Not a Whole Lot To Do - Richmond, 1865

[Dale Beasley]

These pictures are a great record of uniforms. They are also record of the sad state of affairs that was present at the time.

[garyjd]

One thing that stands out is the condition of the clothing. These guys look fairly well clothed. ~Gary

[2nd Lt. Samuel Teague]

In the first image, the federal soldier behind the reb looks to be rather well fed. Perhaps a garrisoned soldier. You don't often see a "heavy" soldier in these pictures.
~Matt

[roundshot]

I like this photo, a cropped version from the LOC taken in front of St. John's Church shortly after the Federal occupation. It shows some of the local toughs, likely members of either the "Butcher Cats" or "[Shockhoe] Hill Cats" who fought for turf in the neighborhoods of Richmond. Jeff Davis' son was a member of the "Hill Cats." Their cut down uniforms and assorted military caps provide an interesting view into these pint-sized Rebs.

[PaulJ]

Hi,
note how the 'mini-Reb' to the left of the tallest boy appearss to be wearing a two-tone 'Maryland' (as I think of them) kepi of what appears to be darker English Army cloth with a sky blue (?) band and top. Add this to the seated Confederate in the original post (3rd pic) who looks like he might be wearing the same to me. Also the man in the first picture looks to me like he has a different coloured top to his kepi - but that could be a trick of the light? I always (in my ignorance) associate this kepi type with specific units (Maryland - Infantry blue, Richmond Howitzers - Artillery red). Does anyone know if they were actually a fairly common (RD produced) generic type by the end of the war?

On another subject, at some point ex-Confederates were supposed to remove 'military buttons' I believe. I expect this was a little too soon after the war to come into effect?

Regards

[markj]

Whatever these guys were wearing, they didn't wear it very much longer. A 10 June 1865 edict issued at Richmond effectively banned public wearing of the rebel uniform and any related "insignia."

See attachment below.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[North_State_Rambler]

I'm having trouble seeing the diagnostic features in some of these images that would link the garments to the infamous "four button" style jacket. In the first image, I count what look like at least 5 button holes on the side of the jacket, as well as the shoulder straps. In my mind, there is plenty of room left in the dark sections of the jacket front to accommodate four more buttonholes to make it the "RD2" style. In the second image, I see seven buttonholes on the gent who is standing. In the third image, the collar looks like the wider civilian sack-coat style, and it seems like the collar and the top of the lapel are lying down in the pressed-down fashion of a sack coat rather than a turned-down standing collar as one would see if the soldier took the small-collared depot jacket and turned the collar and lapel down. The fourth image seems to match the diagnostic characteristics of the "four button" jacket the best. I would like to point out that these are, of course, collector designations rather than period designations, so not every style of jacket worn during the period can be reasonably lumped in under the collector-created categories. If I am seeing these images wrong, please correct me and I will get a new pair of glasses!

[GreencoatCross]

I intended only the last image to be an example of the four-button jacket.

[North_State_Rambler]

Sorry, Brian, I mis-read your post.

[lukegilly13]

Bob,
Thanks for posting that image...it made my day! Look at their feet....they look as if they've never worn shoes and don't mind it at all haha! Could this be the prerequisit to the "he-man-woman-haters club" (j/k)??? hahaha
Any speculation as to what the bottle and the rectangular frame is?