Help identify this uniform?

[drkuluth]

I picked up this CDV at a Civil War collectibles show because the uniform intrigued me. Any guesses as to what it could be?



The back inscription identifies him as a private. Here are my thoughts so far:

Jacket:
- Not a frock coat: too short, no wrist piping
- Not a sack coat: too many buttons, no rounded collar
- Not an artillery or cavalry shell jacket: not enough buttons, no standing collar

I don't see any piping around the wrists, and there is either no collar or a very short one. There is a hint of a button on the right sleeve, but it could be my imagination. Then there are the prominent light-colored stripes on the wrists, which could be service stripes (veterans' stripes). If so, he is almost certainly Federal, but it could also be some weird militia decoration.

My best guess is a roundabout jacket, which I'm not too familiar with. I read that they were a type of shell jacket leftover from the Mexican War and reused for some early Civil War uniforms. This website has some great period photos and info on these jackets. In particular, this guy from the 99th Illinois intrigued me: similar jacket AND wrist stripes:



The pants color matches the jacket, so they might be darker than the standard sky-blue kersey. The footwear look more like shiny leather boots than brogans, but it's hard to tell for sure.

Any thoughts or guesses are greatly appreciated!

[DougCooper]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

As you guessed those are likely veterans stripes, received by soldiers who reenlisted after their 3 year enlistment was up. Am guessing these were Ohio, Indiana or Illinois men and those are just plain state jackets.

[ScottCross]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

A good possibility is Signal Corps. They were issued untrimmed round-a-bout jackets with small buttons. The Federal government made these or contracted for them in limited numbers. The dark trousers may be some of the early stock of dark blue.

[DougCooper]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

Signal Corps generally were issued 11 button jackets with smaller buttons. These jackets appear to have 9 larger buttons.

[roundshot]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

I've seen a number on these on various Pennsylvania regiments (126th, 100th, 48th to name a few)and they seem to be "veteran" or muster-out jackets. The 126th was inly a 9-month regiment but photos in their history show a bunch of them.

[CompanyWag]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

The jacket and trousers in the first image look to me to be tailored and of a higher quality than an issued garment. I get the feeling that it may be a privately purchased uniform while on veteran furlough. Were it not for the service stripes, I'd even speculate the possibility of a late-war officer's jacket sans shoulder straps.

[drkuluth]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

Thanks for all the great comments. I am working on IDing the soldier and a Pennsylvania regiment is one of the likely options. I will investigate the uniforms of some of the specific PA units mentioned here.

I also agree that it resembles a junior officer's tailored uniform, but of course the lack of soldier straps is puzzling.

[Mississippian]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

It could be a man in his 2nd enlistment. Many late war units raised by the Federals had men who had already served a term in another unit.

Will MacDonald

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

It was not unheard of for enlisted men to purchase officer quality garments.

[roundshot]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

Just for comparison purposes here are a couple men from the 126th PA (9 month) in their muster our uniforms.

[18th us regulars]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

Kurt,

That is a private purchase coat. After the war, some states allowed a veteran (just like in the War with Mexico) to buy and ware this coat to gathering and weddings and other places, some even use them to help them win elections to office. its a great coat and picture.

[Ian M.]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

Kurt,

That is a private purchase coat. After the war, some states allowed a veteran (just like in the War with Mexico) to buy and ware this coat to gathering and weddings and other places, some even use them to help them win elections to office. its a great coat and picture.

Private purchase probably, but post-war? Could it also have been latar? Many of these types of 9-button plain shell jackets are seen from at least Spring 1864 on (picked up on furloughs home?), particularly among the western states. The photo on Lookout Mountain shows several and others, particularly Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan. I've seen photos of some PA as well, though mostly studio portraits like this one.

[Ian M.]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

See the photo and detail of John Ream of the 102 Penn Infantry at this link. 9-button plain shell taken while he was on furlough Jan-Feb. 1864. Pvt. Ream died in March 1865.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/piedmo...ican_civil_war

p.s.: Here's an extensive period photo album: https://www.flickr.com/groups/vetera...can_civil_war/

[Runner]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

I have been researching state issued uniforms of Indiana. The Indiana pre war militia wore short Grey jackets with black trim. As these wore out, the state issued dark blue jackets with a short standing color. The photos I have seen of these being worn show them with pointed cuffs and both with and without shoulder straps. The number of buttons seem to vary with examples having between 9 and 12. I have not found any reference as to what type of buttons were used. I think the soldier in question is wearing a jacket of this type. Indiana must have issued these throughout the war, as they are still evident in pictures taken in 1865. Other than the pointed cuffs, they appear to be the same as the described "roundabout" jacket.

If anyone has any more information on Indiana issued uniforms, I would appreciate seeing it.

Frank Crow

[Dusty Merritt]

Re: Help identify this uniform?

Here's another example of a similar-looking, 9-button shell jacket. This is William Bird, Co I, 10th Connecticut Infantry. Bird was promoted Sgt 3 Nov 1863, was discharged upon the expiration of his 3-year term on 8 Oct 1864, and did not reenlist. I think he's wearing a privately-purchased uniform (CT didn't have state shell jackets to my knowledge).