What decade these Illinois soldiers?

[byron ed]

This (two crops of the same image here) donor represented as Civil War period. I say not, but what decade then? Are those Krag rifles?

 

[James Brenner]

Post Civil War, likely between 1875 and 1895. The kepis are of the M1872 pattern and, as for the rifles, Krags were equipped with knife bayonets.

 

[James N.]

Five-button fatigue or sack coats too, Regulation 1872 lasting at least until 1902. As I understand, the Trapdoor Springfield rifles could still be found in cadet groups well into the 1900's.

 

[major bill]

Note the officers and NCOs have white stripes on the seams of their trousers. The infantry did not switch to white branch color until 1884, so this image is not earlier than 1884. In 1895 the Army went to a new style cap. It may have taken some National Guard units a couple of years to switch to the new caps. So I am saying sometime between 1884 and 1898 with 1884 to 1896 most likely.

 

[FedericoFCavada]

The Seattle, Washington police were still packing the trapdoor Springfield as Indian War surplus in 1916.