The Uniforms of the Confederate States military forces were the uniforms used by the Confederate Army and Navy during the American Civil War, from 1861 to 1865. The uniform varied greatly due to a variety of reasons, such as location, limitations on the supply of cloth and other materials, and the cost of materials during the war.
Depending on the distance from Government clothing depots, Confederate forces were often poorly supplied with uniforms, especially late in the conflict. Servicemen sometimes wore combinations of uniform pieces, also wearing captured Union uniforms, and items of personal clothing. They sometimes went without shoes altogether, and broad felt or straw hats were worn as often as kepis or naval caps. There are some controversies about some of the exact details of a few of the uniforms, since some of the records were lost or destroyed after the Civil War ended.
Contents |
The original Confederate uniforms from all branches of the military closely followed the lines of the Union’s uniforms. This was until 6 June, 1861 when the Confederate Council issued General Order 9 which was the new regulations for the Confederate Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery.
The new uniforms were designed by Nicola Marshall, a Prussian who was heavily influenced by the mid-1800's uniforms of the Austrian and French armies.
Although the regular Confederate military had a paper strength of 6,000 personnel, the first 100,000 volunteers from all over the South participated in a variety of dress. Many were from State Militia outfits which had their own State issued uniforms and in the early battles some Confederate units who wore dark blue outfits were often mistaken at the field of battle for the enemy, conversely, many Union units too which were originally militia units went to war wearing grey.
It was not until the Depot system was established in early 1862 by the Confederate Quartermaster in Richmond Virginia that uniforms would be mass produced and supplied to troops. Until that time the "commutation system" was in place which allowed soldiers to have their own uniforms made to the new CSA regulations to be reimbursed by the CS government. Allowance was $21 per 6 months for uniforms.
Officers always had to buy their own until March 6, 1864 when General Order 28 was released which allowed Confederate officers to purchase uniforms from the same sources as the troops, and at cost price.
Following the Richmond Depot, other depots started up throughout the South to supply to their respective regional forces. Major depots were Columbus, Athens and Atlanta, Georgia for the Army of Tennessee and Houston, Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana for the Trans-Mississippi forces. The use of the depot system meant that Army wide uniformity was impossible, as different depots had unique uniform (Columbus Depot Jackets for instance, had breast pockets, whilst Richmond Depot Jackets did not). This resulted in a varied set of uniforms worn by different Confederate units.
As the war progressed the image began to shift from the "ragged rebel" look to a well-uniformed Army in the Eastern and Western theaters. In the last 12 months of fighting these Confederate forces were well uniformed, the best they had ever appeared in terms of consistency, wearing clothing made of imported blue-grey cloth, used by the British Army and manufactured in Limerick Ireland, by Peter Tait specifically for the Confederacy.
Unfortunately in the Trans-Mississippi, problems of distribution of the plentiful uniforms made in Houston and Shreveport, meant that the South Western forces missed out. Many Trans-Mississippi troops were still wearing Federal uniforms until 1864, which were obtained from stock issued from a Federal depot in San Antonio that had been captured in 1861.
Confederate headgear was to be the chasseur cap or "kepi", a French military cap. These were not popular due to their inability to protect the wearer from the sun, and regular civilian hats, slouch hats, or other hats were often worn in the field instead. Confederate Cavalry troops often wore Hardee hats, much like the Union Cavalry which was a representative of the additional "flair" associated with the Cavalry troops. Two examples of CSA Cavalry officer's famous for wearing these hats are Colonel John S. Mosby and General J.E.B. Stuart.
| CSA Infantry | CSA Navy | CSA Cavalry | CSA Artillery | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The use of wool in the uniform meant that the uniforms were not suited to the warm climates that were common in the South. This helped contribute to the fact that many Confederate soldiers suffered from heatstroke on long marches.[1] Many Confederate soldiers started the war with Frock Coats. However, cloth shortages and wartime wear, insured that by 1863, waist length gray or butternut jackets were generally worn by Confederates in the Eastern and Western Theater. Examples of frock coats being worn by enlisted men can be seen in photographs taken after the battles of Gettysburg, (1863), and Spotsylvania, (1864).
Grey was not the best choice for camouflage, although at the time the usefulness of camouflage was not generally recognized. It was not until after the Spanish-American War that the United States Army instituted a khaki uniform. Grey was chosen for Confederate uniforms because grey dye could be made relatively cheaply.[2]
Generally, the uniform jacket of the Confederate Soldier was single breasted, made of gray or brown fabric, with a six to nine button front. The design of the garment featured several variations: a four to six piece body, and one or two piece sleeves, usually with lining, often of a cotton material. The fabric used in these jackets, ranged from the finer kerseys and broadcloths used early in the war, to the cotton/wool blends of jeans, satinette, and cassimere, to name several examples. The exact color of the fabric also ranged from the prewar bright cadet grey, similar to the fabric used by Virginia Military Institute, or West Point U.S. Military Academy dress uniforms, to the sumac and logwood dyed fabrics, that would eventually fade to the ragged butternut appearance. Epaulettes may have been used in the construction of the jacket, as was the case for the Richmond clothing bureau designed jackets, commonly called today, the Richmond Depot types I, II, and III. Belt loops were also in intermittent use, such as the Richmond and the Charleston clothing depots. Trimming on the jackets range from piped or taped collars, cuffs, and front lapel edges, to full facings on the collar and cuffs, commonly in light blue, dark blue, red, or black. Due to the difficulty in obtaining yellow dye ingredients as the war progressed, yellow was infrequently used by the Cavalry corps throughout the conflict.
On the upright collar of full generals, lieutenant generals, major generals, and brigadier generals three stars were stitched within a wreath, all embroidered in gold coloring. The center star was slightly larger than the other stars.[3] It was not possible to know which grade of general an officer was by their collar insignia. However, major generals and lieutenant generals wore three groups of buttons down the front of the overcoat, and brigadiers wore groups of two.[3] At least 3 Generals officers did not wear the prescribed uniform: Robert E. Lee who wore the uniform of a Colonel, refusing to wear a generals insignia until the Confederate victory; Joseph L. Hogg, who died of a fever; and Benjamin McCulloch.
Colonels wore three gold stars of the same size on their collar; the same as generals, but without the wreath. While lieutenant colonels wore two stars on their collars, majors wore one star, which was placed in the middle of the collar. Captains had three gold horizontal bars, first lieutenants wore two bars, and second lieutenants wore one bar.[3] However, the Confederate Congress often created new commissions, and did not always standardize rank insignia immediately.[4]
| Collar Insignias of the Confederate Army | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | First Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | ||||
Chevrons in the Confederate Army were only worn by sergeants and corporals. Sergeants wore three chevrons on their sleeves, and corporals wore two chevrons.[3]
| Chevrons of the Confederate Military | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Major | Quartermaster Sergeant | Ordnance Sergeant | First Sergeant | ||||||
| Sergeant | Corporal | Musician | Private | ||||||
| no insignia | no insignia | ||||||||
A brigadier general's coat had two rows of eight buttons, grouped in pairs. Field Grade officers, and Company Grade officers commonly wore two rows of seven equally spaced buttons each, despite regulations calling for the top two buttons to be spaced at four inches apart, coming closer together at the waist at 3 inches in distance. According to the June 1861 regulations, and later the 1862 and 1863 regulations, enlisted men were to wear a frock coat with the same button pattern as the Company and Field Grade officers. [3]
Confederate Army officers indicated their military affiliation with different colored facing on their coats or jackets. The colors were red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, light blue for infantry, and black for medical. Regimental and company officers wore the colors of their respective branch on the outer seam of their pants on one and one-quarter inch stripes. Generals wore two and five-eighths inch stripes on each pant leg. While the quartermasters, commissary, and engineer officers wore a single magenta, one and one-quarter inch outer-seam stripe. Noncommissioned officers were to wear on their outer seams a one and one-quarter inch cotton stripe or braid of colors appropriate to their army branch.[5] A very distinctive feature of the Confederate officers uniforms was the gold braid Austrian knots on their sleeves. More elaborate braiding indicated higher rank and some knots almost reached the shoulder. However, a general order, issued in 1862, called for the Austrian knots not to be worn in the field, as this made officers conspicuous to enemy combatants.
| Sleeve Insignias of the Confederate Military with Collar Insignias Also | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | First Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | ||||
The "French" pattern kepi, was the standard issue headgear to all army personnel, with dark blue band, sides & crown for generals , staff officers, and engineers. Kepis worn by commissioned officers and enlised personal had two patterns, specified by regulations in 1861 and 1862, respectively. The first pattern was a colored band, denoting the branch of service, with the crown and sides to be made of Cadet Gray cloth. The second pattern had a dark blue band for all branches, with the crown and sides colored according to the branch of service. The branch of service colors were as follows, Red for artillery , yellow for cavalry , and light or sky blue for infantry. More common than the regulation kepis, completely grey or butternut caps, or later, dark cadet gray imported kersey caps were issued and worn by troops throughout the war, in large numbers. Cap visors were made from leather or "oilcloth" over paste board. Chin straps were also installed, ussually made of leather, but as the war progressed, were made of oil cloth or other painted fabrics, and affixed to the cap with two buttons.
| Officer Kepis of the Confederate Military | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Cavalry Colonel | Infantry Captain | Artillery Lieutenant | |||||||
The Confederate trousers were very similar to those of the Union forces.[5] Early on the trousers were sky blue in color. They were most often made of wool, and were easily worn during long marches.[5] If trousers did not arrive for the troops the soldiers would have to use their own pants to wear.[5]
There were numerous types of belts produced for the Confederate Military during the Civil War. There were two types of belts which were standard to all army personal. The CS, standing for Confederate States, and CSA belt, standing for Confederate States of America. The buckle themselves were made of brass and were produced in multiple plants in the South and throughout the World.[6]. Whether the belt was one with a CS or CSA on the buckle depended on the location at which it was made and on the maker. Some Confederate soldiers were issued with, or otherwise obtained, belt buckles with insignias unique to the state they came from or served under the command of. At the beginning of the war, soldiers with experience in the U.S. Army could often be seen still wearing "US" belt buckles, as this would have been all that they had available. As supplies became more difficult to obtain near the end of the war, buckles captured from Union forces were also worn.[6]
The first of the Cavalry uniforms were made by the cavalrymen themselves. By 1862, the Confederate regulations ordered the uniform to become organized, being cadet grey and lined with a thin layer around the sleeve. The pant legs were light blue with a yellow strip rising from the bottom of the leg to the top. Non-commissioned officers of the cavalry wore either regular clothes from home or a variety of different types of uniforms.[3]
A normal junior officer had two rows of evenly spaced seven buttons, grouped into pairs.[3]
The kepi was also standard issue to all army personnel. In the cavalry the color of the kepi was to be yellow.[3] More common than the kepi was the Confederate stag hat, which was worn by most of the Confederate Cavalry.[7]
The first of the Artillery uniforms were a variety of handmade and personally customized uniforms. By 1862, the Confederate uniforms became organized. They became cadet grey and were to be lined with a layer of red around the sleeve. The pant legs were light blue. Even after the uniforms were organized many of the artillerymen wore regular clothes due to the heat and discomfort caused by the regular uniforms.[3]
In the Confederate Artillery a normal junior officer had two rows of seven evenly spaced buttons, grouped into pairs, while a senior officer could have as many as eight buttons in two rows.[3]
The kepi was also standard issue to the artillerymen, they were made red to match that of the rest of their uniforms. During the summer months they were also allowed to wear straw hats because of the heat.[3]
The first of the Navy uniforms were made in dark blue, but with the Southern style of rank insignia for the officers. The 1862 Confederate regulations ordered the uniform to be steel grey and lined with a dark black silk serge. They were also made in medium grey and cadet grey. They were made of wool, and these uniforms were not fit for the heat of the lower decks of a ship.[8] Non-commissioned officers wore a variety of uniforms, or even regular clothing.[9]
| Insignia location |
Admiral | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant | Master | Passed Midshipman |
Midshipman |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeves | |||||||
| Shoulder Straps |
|
||||||
| Cover |
According to the dress code of the Confederate Navy, shoulder straps were to be worn differently by each rank.[10]
Confederate Naval Caps were made of steel grey cloth.[10] They were not to be less than three inches and a half, nor more than four inches in height. They were also not to be more than ten, or less than nine inches and a half, at the top, and had a patent leather visor, to be worn by all officers in their service dress.
The uniform used by the Confederate States Marine Corps resembled that prescribed for the Confederate Army. However, there is controversy about some of the exact details of the uniform, since the CSMC was not as large, and many of its records were destroyed. In 1865, right after the war's end, Lloyd J. Beall, commander of the CSMC, had a fire at his home which destroyed most of the CSMC's records.[11] It is clear, however, that the Marines were often equipped out of the stores of whichever garrison was nearest their location. One description has the Marines dressed in, frock coats of a particular (and undetermined) shade of gray, and dark blue or black trousers. It appears that Confederate Marines wore forage caps although it is unclear if there was any ornamentation on the cover.[12] Much of the gear worn by the CSMC was imported from Russia, and from Great Britain and its empire, mainly Canada. This created a fairly unique look.[11]