Veteran Union Soldier 1864 Questions

Zack

First Sergeant
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Location
Los Angeles, California
Hey everybody!

I have some specific questions about the uniform, equipment, and appearance of a veteran Union soldier during the Battle of the Wilderness. I've done some research of my own and looked at period photographs and illustrations but some sources have conflicted and a few things are still a little unclear. I was hoping you guys could help!

At the outset of the Overland Campaign, did the average veteran union soldier use a blanket roll, knapsack, or both?

Did the average veteran Union soldier carry a gum blanket? If so, how?

Did the average veteran Union soldier carry a shelter half or did they prefer to sleep on the ground while on campaign?

Did the average veteran Union soldier wear a forage cap or a slouch hat? How prevalent were slouch hats in the Army of the Potomac?

Did Civil War soldiers roll up their sleeves? Specifically, the sleeves of their jackets? Don Troiani and Brian Pohanka write that the 1st Texas "stripped to their shirtsleeves before attacking Devil's Den," but was this simply an isolated incident? Would a Union soldier also do this?

Did Civil War soldiers unbutton the top buttons of their jackets if hot? Bottom buttons?

How would a Civil War soldier carry a photograph? Would it be framed? Would it be with a writing kit or something? Stuck in a book as shown in Cold Mountain? Loose in a pocket?

Where would Civil War soldiers carry pipes and tobacco? Pockets? Haversack? Knapsack?

Some authors seem to suggest veteran Union soldiers liked to wear their hats at a "jaunty angle" and stick a feather in them. Was this really a common practice?

Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!
 
Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. I'm not really sure what they would have worn but I'm sure several of our Union uniform collecting member's will be by shortly. Paging @major bill
 
I think I can answer some of them and some of them are all of the above depending on personal preference. Forget about the feather, didn't happen. Slouch hats appeared on both fronts although they were more prevalent in the Western Theatre while the forage cap was more prevalent in the Eastern Theatre. Hot weather would usually be top button and leave the rest open. They did hold onto their gum blankets or poncho, both sides did, it was sometimes their only protection from the weather or wet ground at night. They had their shelter halves but I would imagine toward the end of a long campaign that maybe something that would disappear as they tried to lighten the load. You can make a small shelter with a gum blanket. Tobacco I'm guessing would be either in the pocket or haversack so you can get to it easy during a break, not a smoker so just guessing and never looked into it. As far as knapsack or bedroll it came down to personal preference although it seems the veterans preferred a bedroll.
 
I figured the feather thing was nonsense. What about the angled cap?

What prompted soldiers to unbutton the bottom rather than top buttons? Was it per regulations or was that just the style at the time? If it was per regulations, were they strictly enforced or did veterans tend to disregard them? Was unbuttoning from the bottom more effective at cooling them down?

How would the soldiers carry the shelter half if they opted for the blanket roll? Did it become part of the roll?

I've also read conflicting reports on whether veterans preferred to hold on to their knapsacks/blanket rolls when going into battle or not. I seem to recall veterans preferred to disregard the "packs down" order because they were unlikely to find the pack after the battle and thereby lose all of their stuff, but I've also read numerous accounts of the order being given throughout the war and seemingly being followed. Was hoping someone could clarify.

How dirty would their uniforms get? At the outset of a campaign, such as the first day of the Battle of the Wilderness, would the soldiers quickly have been caked in dust from the march so that after the first day or two they would be a mess, or would it take longer? Would they have tried to clean up before leaving camp, or was it really a matter of whether they were issued new clothes or not? I'm sure black powder would also get on the uniforms, especially since my research indicates soldiers faces would be blackened from the mix of gunpowder and sweat during battle.

I've read that clean shaven and short hair was the preferred style for the soldiers, especially since it reduced the risk of lice, but I'd also imagine that would be rather hard to maintain while on campaign. I apologize if this has been addressed in another thread, but what sort of facial hair would a soldier be sporting while on campaign? At the outset, such as at the time of the Wilderness?

Thanks for your response @captaindrew.
 
Maybe posing for a photographer they might angle their cap funny but you don't see it in photos of troops in the field. the top button was proper for the times unless you were wearing a tie. I think you answered your own question about dropping packs or bedrolls. I've read accounts were they did and were sorry for it because they never saw them again. Yes, soldiers in the field were filthy, they had one set of clothes and that was it. If lucky maybe a new set once every few months. We actually did just have a thread on hygiene that will answer your question in depth but yes as a general rule they kept their hair short and clean shaven or if bearded trimmed fairly short just for that reason. Look up that thread, you will find it interesting.
 
You may have seen these before but these are two of my favorite pics of men of both sides in the field. These will answer a lot of your questions, they are both late war
3455-004-21CC283E.jpg
5321900031_06d31b8098_o.jpg
 
The fashion for the sack coat was to just button the top button, leaving the rest open. Vests were common, again the fashion, but also the shirt was the top part of your underwear. Some soldiers would just not be seen without a vest. As stated the forage cap was popular in the east, and the slouch hat in the west, although there were those that preferred the slouch hat in the east, probably with little or no adornment. Feathers and angled forage caps, maybe in pictures, on the march the bill of the cap kept the sun out of the eyes, and it was the only protection you had in the rain. Some men preferred the knapsack, because they were used to it. Soldier often liked to lighten their load used the blanket roll. It was a personal choice. These knapsacks once dropped were probably lost for good, unless you wanted something from it, so where it was dropped it stayed. The haversack carried about anything else needed, ration, etc. I am sure many tried to lighten it also, carrying only what was needed or wanted. The longer the campaign I'm sure that less was carried, resupply would happen at some point, at least in the Union Army. Pipes or tobacco were probably carried in the inner pocket of the sack coat. One to keep it near, and at least to try to protect it. The uniforms would probably be filthy after a time in the campaign. Mud, sweat, gunpowder, dust, blood, human and animal excrement on the brogans and cuffs, and whatever else you walked through. I am sure dirt caked the face and neck area. Everyone stunk. You cleaned up when you could. Beards were the fashion, some might have trimmed them, or shaved them. Many were used to the hair and kept it.I think many cut or shaved their heads at the start of a campaign, to keep bugs down. In combat you carry what is essential and needed, everything else was surplus, things that could be dumped or thrown. In combat you simply lose what you don't need or have to carry. Weight and speed were important. There are pictures in some books, drawings made of before and after campaigns. Try the Billy Yank and Johnny Reb books by Bell I. Wiley, and get a copy of Hardtack and Coffee by Billings. These have a weath of information in them, you just have to search for it.
 
Thanks for all the responses! I am a huge fan of Bell Wiley and John Billings - I'll have to give those a second go through for more stuff!

I ask because I am a filmmaker who has always dreamed of making an accurate Civil War film. After five years working on a short script, I finally have the opportunity to bring the script to life. The short film takes place on the night of May 5, 1864 along the Orange Plank Road during the Battle of the Wilderness. I did years of research to make sure that the events of my short script were accurate (my research Word document is 175+ pages long and packed with details about the night of May 5, 1864 and psychological analyses of the soldiers), but I'm just not as well versed in the uniforms. I want my actors to look as much like veteran Civil War soldiers as possible. One of my characters is a smoker and the other has a photograph, hence my questions about how those were carried. My other questions are things I've always wondered but now want to make sure I understand so that I can recreate them faithfully. I've dabbled in reenacting (I was even a soldier extra in the Kenosha Civil War museum film since I was a volunteer at the museum) but I always borrowed equipment and my severe asthma has since forced me to give it up for good.

In other words, I want to get it right and faithfully recreate the look and feel of soldiering during the war, so I really appreciate your responses.

So just to clarify @mofederal you're saying that nearly all Union soldiers would have worn a vest?
 
Good luck with your project @Zack, sounds like you are on the right track. Vests were worn on both sides but if you keep your guys jackets on you will be ok on that one. Pour over photos of troops in the field and you will do well. Individual shots were done in studios staged and usually done with props. See if you can get the help of some good authentic reenactors in your area.
 
I do not know of any book about the uniforms worn during the Overland Campaign. Because the Battle of the Wilderness was so near the start of the campaign season one would expect the uniforms and such were in fair condition. As the campaign season went on the uniforms would be more worn and the amount of equipment carried less. I would probably suggest a sack coat and kepi. A pack or blanket roll would be acceptable. If you are going to paint illustrations or if you are going to reenact I would go with the most plain look. For example why would a veteran wear his kepi at a jaunty angle while on the march? He might have done this in town to impress the locals, but on a march or in battle he took on and off a sweaty kepi a hundred times per day, why would he take the time and effort to put it back on at a jaunty angle? What he wanted to impress his fellow veteran soldier marching beside hem?
 
Thanks for the help everyone! I live in Austin, Texas (I'm a UT student) and have reached out to the Texas Military Forces Museum to get me in contact with the reenactors they host for their reenactments.

@major bill that's a good point about the kepi. I always sort of doubted that the veteran soldiers did that unless it was to impress newbies. I figure veterans would have long ago figured out what they did and didn't need and so their equipment would be fairly consistent through the campaign unless something unexpected came up. As for uniform condition, to what extent would soldiers have been able to clean themselves up during the winter off-season? How often were new uniforms issued?

@captaindrew I'll be sure to check out the photographs. I've saved a bunch during my research but more is always better (plus I just love looking at them as a Civil War nerd).

I'm still wondering how a soldier would have carried a photograph. Were frames offered with the picture when it was taken or would they have been extra? Where would even be a safe place to store a photograph on the body? Haversack I doubt cause that would have had food. My guess would be knapsack or pocket but I'm just not sure.

It also seems sleeve rolling was pretty much out-of-the-question for the soldiers.
 
Did Civil War soldiers roll up their sleeves? Specifically, the sleeves of their jackets? Don Troiani and Brian Pohanka write that the 1st Texas "stripped to their shirtsleeves before attacking Devil's Den," but was this simply an isolated incident? Would a Union soldier also do this?
There are many photos out there of troops in camp in just their shirtsleeves (no coat, overshirt, or vest), though I don't recall seeing or reading about rolling up the sleeves of their coats. I think on occasion they did shed their coats when in battle, though probably not as likely if they were on the move or otherwise couldn't recover them or easily carry them.

And I don't think most enlisted men would have worn a vest, especially while on campaign. In photographs you usually see just sack coat and undershirt.

How dirty would their uniforms get?
As mentioned by @captaindrew, this was a good thread on hygiene: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/wh...or-the-average-lowest-ranking-private.137303/
 
The vest wearing, I think vests would have been worn, as it was not only the fashion, but they were common piece of clothing at the time, and were not expensive. Gentlemen wore a vest, not wanting to be seen in shirtsleeves. It could be taken off in the field. Most vests were probably brought from home. There were no issued vest. It is cooler to wear without the jacket. In the hot sun or heat, men might have removed them, to go in shirts sleeves. Some shirts were made of wool in this period.
 
That's an incredible picture @AUG351. Never seen it before. Thanks for the post.

I'm a big fan of Edwin Forbes, and looking at his art (as well as others) I never see gum blankets.

played-out-edwin-forbes.jpg

9e2be77884fb624121a57b23a115f9f4.jpg


Keith Rocco also tends to show the soldiers in blanket rolls as just wearing blankets (unless the gum blanket is inside, which I've read was not how it was carried as the gum blanket protected the wool blanket from the rain. He also has a curious habit of showing soldiers wearing their kepis backwards. This seems like a fad straight out of the 1990s - was wondering if anyone could shed light on it.
zoom_acb6ec12bc117fedabd131fdcec67144.jpg

Also, about half of the soldiers (140th New York at Little Round Top) in Rocco's painting seem to have their sleeves rolled up.
Don Troiani seems to show a mix of gum blankets and wool blankets. For example, here is his painting of the 24th Michigan at Gettysburg.
1-2-86E-25-ExplorePAHistory-a0h4n3-a_349.jpg

I usually concede to these guys as in the first place an eyewitness and the latter artists with reputations for research.
Troiani also tends to show Union soldiers wearing knapsacks and Confederates blanket rolls.

Anyways, this is getting a bit ramble-y, so in summation:
Artists tend to show soldiers in blanket rolls as just having a wool blanket? Is this accurate, or am I misreading the images?
Is Keith Rocco correct in showing soldiers turning their kepis around to be worn backwards?

Per your advice @major bill I'm perusing the old forums and finding some neat stuff.
 
Here's a photo of Federal troops in earthworks along the northern bank of the North Anna River, May 25, 1864. A few troops in the foreground in their shirtsleeves, at least one guy wearing a vest and another without a vest. Also have shelter halves or blankets on top to keep out of the sun.
proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Flcweb2.loc.gov%2Fservice%2Fpnp%2Fcwpb%2F01200%2F01212v.jpg

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/cwp2003000485/PP/

Close up of the troops in the background.
North Anna troops 2.jpg



Another photo from North Anna of the Chesterfield bridge and troops standing to the right. A couple with blanket rolls, one wearing a slouch hat. Looks like they might have gum blankets.
proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Flcweb2.loc.gov%2Fservice%2Fpnp%2Fppmsca%2F33300%2F33359v.jpg

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2012649818/

North Anna troops.jpg
 
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