Name these uniform cuffs.

[major bill]

I am striving to come up with the correct Civil War period term for two styles of cuffs found on Civil War era uniforms. For the first cuff I have seen two terms, "French style cuffs" and "British style cuffs". It is possible that the U.S. Army ca. Civil War used the term "flash trimmed cuffs".

For the second style cuff I have seen two terms used "pointed cuffs" and "Polish style cuffs".

Most uniform books are fairly modern and thus confusing. All the above terms may be pre Civil War, post Civil War, or even modern terms.

When I discuss uniforms I want to use the period term and then add a modern term so people can understand. Any help with deciphering the correct terms would be appreciated.

 

[E_just_E]

Not sure that they had particular descriptors. As a matter of fact, none is used in the official 1861 US regulations (links here for full regs, here for enlisted coat, and here for officers)

 

[BillO]

The one on the left we'll call Jeff and the other one will be John.

 

[major bill]

The description I am currently would be using for the first image is "Purple jacket with French First Empire style false turnbak cuffs with red horizontal three pointed plastron patch embellished with light blue piping around the three points and with three gilt buttons. Vertically red piping is used around the top of the false turnbacks."

For the second image "Green jacket with red pointed Polish false turnback cuffs embellished with matching green cord piping around the pointed false turnback, note the lack of buttons.

Both are a bit long and it would be reassuring if I believed most potential readers were familiar with the terminology I might be using. If not, then I might want to include a sketch of the cuffs to help readers avoid confusion.

 

[ole]

First impression, Bill, was that they look foreign. If they were actually used for militia, I have no idea.

 

[major bill]

Ole here is an example of the French style false cuff on a well known Confederate unit, Company A Clinch Rifles 5th Georgia Infantry Regiment. This style cuff was popular with pre war militia both North and South. Note the plastron patch is in matching color to the frock coat. The Alexandria Rifles of Virginia had a very similar plastron cuffs on their frock coats except the trim did not go around the strait side of the plastron.

, a.k.a

 

[major bill]

Some Civil War era units that wore French style cuff include:

1. Georgia, Chinch Rifles: Green frock coat with out turn blacks and green plastrons trimmed all around in yellow. Three gold buttons.
2. Illinois, Chicago Light Guard: Tail coat is white whit light blue turn backs. The plastron is light blue. Four centered gold buttons with gold lace around them.
3. Virginia, Richmond Grays: Gray jacket without turn back. Black plastrons with three gold buttons.
4. Pennsylvania, Cadwalader Grays: Light gray frock coat with matching turn backs. Black plastrons with four centered gold buttons trimmed with gold lace.
5. New York, 7th Regt. NYSM: coatee is gray with out burn backs. Plastrons are black the four centered gold buttons trimmed in gold lace.
6. New York, Washington Grays: Light gray tail coatee with black turn backs. Black plastrons with four centered gold buttons trimmed in gold lace.
7. New York, NY City Guard: White coatee with red turn backs. Red plastrons with four centered gold buttons trimmed with gold lace.
8. New York, 11th NYV officer; Blue frock coat with light blue turn backs with thin red braid at top. Blue plastrons with thin red braid and with four buttons.
9. New York, 79th Highlanders; Blue Scottish jacket with blue turn backs with thin red braid at top. Red plastrons with yellow? gray? Light blue? braid on three sides. Three gold buttons.
10. New York, 41st New York Volunteer Infantry: Blue German style coat with blue turn backs with thin red braid at top. Red plastrons with three gold buttons.
11. Virginia, Danville Blues: Blue tail coat with light colored turn backs. Blue plastrons with tree buttons.
12. Georgia, Webster Confederate Guards, Co K 17th Georgia Inf.: Gray jacket with out turn backs. Black plastrons trimmed all around in white with three buttons.
13. Alabama, Mothgomery True Blues: Dark blue coatee with red turn backs. Red plastrons with four buttons trimmed with gold lace.
14. South Carolina, Camden Light Infantry: Dark blue coatee with out turn backs. Dark blue plastrons trimmed on three sides with yellow braid and with three buttons.
15. Georgia, 5th Georgia Regt.: For dress a dark blue frock coat with out turn backs. Dark blue plastrons trimmed with yellow braid and with three buttons.
16. Virginia, Alexandria Rifles: Green frock coat without burn backs. Green plastrons trimmed in black with three buttons.
17. Virginia, Petersburg Greys Co A: Light grey coatte with out turn backs. Black plastron with three buttons trimmed with white lace.
18. Wisconsin, 8th Regt.: Gray shell jacket with out turn backs. Black plastrons with three buttons.
19. Iowa, Governor's Greys: Gray coatee with gray turn backs. Black plastrons trimmed in gold with four buttons.
20. Michigan, Detroit Light Guard: Wore dress coats of cark blue with? Dark blue turn backs. White plastrons .prosily trimmed in gold.
21. Texas, 1st Texas Cav,: Gray shell jacket Black turn back piped in white. Yellow plastron with white piping. Three buttons.
22. Texas, 26th Texas Cav.;: Gray shell jacket with green turn back. Green plastrons with three buttons.
23. Georgia 5th Inf Regt: Green frock coat with green plastrons trimed all around in green. Three buttons.

 

[major bill]

Although I am certain few people care to learn much more about uniform sleeve cuffs this is for the very few who might. this shows the family tree of some common early 20th century uniform sleeve cuffs.

 

[DOswalt]

Some Civil War era units that wore French style cuff include:

1. Georgia, Chinch Rifles: Green frock coat with out turn blacks and green plastrons trimmed all around in yellow. Three gold buttons.
2. Illinois, Chicago Light Guard: Tail coat is white whit light blue turn backs. The plastron is light blue. Four centered gold buttons with gold lace around them.
3. Virginia, Richmond Grays: Gray jacket without turn back. Black plastrons with three gold buttons.
4. Pennsylvania, Cadwalader Grays: Light gray frock coat with matching turn backs. Black plastrons with four centered gold buttons trimmed with gold lace.
5. New York, 7th Regt. NYSM: coatee is gray with out burn backs. Plastrons are black the four centered gold buttons trimmed in gold lace.
6. New York, Washington Grays: Light gray tail coatee with black turn backs. Black plastrons with four centered gold buttons trimmed in gold lace.
7. New York, NY City Guard: White coatee with red turn backs. Red plastrons with four centered gold buttons trimmed with gold lace.
8. New York, 11th NYV officer; Blue frock coat with light blue turn backs with thin red braid at top. Blue plastrons with thin red braid and with four buttons.
9. New York, 79th Highlanders; Blue Scottish jacket with blue turn backs with thin red braid at top. Red plastrons with yellow? gray? Light blue? braid on three sides. Three gold buttons.
10. New York, 41st New York Volunteer Infantry: Blue German style coat with blue turn backs with thin red braid at top. Red plastrons with three gold buttons.
11. Virginia, Danville Blues: Blue tail coat with light colored turn backs. Blue plastrons with tree buttons.
12. Georgia, Webster Confederate Guards, Co K 17th Georgia Inf.: Gray jacket with out turn backs. Black plastrons trimmed all around in white with three buttons.
13. Alabama, Mothgomery True Blues: Dark blue coatee with red turn backs. Red plastrons with four buttons trimmed with gold lace.
14. South Carolina, Camden Light Infantry: Dark blue coatee with out turn backs. Dark blue plastrons trimmed on three sides with yellow braid and with three buttons.
15. Georgia, 5th Georgia Regt.: For dress a dark blue frock coat with out turn backs. Dark blue plastrons trimmed with yellow braid and with three buttons.
16. Virginia, Alexandria Rifles: Green frock coat without burn backs. Green plastrons trimmed in black with three buttons.
17. Virginia, Petersburg Greys Co A: Light grey coatte with out turn backs. Black plastron with three buttons trimmed with white lace.
18. Wisconsin, 8th Regt.: Gray shell jacket with out turn backs. Black plastrons with three buttons.
19. Iowa, Governor's Greys: Gray coatee with gray turn backs. Black plastrons trimmed in gold with four buttons.
20. Michigan, Detroit Light Guard: Wore dress coats of cark blue with? Dark blue turn backs. White plastrons .prosily trimmed in gold.
21. Texas, 1st Texas Cav,: Gray shell jacket Black turn back piped in white. Yellow plastron with white piping. Three buttons.
22. Texas, 26th Texas Cav.;: Gray shell jacket with green turn back. Green plastrons with three buttons.
23. Georgia 5th Inf Regt: Green frock coat with green plastrons trimed all around in green. Three buttons.

HI,

Really interested in Georgia stuff. Would you tell me the units and references for #s 15 and 23 above? Thanks,
david

 

[ole]

So glad we have Major Bill aboard to provide expertise in uniforms.

 

[major bill]

DOswalt, I combined several illustrious for my description of the 5th Georgia. I have the following color illustrations in my library which show the uniform.

A. PVT. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: Uniforms of the American Civil War: Haythornthwaite, Philip.
B. PVT. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: Uniforms of the American Civil War: Haythornthwaite, Philip.
C. PVT. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: Uniforms of the American Civil War: Haythornthwaite, Philip.
D. CPL. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles:Great Battles of the Civil War: Time Life Books.
E. PVT. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: American Civil War Infantry: Blake, Michael.
F. 1LT.5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: American Civil War Armies (5) Volunteer Militia: Katcher, Philip.
H. 1LT. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: Civil War Uniform Coloring Book: Copeland, Peter F.
I.Officer. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles: Officers and Soldiers of the American Civil War Vol 1 Infantry: Jouineau, Andre and Jean-Marie Mogi.
J. PVT. 5th Georgia Inf Regt, Co A: The Battlefields of the Civil War: Davis, William C.
K. SGT. 5th Georgia Regt, The Clinch Rifles: Centennial Album of the Civil War: Pakula, Marvin H.
L. CPL. 5th Georgia Regt, The Clinch Rifles: The Battlefields of the Civil War: Davis, William C.
M. PVT. 5th Georgia Regt, The Clinch Rifles: Don Troiani's Soldiers in America 1754-1865: Coates, Earl J. and James L. Kochan.
N. PVT. 5th Georgia Regt, The Clinch Rifles: ? (The book note was accidently deleted)
O. SGT. Standard Bearer 5th Georgia Inf.: Officers and Soldiers of the American Civil War Vol 1 Infantry: Jouineau, Andre and Jean-Marie Mogin

These two are black and white illustrations (they were done in color but reproduced in black and white for the book).

A. 5th Georgia Regt, Co A, The Clinch Rifles:Never Give Up This Field, Georgia Troops in the Civil War:Rodgers, Thomas G.
B. 5th Georgia Regt, CO. K, Upson Guard:Never Give Up This Field, Georgia Troops in the Civil War:Rodgers, Thomas G.

I also used American Military Equipage 1851-1872 by Frederick P. Todd.

 

[major bill]

Doswalt, I also have 71 additional color or black and while illustrations of Georgia infantry uniforms, 11 illustrations of Georgia Cavalry uniforms , 2 illustrations of Georgia Artillery uniforms , and 3 illustrations of Georgia State Navy uniforms. You will have to tell me what Georgia units you are interested in because 87 more uniforms would take up too much space on the forum.

I have a total of not less than 1344 illustrations of Confederate uniforms and 1695 illustrations of Union uniforms.