Uniforms Question about this uniform

[Nurse_ee]

I am not too educated in uniforms, so I was wondering if you guys could help me out? I have been trying to identify a soldier who may be a distant relative of mine. I was wondering about this uniform, what does the black lining of his collar mean? I know that the uniforms could vary, so it may not have any significance but was hoping it did so that I can narrow the field down a little more. Thanks!

From Library of Congress

 

[FedericoFCavada]

Can you share any other details about this man's life? Where he came from? Where he resided?

I see you are in Indiana...
After September 1861, the uniforms of the 10th Indiana became grey uniforms trimmed in black.
At the start of the war, the traditional militia uniform had been grey. There was a shortage of blue cloth. Before entering battle, these were often exchanged for dark blue fatigue jackets and so on, or blue round jackets like the gray versions that these replaced to avoid, dare I say it? "blue on blue" fire. The large black hat remained in favor among many troops from Indiana, and "Westerners" in general.

Thanks for the interesting photo. Hopefully people far more knowledgeable than I will be along shortly to help you!

 

[Nurse_ee]

Can you share any other details about this man's life? Where he came from? Where he resided?

I see you are in Indiana...
After September 1861, the uniforms of the 10th Indiana became grey uniforms trimmed in black.
At the start of the war, the traditional militia uniform had been grey. There was a shortage of blue cloth. Before entering battle, these were often exchanged for dark blue fatigue jackets and so on, or blue round jackets like the gray versions that these replaced to avoid, dare I say it? "blue on blue" fire. The large black hat remained in favor among many troops from Indiana, and "Westerners" in general.

Thanks for the interesting photo. Hopefully people far more knowledgeable than I will be along shortly to help you!

Thanks, I appreciate it! If he is who I suspect, then he would be from Michigan in the 7th cavalry. Last name is Bellinger. I am thinking he mustered in as a private and made it all the way to sergeant before mustering out in 1865. I'm not sure this uniform lines up with that though, so this guy could have been a brother or another close relative of his. This photo is said to have been taken in 1863 or later.

 

[major bill]

The 7th Michigan Cavalry would have been issued standard US cavalry uniforms. The problem here is the photographer painted on the image. Look at the collar and the button. Usually the photographer touched up the image anyway the person paying wanted the bill. Michigan cavalrymen did at times shorten their collars.

 

[Nurse_ee]

The 7th Michigan Cavalry would have been issued standard US cavalry uniforms. The problem here is the photographer painted on the image. Look at the collar and the button. Usually the photographer touched up the image anyway the person paying wanted the bill. Michigan cavalrymen did at times shorten their collars.

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense. I thought the black trim was a little odd so that explains that.

 

[major bill]

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense. I thought the black trim was a little odd so that explains that.

I am guessing the black trim we see was added as gold when the image was taken. Why paint the button black?

 

[FedericoFCavada]

Now that I'm trying to "catch up" to all the new info, I'm discovering there was a Mary "John" Burns who enlisted in the 7th MI Vol. Cavalry. Interesting!

Ascertaining the "true color" in old photos is certainly an art!

 

[Nurse_ee]

I am guessing the black trim we see was added as gold when the image was taken. Why paint the button black?

I wondered that as well. I haven't seen any black buttons, and believe me I've been searching all over. This has been driving me crazy. Maybe just times effect on the picture? Or a really confused artist.

 

[Nurse_ee]

Now that I'm trying to "catch up" to all the new info, I'm discovering there was a Mary "John" Burns who enlisted in the 7th MI Vol. Cavalry. Interesting!

Ascertaining the "true color" in old photos is certainly an art!

That is so interesting about Mary Burns, I'm going to look her up now!
You're right about old photos and trying to figure out what their real colors are. It is quite the task. If I could tell his rope cord color, I'd probably have a better lead on whether or not he's infantry or the cavalryman I thought he was, R. Marshall Bellinger.

 

[Old Breck]

It's tough to tell as there is so little detail of the uniform, but the collar appears to look like those found on the Schuylkill Arsenal jackets.

 

[Nurse_ee]

It's tough to tell as there is so little detail of the uniform, but the collar appears to look like those found on the Schuylkill Arsenal jackets.

Thank you, I will look into the Schuylkill Arsenal jacket more. Yeah, the lack of detail in this picture has certainly not helped narrow the field.