Flying Squirrel Entertainment
The Lounge => Historical Discussion => Topic started by: Walko on January 16, 2014, 11:02:35 pm
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So just out of curiosity, does anyone know roughly what percentage of soldiers in:
1. The continental Army
2. The confederate Army
Had the "correct" uniform of the unit they were attached to? For example, how many continental soldiers had uniforms akin to the English or French? And how many soldiers from the CSA wore the standard uniform? Thanks!
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Continental Army didn't really have a "True" uniform, mostly just the uniform of the State Militia. It just seemed that the most common Uniform was blue so that because the standard color, so I'd say 20%?
CSA at the beginning of the war would be 0%, there weren't any real uniform regulations yet. A year afterwards I'd say 30-40%
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There were plenty of CSA regiments with full uniforms. It was mostly organized per company, though, and the standard CSA uniforms that the government quickly made were pretty much ignored by the men alltogether. Men brought a shitload of stuff from home, especially things like waistcoats, but the southern states issued plenty of stuff. They even had their own uniform rules, sometimes. Of course, the reality was quite a bit different from the theory, but I really wouldn't say 0% of the CSA was uniformed at the start of the war. I think the percentage was pretty standard until the mid-war, after which it started to drop.
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Well, I thought he meant "Standard Uniform" as in like the Union.
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There were dozens of variations on the standard uniform of the Union. The famous Hardee hat used to be regulations for parade dress, but it was abandoned rather quickly because volunteers gave shits about parade uniforms.
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Well, yeah regimental uniforms existed (14thNYSM for example), but most of the Union soldiers sported the regular blue garb.
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Thanks for the responses guys! I was just curious about how many of them in the same unit (Could be companies, regiments, divisions) shared a uniform look.
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In all honesty the Confederates had a "Uniform" that they all were supposed to wear that had sky blue trim on the kepi,pants, and coat but they didnt have the supply to do so. Usually they would outfit regiments at a time with new uniforms at the depots like for instance the Stonewall brigade got outfitted with matching dark blue jean wool kersey pants before Gettysburg. It all depended on how much was ready when the troops were marching through. The large majority wore grey coats which is about as close as you can get for uniformity in the confederate army. For the rev war that is out of my park to even give you a answer on.
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Reading this incredible book ATM. "Cadet Grey and Butternut brown" by Tom Arliskas. Incredible collection of confederate uniform. A must have for reb reenactor.
Anyway, in 1861. Jeff Davis wish to see confederate uniform has double button frock coat. Imaging a whole regiment of double chest frock coat sweeping. Oh yus. Such glory. But he anaconda plan slash the dream of having plethora supplies. So there was various standard uniform instead such as ANV mainly operate with Richmond Depot and Army of Tenn with Columbus depot. The variety of shade just happen from sun exposure and dirt. I'm sure at the start, many looked the same.