Michigan uniform

[major bill]

This is probably a photograph of the uniform issued to the NCOs attending the Camp of instruction in the summer of 1861. He went into the 7th Michigan Infantry. This has been said to be a member of the pre war militia, said to be the Monroe Light Guard. What do you think? See the photo in next post

 

[major bill]

One of my issues with this is that "why would they wear a company letter or a number on the front of their caps?"Would not a "MLG" badge or standard militia badge be more likely? Also I have seen this exact style of gray uniform on two other corporals who may have attended the same camp of instruction. Also what is up with the chevron? They do not look like issued chevrons.

 

[1842]

View attachment 84632

One of my issues with this is that "why would they wear a company letter or a number on the front of their caps?"Would not a "MLG" badge or standard militia badge be more likely? Also I have seen this exact style of gray uniform on two other corporals who may have attended the same camp of instruction. Also what is up with the chevron? They do not look like issued chevrons.

I have seen the gray uniform used by New York soldiers early in the war.

 

[Poor Private]

he may have been a member of the Jackson Greys. This was a militia unit who later became company B of the 1st Michigan. You can try contacting the Jackson Grey Society here in Michigan for more info. They have a web page.

 

[major bill]

The corporal in the photograph was in the Monroe Light Guard. My issue being that it looks like he has a "B" on his kepi. The Monroe Light Guard became company B, 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment but they were not Company "B" in their pre war Militia regiment. It is possible that when this corporal arrived at the Camp of Instruction and his company was designated Company "B" of the 7th Michigan that he some how obtained a brass "B" and put it on his militia kepi. Another possibility is that this is his gray uniform issued at the Camp of Instruction as it seems to match the written description of the Camp of Instruction issued uniform and I know that company brass letters were also issued there. Also two NCOs in other regiments which attended the same Camp of Instruction were photographed in what appears to be matching uniforms. What are the odds that the State of Michiagn had uniforms made for issue at the Camp of Instruction that match the uniform the pre war Monroe Light Guard wore? This can not be entirely ruled out, but seems a bit too convenient.

I have been told I am "stupid" to believe this to be the uniform worn at the Camp of Instruction. I still believe my theory is more likely.

 

[major bill]

Michiagn had issued orders in 1860 that all companies of the Michigan Uniformed Militia would adopt gray uniforms. The units who wore blue uniforms were allowed to wear out their current uniforms so were slow to changed to gray.

The local newspapers describe the Jackson Greys uniforms differently and to get a clear understand of what they wore the various accounts must be studied. For example a article from the American Citizen stated that they adopted grey dress coats with red trimming and facings and "tastily ornamented with gold lace and buttons' and grey pants with stripes and bearskin shako or grenadier hats with a very stylish top.http://civilwartalk.com/#_edn1 The Detroit Daily Advertiser article published in September of 1860 gives the uniforms of the Jackson Greys as being gray dress coats[ii]with crimson facings, trimmed with lace. The article goes on to say that the Jackson Greys wore gray pants with red stripes.[iii]

According to a Detroit Free Press article of September 1 1860, the Jackson Greys wore gray dress coats and pants trimmed with red. Bearskin shakos were worn with their dress uniforms. For fatigue duties gray jackets and gray pants were worn. Blue caps replace the bearskins for fatigue duties.[iv]

A photograph of the dress uniform of the Jackson Greys (note the tall bearskin cap on the table is hard to make out.

http://civilwartalk.com/#_ednref1 Jackson Light Infantry. The American Citizen (Jackson), December 15 1859, p. 3, col.1.

[ii] This newspaper article is probably is referring to coatees.

[iii] "The Encampment at Jackson", Detroit Daily Advertiser, August 30, 1860, p. 2, col. 1.

[iv] "The State Encampment", Detroit Free Press, September 1 1860, p. 1, col. 2-4.

 

[major bill]

Two more men in what is probably the grey uniform's issued at the Michigan Camp of Instruction.

 

[major bill]

This issued arose again today when I purchased General Henry Baxter, 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry by Jay C. Martin. I think the mistake over Co. D, 7th Michigan Infantry (Monroe Light Infantry) was started by Frederick P. Todd mistook the uniform worn at the Michigan Camp of Instruction for the pre war militia uniform of the Monroe Light Guard. This mistake has been repeated again and again in books until most except it as true. For example Philip Katcher used this image in his book American Civil War Armies (4): State Troops.

Jay C. Martin used this quote in General Henry Baxter, 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry when describing the Michigan Camp of Instruction gray uniforms. " Gray Jacket with black braid on the collar & cuff and jogered (sic.) up the Sleeves... (with sargeants strips and) brass Buttons. Pants the same color as Jacket Big shoes and Gray shirts complete the present outfit."

I do understand my view is not popular with some Michigan uniform students. I was wondering if anyone has any indication that uniform from Philip Katcher's American Civil War Armies (4); is in fact the pre war militia uniform of the Monroe Light Guard.

 

[Package4]

View attachment 84632

One of my issues with this is that "why would they wear a company letter or a number on the front of their caps?"Would not a "MLG" badge or standard militia badge be more likely? Also I have seen this exact style of gray uniform on two other corporals who may have attended the same camp of instruction. Also what is up with the chevron? They do not look like issued chevrons.

General Order Number 6 March 13, 1861 stated that the company letter would be worn on the front of the cap or kepi. I think your theory is correct, that they went into COI with the uniform they had, but attempted to comply with the new US Regs where possible.

The State Military Board had a survey taken of all 25 companies of Michigan State Troops in 1860. The results are as follows:
Infantry:
12 Cos wore Blue
5 Cos wore Gray
1 wore blue/gray
1 gray zouave
Artillery:
All were in blue

 

[major bill]

The "25" companies number does not represent all the Michigan Uniformed Militia companies and 27 uniformed companies attended,the annual encampment in 1860 with two additional companies inspected latter. Several companies that had State arms were not inspected. This is important because only the militia companies in the Michigan Uniformed Militia were issues State arms. In all probability there were 40 companies in the Michigan Uniformed Militia (the max allowed by State regulations) at the time as there was a waiting list of militia companies awaiting a slot. Several of the companies listed below had both dress uniforms and fatigue uniforms;

The State Military Board had a survey taken of all 25 companies of Michigan State Troops in 1860. The results are as follows:
Infantry:
12 Cos wore Blue
5 Cos wore Gray
1 wore blue/gray
1 gray zouave
Artillery:
All were in blue

Several new companies joined after the 1860 encampment and several units adopted Zoauve Uniforms in late 1860. The NCOs of one company that attended the COI received new uniforms prior to going to the COI. Gray uniforms were issued at the COI as blue cloth could not be found. The COI uniforms were based on the Michigan blue uniforms issued to the 1st Michigan Three Month and 2nd Michigan as well as the gray uniforms. issued to the 3rd and 4th Michigan.