- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
In June of 1861, the men of the 2nd Michigan Infantry Regiment received summer uniforms; this included linen pants, new wool pants, straw hats and new forage caps as well as new sown shoes.1 The men enjoyed showing off their new summer uniforms to less fortunate regiments and wore them whenever possible.
I know I have asked this before, but can any comment on the color of the "linen pants"? I guess linen pants could be dyed almost any color. Still in pre Civil War newspapers when the newspapers discussed militia uniforms, the term linen pants and white summer trousers were used interchangeable. When a former militia member in a letter used the term "linen pants", could this be interrupted as "white linen pants"? Was the U.S. quartermaster issuing white linen trousers in June of 1861? Does anyone have information the the Federal government was purchasing linen trousers dyed light blue or some other color?
1 “From the Second Regiment, letter form Camp Winfield Scott June 17 1861”, Detroit Daily Tribune, July 1 1861, p. 1, col. 1.
I know I have asked this before, but can any comment on the color of the "linen pants"? I guess linen pants could be dyed almost any color. Still in pre Civil War newspapers when the newspapers discussed militia uniforms, the term linen pants and white summer trousers were used interchangeable. When a former militia member in a letter used the term "linen pants", could this be interrupted as "white linen pants"? Was the U.S. quartermaster issuing white linen trousers in June of 1861? Does anyone have information the the Federal government was purchasing linen trousers dyed light blue or some other color?
1 “From the Second Regiment, letter form Camp Winfield Scott June 17 1861”, Detroit Daily Tribune, July 1 1861, p. 1, col. 1.