1856, p. 1, col. 2 and Detroit Daily Free Press, August 8 1856, p. 1, col 1.

 

[Old Soldier]

A much earlier thread may be useful :

M

Thread 'Lancers in the Civil War'

Jul 30, 2015

Although many European nations had large numbers of lancer units, only a few can be found in the American Civil War. Most Civil War historians have heard of Rush's Lancers of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry but there were some other units armed with lances. Texas seemed to lead in this arm with no less than five Texas Calvary regiments being armed in whole or in part with lances. Perhaps Texans were impress with the Mexican Lances they had seen. Other states both North and South fielded lancer units.

Confederate Lancers: Joe Shelby's 5th Missouri Calvary Brigade were are with lances early...

• major bill
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[Mississippian1861]

My 4x Great Grandfather was a junior officer in the Polish 4th Ulhan's (Lancers) during the November Uprising of 1830-31. After the failure of the uprising he was part of the Polish army that escaped into Austrian territory and were interned until the Austrians put most of the officers on a boat for New York. Eventually he ended up in NC and was active in the pre-war NC militia, being a prominent member of Raleigh's Oak City Guards (later Co. E, 14th NC Inf.). He was a "Conditional Unionist" and did not support secession in 1861. Being overage, he sat out the war.