Need help identifying uniform

veracruz

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May 20, 2017
Hello. I am hoping someone will recognize the frock and kepi this soldier is wearing. At first glance it appeared to be some type of early Confederate uniform but I'm not sure that is the case, he could be Militia? Thanks!
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He's definitely an artilleryman - note the crossed cannon insignia on his kepi (which looks a lot like a Confederate example I've seen somewhere) and the either French 1820's light artillery saber or its M.1840 U. S. copy made by the Ames Mfg. Co. He has a regulation U.S. sword belt plate, but those were commonly worn by Confederates as well. The shoulder scales were also U. S. regulation enlisted men's items worn in full dress on the short artillery shell jackets or infantry or foot artillery frock coats, but might also have worn early in the war by Confederates.
 
I am not sure he is wearing any rank. Can anyone tell if he has Confederate style lieutenant rank on his collar?
 
Defiantly a Union company grade artillery officer. I believe he is wearing the regulation Eagle A for a company grade officer.
 
Given the difference in shade between the Kepi and the Frock Coat, I present the following deductions for consideration:

First, an assumption can be made that the Kepi is dark blue in color. Oftentimes, thanks to the way in which the photo-sensitive emulsions of that time reacted to certain hues, red would have appeared rather light, and washed out, eliminating red as the kepi color, HOWEVER... one can also notice that the collar of the frock is distinctively darker than the body of the jacket, AND a faint row of piping between the two is lighter than both the collar AND the jacket.

This leads me to believe that this soldier is wearing a grey or light-blue frock coat with medium to dark blue collar and kepi with red piping. The branch of service is supported by the sword, shoulder scales, and the diminutive crossed cannons on the Kepi, lending support to the idea that the piping is red, washed out by the photographic limitations of that time period.

Dating this pic is a bit more difficult, but based on the rather long hair and uniform embellishments (particularly the shoulder scales and Kepi brass) I would lean heavily toward an early or even pre-war timeframe. Such 'fancy' hat brass was replaced by the standard issue crossed cannons in the Federal army relatively quickly, whereas such 'pieces of flare' were often times eliminated in Confederate service early in the conflict. Also, its quite probable that a Kepi such as this one would have been replaced by a Forage Cap or Hardee Hat in Federal Service... or a gray-ish kepi or slouch on the Southern side of the fight. Finally, such a 'fancy' uniform would have succumbed to the necessities of the conflict fairly early on, being replaced with a Federal Shell Jacket or Sack Coat in the north, or a simple Shell Jacket south of the Mason-Dixon.

As to exactly what unit this uniform represents, alas I have no real idea, nor do I feel it prudent to offer an opinion beyond that which I have already shared. So many of these 'fancy' uniforms were poorly recorded, and fewer still saved, that all-too-often their origins will remain lost to history.

Good luck, hope this helps.
 
Am I the only one seeing the hat badge as Post-war Crossed Rifles?

I can understand how one may see that, but I agree with the others . . . I'm seeing crossed gun tubes.
I vote this gentleman is an officer in an early War artillery unit . . . North or South is almost impossible to tell unless we had a high resolution close up of the the buttons or buckle. And I doubt that would be a positive ID

Plus . . . the cut of his uniform doesn't have the 'look' of post war.

Only IMHO.
 
Yes, in full dress only; however, I would like to point out that the fake buttonholes on the collar are too short by an inch or two.

Welcome to the forums!
 
Hello. I am hoping someone will recognize the frock and kepi this soldier is wearing. At first glance it appeared to be some type of early Confederate uniform but I'm not sure that is the case, he could be Militia? Thanks!View attachment 296388
I missed this one and wondered why, I was in Belize.....without internet! I proffer that this is an early war Confederate militia artilleryman. The kepi is indicative of early war militia kepis (high crown) and the cross cannon I have seen on Southern militia. The arch or curvature of the double breasted frock also are indicators of pre-war militia. The buttons do look like general service buttons, but this is not a general service/regulation coat. Throwing in the scales leads me to believe this to be a state where quartermaster/arsenal stores were appropriated. I do think the cap is scarlet, looking at the band, which I believe to be dark blue you can see the lighter shade of the balance of the cap, which I believe to be scarlet or red. When viewing Union artillerymen in the field the red trim is lighter as Tailor Pete says and looks much like this. The coat I believe to be gray, which could be many militia units North and South. Just MHO.....
 
Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie.
 
Similar to the uniform of the company K (Loudon Cavalry) 6th Virginia cavalry
View attachment 318127
I'd like to observe about yours that he's armed with a ca.1822 Virginia Manufactory saber made for the Virginia Militia, obvious from the slotted one-piece steel guard and squared-off pommel cap. (I used to own a somewhat similar one.) These antiques were taken out of storage and pretty much foisted off on the Western Virginia cavalrymen like those of Turner Ashby.
 
I am not sure he is wearing any rank. Can anyone tell if he has Confederate style lieutenant rank on his collar?
Well for the union the first rank of lieutenant ok if I'm remembering thus right had nothing but the rectangle on the shoulder for the rank so maybe it's on the shoulder for this confederate however once it reaches major it's starts to have stars on the collar and that gold symbol on the sleeve
 
Well for the union the first rank of lieutenant ok if I'm remembering thus right had nothing but the rectangle on the shoulder for the rank so maybe it's on the shoulder for this confederate however once it reaches major it's starts to have stars on the collar and that gold symbol on the sleeve
If you blow up the photo, you will notice that there is not rank insignia on the collar, in addition the shoulder scales are that of enlisted, the double breasted coat conforms to some militia and or Southern regulations for enlisted.
 
If you blow up the photo, you will notice that there is not rank insignia on the collar, in addition the shoulder scales are that of enlisted, the double breasted coat conforms to some militia and or Southern regulations for enlisted.
I know the shoulder for enlisted but I was mentionng the Union on top of shoulder ranks in comparisan to the collar ranks But yeah to be honest i dont have the awnser for this one
 
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