The Most Peculiar Uniforms

[Reconstructed Rebel]

The date on this "Map Of The Seat Of War," written in the upper right corner, is Oct 21, 1861.

Were these the uniforms the Federal rank and file wore at the first Bull Run/Manassas? I'm going to have to readjust my mental image of how that battle looked.

As an added bonus, this map did introduce me to Major-General Wool, the oldest general officer on either side of the conflict to do active duty during the war.

Source:

Western border states

Scale ca. 1:740,000. LC Civil War Maps (2nd ed.), 12.7 At top of sheet: Military portraits, map of the seat of war, uniforms, arms, & c. Map of Missouri, Tennessee, and parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Indian Territory, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and South...

www.loc.gov

 

[Sheltowee]

I am unfamiliar with a few of these generals.
Work to do…..

 

[Old Soldier]

Uniform. They are certainly the uniforms of many of the militia and volunteer units. The Zouaves-type uniform was worn by a number of regiments and there was a considerable French influence in other uniforms (red pants). Yes, there were kilted highland Scots volunteers and Bersaglieri too. New York was particularly ... 'varied'. Most of the 'conventional' uniforms are the 1858 Dress uniform. The armies tended to use the Fatigue Dress in the field. Much was changed fairly quickly to avoid misidentification in the field.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

I am unfamiliar with a few of these generals.
Work to do…..

Yeah, Commodore Stringham. Never heard of him. It looks like quite a few of these early officers didn't last to the end of the war for a wide variety of reasons. There was a lot of "weeding out."

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

I think all of us would swear this picture shows Federal soldiers, but no, these are the officers of the South Carolina Flying Artillery, Spring 1861. Imagine the confusion they could cause in a battle…

Source: (no known publication restrictions)

South Carolina men in blue, spring 1861

1 photomechanical print : halftone. | Group portrait of officers from the Flying Artillery, a volunteer militia organization, wearing their blue militia uniforms, at the time of their induction into the Confederate Army, Sullivans Island, South Carolina.

www.loc.gov

 

[FedericoFCavada]

I just have to hem the uniform trowsers/ pants, but I've put together a Company B [German-speaking] Third Volunteer Infantry--Texas uniform: The immediate pre-war Federal uniform [dark blue pants, dark blue sack coat & frock coat when appropriate, Hardee hat]. This uniform was used within Texas because 1/5th of the pre-war U.S. army was posted at Texas forts. So when David Emmanuel Twiggs surrendered his command, all of the uniforms and equipment for the U.S. army were left where it was.

This necessitated a new uniform/ clothing change, when the forces were deployed outside of the state to avoid, uh, well, "blue on blue" incidents.

At the start of the war, there were all sorts of bizarre and outlandish outfits, that is for sure. Gray was often the state militia uniform in northern states, including Ohio and New Hampshire, but also others. Blue was worn by militia in Georgia and Louisiana, for instance.

At Shiloh, there were Illinois troops with Federal uniforms and Balmoral bonnets.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.32629/

I think the tricorn hats worn by some Mississippi Confederates and the weird "Edmands cap" worn by some Massachusetts and Ohio troops makes for some of the stranger Civil War uniforms:
https://www.loc.gov/item/2012649106/

The "Corsican cap" worn by itself or as an over hat atop another hat is surely among the more bizarre:
https://www.loc.gov/item/2013649134/

There are lots of older threads dedicated to items like the Whipple hat, for instance.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648200/

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/8th-texas-cav-shirt.188807/
Some of the stripe-fronted Uniforms that to me resemble some of those worn early in the War of 1812: Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi are striking and elaborate.

 

[Old Soldier]

Here's one you have seen before too - the OTHER side's uniforms. The darker ones are almost certainly blue(!):

 

[Dan Kohli]

The 3rd New Jersey Cavalry's hussar uniform was unusual for being issued during the latter part of the Civil War.
I'll try to find an image when I have time.

 

[Bentonville]

I just have to hem the uniform trowsers/ pants, but I've put together a Company B [German-speaking] Third Volunteer Infantry--Texas uniform: The immediate pre-war Federal uniform [dark blue pants, dark blue sack coat & frock coat when appropriate, Hardee hat]. This uniform was used within Texas because 1/5th of the pre-war U.S. army was posted at Texas forts. So when David Emmanuel Twiggs surrendered his command, all of the uniforms and equipment for the U.S. army were left where it was.

This necessitated a new uniform/ clothing change, when the forces were deployed outside of the state to avoid, uh, well, "blue on blue" incidents.

At the start of the war, there were all sorts of bizarre and outlandish outfits, that is for sure. Gray was often the state militia uniform in northern states, including Ohio and New Hampshire, but also others. Blue was worn by militia in Georgia and Louisiana, for instance.

At Shiloh, there were Illinois troops with Federal uniforms and Balmoral bonnets.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.32629/

I think the tricorn hats worn by some Mississippi Confederates and the weird "Edmands cap" worn by some Massachusetts and Ohio troops makes for some of the stranger Civil War uniforms:
https://www.loc.gov/item/2012649106/

The "Corsican cap" worn by itself or as an over hat atop another hat is surely among the more bizarre:
https://www.loc.gov/item/2013649134/

There are lots of older threads dedicated to items like the Whipple hat, for instance.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648200/

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/8th-texas-cav-shirt.188807/
Some of the stripe-fronted Uniforms that to me resemble some of those worn early in the War of 1812: Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi are striking and elaborate.

I knew it! I was near positive there was a southern German speaking unit from Texas. Thank you.