Uniforms at Bethel

Klaudly

Sergeant
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
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Italy
Hello, I'm looking for information on the uniforms worn at the battle of Big Bethel.
I collected a lot of information about the Confederate units, but little and nothing about the Union regiments.
Obviously there is a lot of material on 5th New York and some information on 4th Vermont (in gray uniform),
but of the many regiments of New York I can't find anything: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th what they wore in June 1861? and 4th Massachusetts?

Thanks in advance for those with useful information.
 
I hope we are talking about the regiments bellow. American Military Equipage 1851-1872 by Frederick P. Todd says:

1st Regt (National Guard) 1861: state M1861 gray fatigue, faced with blue; gray or brown overcoat. c. Oct 1861 blue fatigue; 1842 musket.

2nd Regt (Troy Regt) 1816: state M1861 gray fatigue, gray overcoat, blue cap. c. Oct 1861 blue fatigue; M1842 musket.

3rd Regt (Albany Regt) 1861 state M1861 blue fatigue, dark blue overcoat, sky blue trousers; green cord on officers' pants; Comp E (Syracuse Zouaves) wore special zouave dress. M1842 Muskets.

7th Regt (Steuben Regt) 1861: state M1861 gray gray fatigue, gray overcoast; later state M1861 blue fatigue. 1861: M1842 musket

American Military Equipage 1851-1872 by Frederick P. Todd is a very nice book, but there are limited foot notes and in many cases one must simply trust Mr. Todd. The people I know take Mr. Todd's words as accurate unless newer studies disprove them.
 
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Again from American Military Equipage 1851-1872 by Frederick P. Todd. Massachusetts

2nd Regt Light Inf (Southeastern Massachusette0)4th Regt Inf (disb)
To 1861: Comps distinctively dressed, but most wore blue frock coat, black pants, both trimmed with white; blue cloth dress cap, white trimmings: chiefly conversions. .... April 1861: gray overcoat; M1855 rifle musket. June 1861: gray flannel blouse, pants and forage caps...
 
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For the New Regiments you can look at Uniforms of the union Volunteer of 1861 'The Mid-Atlantic States' Ron Field. Field goes in to great depth about the uniforms and it takes several pages to cover them. There are also photographs.

This is part of the book. When they arrived in New York, it as reported that the 2nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment wore: dark gray chasseur jackets, pants, and overcoat, with a blue regulation cap." Made by Brooks & Brothers the uniforms were "the vilest 'shoddy" according to Col. Carr, "wretchedly made". The regiment was seen at Fortress Monroe and Camp Hamilton "with blankets wrapped around them to conceal a lack of proper garments, and sometimes stood sentinel with naked feet, and almost naked bodies".
 
Thanks Bill

Union order of battle:
1st NY Infantry
2nd NY Infantry
3rd NY Infantry
5th NY Infantry
7th NY Infantry
4th Massachussets Infantry (5 Cos)
1st Vermont Infantry (5 Cos)
2nd U.S. Artillery (Co B)

Hope that 1st NY Inf. = 1st National Guards
 
So do we need a thread about the New York M1861 gray and M1861 blue uniforms? Sounds kind of a fun thread, but perhaps a bit to technical for some forum members.
 
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