Union Soldier's Pants questions

MarkDoo

Cadet
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
I'm new to the forum, and have a couple of quick questions regarding Union Soldier's Sky Blue Uniform Pants/Trousers.
Many reproduction pairs of these Union trousers come with a Bright Yellow Stripe sewn down each pant-leg.
My questions are:
1). Did the majority of the Union-issued Sky Blue Uniform Pants come with these Yellow stripes, (was this Yellow-striped version a "common" uniform pant)?
2). I know that Yellow was often used as a uniform color for Union soldiers serving in the Cavalry; but does that standard apply to these Union soldier Yellow-striped uniform pants, (or could any Union soldier such as an Artillery man be wearing them)?
3). Did that Yellow-stripe indicate anything of meaning for that particular Union soldier? (His Rank, Unit, Company, Group or something else)?
4). I've seen these Yellow stripes in 1"-widths, 1-1/2"-widths and occasionally even wider-widths. Did the width of the Yellow stripe indicate anything significant, (or was the width just a "variable" in the trouser's manufacturing-process)?
5). What was the most-common Yellow-stripe width?

Thanks for any input you can share. I'm really looking forward to being a part of this forum and broadening my Civil War knowledge!
 
Welcome from the UK and from the First Bull Run/ Manassas Forum.

As said someone will be along shortly to answer those questions.
 
I'm new to the forum, and have a couple of quick questions regarding Union Soldier's Sky Blue Uniform Pants/Trousers.
Many reproduction pairs of these Union trousers come with a Bright Yellow Stripe sewn down each pant-leg.
My questions are:
1). Did the majority of the Union-issued Sky Blue Uniform Pants come with these Yellow stripes, (was this Yellow-striped version a "common" uniform pant)?
2). I know that Yellow was often used as a uniform color for Union soldiers serving in the Cavalry; but does that standard apply to these Union soldier Yellow-striped uniform pants, (or could any Union soldier such as an Artillery man be wearing them)?
3). Did that Yellow-stripe indicate anything of meaning for that particular Union soldier? (His Rank, Unit, Company, Group or something else)?
4). I've seen these Yellow stripes in 1"-widths, 1-1/2"-widths and occasionally even wider-widths. Did the width of the Yellow stripe indicate anything significant, (or was the width just a "variable" in the trouser's manufacturing-process)?
5). What was the most-common Yellow-stripe width?

Thanks for any input you can share. I'm really looking forward to being a part of this forum and broadening my Civil War knowledge!
Welcome to the forum from central Ohio.

I believe what you are referring to are officers stripes. The stripes were yellow for the Cavalry, infantry would have been dark blue, and artillery would have been red.

The width of the stripe would have depended on the officers rank, IIRC, 1" was a corporal, 1 1/2" was a sergeant and a thin welt of the branch color along the leg seam would have been for higher ranks with the exception of Generals who would have no leg stripes but those trousers would have been of a darker blue.

Enlisted soldiers would not have any stripe at all but these would have been the sky blue. I don't know if there is a satisfactory answer to what width was the most common though, but I would assume it would be the lower ranks.
 
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Enlisted noncommissioned officers (sergeants and corporals) would wear branch colors. Yellow would be for cavalry (some orange at the start of the War), dark blue for infantry, and red for artillery. These are the basic colors and other branches wore other colors.
 
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