Improving Artillery Uniforms

[hta1970]

As another break off from the "Improving Artillery Impressions" thread, I thought we should try to deal with how we can improve the uniforms worn by artillery.

There has been some mention of the over use of red by artillery. This is seen in trouser stripes, caps, shirts and jacket trim.

Might be a nice place for us to share documented uniforms, photographs and descriptions of uniforms here.

Specific note to the theater of operations should also be made if possible.

Keep in mind that we should also make an effort to date the information as best we can, as what works for '61 may not work for '65.

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Harry,
This is an excellent topic. First of all, let me throw some gas on the fire by saying that we redlegs should take ownership of our impressions and not allow the infantry to dictate it to us. The hobby is geared toward infantrymen and all the prejudices that accompany branch rivalries. :)


Fortunately for my detachment, we have access to at least one existing mid-war enlisted jacket, and Troiani owns a Lts jacket captured in November 1862 that may have come from our forebearers. And then there's the red faced CD jacket captured at Port Hudson. So, we are rather fortunate at Vicksburg in that we have an abundance of examples for our time and place.


Unfortunately, very few units can claim the advantage of having surviving examples to look at. From my research and viewing of surviving jackets, most officers had red branch colors on their jackets, be it red piping or collar facing. The red faced CD jacket from Port Hudson, (which I think is posted on Daley's website) appears to be an enlisted jacket to which an officer added collar bars.


As for my unit, they likely wore blue trimmed jean jackets, but I do not advocate the complete absense of red among enlisted men, for if you look at surviving artillery uniforms in proportion to the surving infantry uniforms, red is well represented. My call is for moderation in the Western Theater: some red facing on CD Jackets; no red piping or stripes on trousers after 1862, and no red kepis or forage caps among the enlisted men. And absolutely never ever any red firemen's shirts! In short, red should be worn like it was hard to get; present but not overwhelming.


Now, for boots. I've seen enough period photos to indicate a meaningful number of artillery boots among Union soldiers, but have no evidence for the Confederacy. Everyone in our hobby wants to look like JEB Stuart, and wear inordinately high boots with dressed trousers. I would limit artillery boots to less than 5% per detachment, possibly none. I have a pair, and I wear my trousers dressed because of the super abundance of chiggers in our park. (Those of you who did the Vick living history event last summer know what I'm talking about. haha)


Now, here's where more variables come into play. My detachment was recruited in the area where it served for most of the war. For that reason, the men would have had more access to clothing from home: cleaner shirts, better socks, better slouch hats, etc. than would have been typical for most units.


Now for the horror stories I have personally witnessed: white painters pants with the GAP tags still on them. Crews completely outfitted in JEB Stuart boots. Forage caps with every conceivable piece of hardware available pinned to them. Every member of the crew in thick gray wool trousers with inch-wide red stripes. Crews that were identically uniformed. Slouch hats with Union branch cords on them. Shell jackets straight out of a 50s movie--blanket wool and four inches of red sleeve trim. And I could go on.

[3rdUSRedleg]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

First of all, let me throw some gas on the fire by saying that we redlegs should take ownership of our impressions and not allow the infantry to dictate it to us. The hobby is geared toward infantrymen and all the prejudices that accompany branch rivalries. :)

Sir.
Great Point!!!!
Amen

[hta1970]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Ok, at the risk of encouraging the red tide, I feel that historical authenticity requires presenting all bits of information brought to light, especially official records.

The following is from the Muster Roll of the Staunton Artillery dated Jun 30 '61

The company entered service with an excellent cadet gray uniform in good condition and which cost $20.50 each and had not been damaged more than $2.50 or $3.00 each. They have since been supplied by the County of Augusta with a suit around consisting of a gray cap, red flannel shirt, gray woolen pants and wollen socks. The state has furnished no clothing.

The first uniform mentioned is most likely the pre-war militia uniform of the company which was formed in '59 after Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry. The second uniform is the fatigue uniform which actually saw field service in the early months of the war.

What is important to note that this is summer '61 and the red shirt is made of flannel which in this case without question refers to wool flannel.

[hta1970]

Here are a few images of Confederate Artillery in the ANV

Company C - Sumter Arty
Private William H. Dyson
Enlisted Sep 18 '63 Died Nov 10 '63

German Artillery
Willis Callaway Watkins
Taken after Jul 1 '62

Company B – Sumter Artillery
Private Thomas Gordon Walters (l)
Enlisted May 15 '62 Surrenderd April 9 '65
Private Wesley F. Reviere (r)
Enlisted March 1 '62 Captured Apr 2 '65

Company B – Sumter Artillery
Private Simeon Auswell Walters (l)
Enlisted Dec 1 '62 Paroled April 15 '65
Private Seaborn Jeremiah Walters (r)
Enlisted Mar 1 '62 Last Muster Record Jan/Feb '65

2nd Company Richmond Howitzers
3rd Cpl James Blyth Moore
Enlisted Apr 21 '61 Transferred April 1 '62

Carpenters Battery
James A. Rogers
(May have been taken before company was converted from Infantry to Artillery)

Parker's Virginia Battery
Private William Moore
Enlisted Mar 14 '62 Discharged Oct 8 '62
and friend
spring '62 in Richmond Depot Type I jackets

Parker's Virginia Battery
Corporal Theodore C. "Doc" Howard
Enlisted Mar 14 '62 Captured Apr 6 '65

Parker's Virginia Battery
Private Alexander Harris
Enlisted Mar 14 '62 Discharged Nov 1 '62 (was underage at enlistment)

Each of the images has been flipped so they appear as they would looking at the individual, not as the mirror image of the original photograph.

[Brian Baird]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Harry,
As you stated, these are early war uniforms but after late 62 most ANV units started drawing uniforms from the government. What was the most common jacket? What we call today, a Richmond Depot 2, with shoulder straps and belt loops. Most where untrimmed. These jackets were issued through the end of the war. To wear the jackets you have listed for a 1863 or later event is not correct.
Brian Baird

[hta1970]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Brian,

That is a very fair and correct point you are making.

I was just posting information I had found which I thought others might find interesting. I guess I didn't think anyone would take those uniforms out of context and try to wear them at mid to late war events.

I am currectly going through 2nd Corps ANV Artillery records. At some point i hope to be able to post my findings. It is quite a bit of work.

Here is another uniform I found. It is the jacket of Private John Cocke Ashton, Norfolk Light Artillery Blues. The jacket has Virginia buttons, red piping for trim and shows evidence of once being gray. Ashton died in 1918 and is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth. The jacket was passed to his daughter and later was donated to the Naval Shipyard Museum. It is the only article of Confederate uniform attributed to the NLAB known to exist.

According to his complied military service record, he was enlisted at Petersburg Jul 29 '64 and was captured at Petersburg Apr 2 '65.

If we are to assume that any surviving jacket was the last one issued, this appears to be an example of a Richmond type 3 in jean.

I have photos and written descrptions of the George Wilson jacket mentioned in the footnotes of Jensen's article. Wilson was a member of the First Maryland Artillery.

This battery served with Braxton's Battalion, 2nd Corps until early/mid April '64 when they joined the Maryland Line for a very short time. Around the time of Cold Harbor they were assigned to McIntosh's Battalion where they served in the Petersburg lines until early December '64. They then served at Drewry's Bluff manning heavy guns and retreated as part of Smith's Battalion towards Appomattox and Sailor's Creek.

His jacket has a 9 brass buttons, 4 block "I" and 5 script "A".

It is constructed primary of blue gray wool and physically it is closer to a Richmond Type III Jacket as opposed to a Type II. It has no shoulder straps or belt loops, nor is there any evidence that it ever had them. The lining is unbleached cotton and features an interior breast pocket on each side. There is no trim to this jacket.

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Here are some artillery uniforms from the Western Theater.

1. Port Hudson CS artillery officer's Jacket, mid 1863 http://www.cjdaley.com/CDred.jpg

2. Artillery Officers Jacket captured at Labadieville, LA, October 27, 1862. Attributed to a member of Co. H, 1st Mississippi Light Artillery (mustered in Natchez) but could also have belonged to a unit recruited out of New Orleans.

http://www.historicalimagebank.com/gallery/main.php/v/album02/album22/album109/CWu129ds_Mississippi_Jacket_copy.jpg.html

3. Then there's the McDonnell Jacket. http://authentic-campaigner.com/arti...n/cdjacket.htm

4. As for trousers, we wear various shades of gray jean, but are pondering the Port Hudson denim trousers. Blue trousers were not unheard of at Vick, and the PH trousers are the only surviving originals from our region and time period.

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Ok, at the risk of encouraging the red tide, I feel that historical authenticity requires presenting all bits of information brought to light, especially official records.

The problem with the red tide is that just about all of them will defend their impression and cite documentation showing that CS artillerymen wore red caps, wore red drawers, wore red socks, etc... lol, but the kicker is that no one artilleryman or any one unit wore all of that at any one time after 61.

Using their logic one could argue that our impression should be devoid of branch colors because the 1st Miss wore blue trimmed CD depot jackets, that the Cherokee Arty wore blue denim trousers, and the Pointe Coupee arty wore jacquard shirts. (not real examples, but just hypotheticals for the sake of argument) It's all out of context in both time and place, and a classic example of cherry picking from different locales, units, and times for a frankenfarb impression.


The usefulness of this thread is that it is a critique of artillerymen by artillerymen, and not infantrymen. Hearing it from a fellow redleg may carry more weight than from a member of another branch. Not that members of other branches opinions are invalid, but that criticism coming from within the family is always more palatable than that coming from without.

Do not worry about encouraging the red tide. If they make it far enough into this thread to see the information you posted, and still do not consider reexamining their impression, then there's probably no hope for them anyway.

[ContinentalMorganGuard]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Attached is a really bad picture, but its an artillery uniform none the less. This frock coat resides in the Fort Sumter Vistorrs Center. It has Eagle staff buttons, and belonged to a Confederate Sgt. Major, and if you can see the original you can see where the beig red chevrons once were. I believe he was from Charleston and served through out the war, and its is jean wool. Maybe someone has a better picture, or more information on this coat.

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Robert,
Thanks for posting the photo. It reminded me of questions I have regarding the prevalence of frocks among the CS artillery. How common or uncommon were they?

[roundshot]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Another CS cannoneer, my own Great-grandfather, Servetus McQueen Williams, Surry (VA) Light Artillery, ca. 1862.

[hta1970]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Here is a little article which I found that others who may not have seen it will enjoy I hope.

Detailed Minutiae Of Soldier Life In The Army Of Northern Virginia (Part 1)
BY CARLTON McCARTHY,
Private of Second company Richmond Howitzers, Cutshaw's Battalion.

Paper No. 1. -- The Outfit Modified.

With the men who composed the Army of Northern Virginia will die the memory of those little things which made the Confederate soldier peculiarly what he was.
The historian who essays to write the "grand movements" will hardly stop to tell how the hungry private fried his bacon, baked his biscuit and smoked his pipe; how he was changed from time to time by the necessities of the service, until the gentleman, the student, the merchant, the mechanic and the farmer were merged into a perfect, all enduring, never tiring and invincible soldier. To preserve these little details, familiar to all soldiers, and by them not thought worthy of mention to others, because of their familiarity, but still dear to them and always the substance of their "war talks," is the object of this paper.
The volunteer of 1861 made extensive preparations for the field. Boots, he thought, were an absolute necessity, and the heavier the soles and longer the tops the better. His pants were stuffed inside the tops of his boots, of course. A double breasted coat, heavily wadded, with two rows of big brass buttons and a long skirt, was considered comfortable. A small stiff cap, with a narrow brim, took the place of the comfortable "felt" or the shining and towering tile worn in civil life.
Then over all was a huge overcoat, long and heavy, with a cape reaching nearly to the waist. On his back he strapped a knapsack containing a full stock of underwear, soap, towels, comb, brush, looking glass, toothbrush, paper and envelopes, pens, ink, pencils, blacking, photographs, smoking and chewing tobacco, pipes, twine string and cotton strips for wounds and other emergencies, needles and thread, buttons, knife, fork and spoon, and many other things as each man's idea of what he was to encounter varied. On the outside of the knapsack, solidly folded, were two great blankets and a rubber or oilcloth. This knapsack, &c., weighed from fifteen to twenty five pounds, and sometimes even more. All seemed to think it was impossible to have on too many or too heavy clothes, or to have too many conveniences, and each had an idea that to be a good soldier he must be provided against every possible emergency.
In addition to the knapsack, each man had a haversack, more or less costly, some of cloth and some of fine morocco, and stored with provisions always, as though he expected any moment to receive orders to march across the great desert, and supply his own wants on the way. A canteen was thought indispensable, and at the outset it was thought very prudent to keep it full of water. Many, expecting terrific hand to hand encounters, carried revolvers, and even bowie knives.
Merino shirts (and flannel) were thought to be the right thing, but experience demonstrated the contrary.
In addition to each man's private luggage, each mess, generally composed of from five to ten men who were drawn together by similar tastes and associations, had its outfit, consisting of a large camp chest containing skillet, frying pan, coffee boiler, bucket for lard, coffee box, salt box, sugar box, meal box, flour box, knives, forks, spoons, plates, cups, &c., &c. These chests were so large that 8 or 10 of them filled up an army wagon, and were so heavy that two strong men had all they could do to get one of them into the wagon. In addition to the chest each mess owned an axe, water bucket, and bread tray. Then the tents of each company, and little sheet iron stoves, and stove pipe, and the trunks and valises of the company officers, made an immense pile of stuff, so that each company had a small wagon train of its own.
All thought money was absolutely necessary, and for awhile rations were disdained, and the mess supplied with the best that could be bought with the mess fund. Gloves were thought to be good things to have in winter time, , and the favorite style was buck gauntlets with long cuffs.
Quite a large number had a "boy" along to do the cooking and washing. Think of it! a Confederate soldier with a body servant all his own, to bring him a drink of water, black his boots, dust his clothes, cook his corn bread and bacon, and put wood on his fire. Never was there fonder admiration than these darkies displayed for their masters.
Their chief delight and glory was to praise the courage and good looks of "Marse Tom," and prophesy great things about his future. Many a ringing laugh and shout of fun originated in the queer remarks, shining countenance and glistening teeth of this now forever departed character.
It is amusing to think of the follies of the early part of the war, as illustrated by the outfits of the volunteers. They were so heavily clad, and so burdened with all manner of things, that a march was torture, and the wagon trains were so immense in proportion to the number of troops, that it would have been impossible to guard them in an enemy's country. Subordinate officers thought themselves entitled to transportation for trunks and even mattresses and folding bedsteads, and the privates were as ridiculous in their demands.
This much by way of introduction. The change came rapidly and stayed not until the transformation was complete. Nor was the change attributable alone to the orders of the general officers. The men soon learned the inconvenience and danger of so much luggage, and as they became more experienced, vied with each other in reducing themselves to light marching trim.
Experience soon demonstrated that boots were not agreeable on a long march. They were heavy and irksome, and when the heels were worn a little one sided, the wearer would find his ankle twisted nearly out of joint by every unevenness of the road. When thoroughly wet, it was a laborious undertaking to get them off, and worse to get them on in time to answer the morning roll call. And so good, strong, broad bottomed and big flat heeled brogues or brogans succeeded the boots, and were found much more comfortable and agreeable, easier put on and off, and altogether the most sensible.
A short waisted, single breasted jacket usurped the place of the long tail coat, and became universal. The enemy noticed this peculiarity, and called the Confederates gray jackets, which name was immediately transferred to those lively creatures, which were the constant admirers and inseparable companions of the Boys in Gray and Blue.
Caps were destined to hold out longer than some other uncomfortable things, but they finally yielded to the demands of comfort and common sense, and a good soft felt hat was worn instead. A man who has never been a soldier does not know, nor indeed can know, the amount of comfort there is in a good soft hat in camp, and how utterly useless is a "soldier hat" as they are generally made. Why the Prussians, with all their experience, wear their heavy, unyielding helmets, and the French their little caps, is a mystery to a Confederate who has enjoyed the comfort of an old slouch.
Overcoats an inexperienced man would think an absolute necessity for men exposed to the rigors of a Northern Virginia winter, but they grew scarcer and scarcer. They were found a great inconvenience and burden. The men came to the conclusion that the trouble of carrying them hot days outweighed the comfort of having them when the cold day arrived. Besides they found that life in the open air hardened them to such an extent, that the changes in the temperature were not felt to any degree. Some clung to their overcoats to the last, but the majority got tired lugging them around, and either discarded them altogether, or trusted to capturing one about the time it would be needed. Nearly every overcoat in the army in the latter years was one of Uncle Sam's, captured from his boys.
The knapsack vanished early in the struggle. It was found that it was inconvenient to "change" the underwear too often, and the disposition not to change grew, as the knapsack was found to gall the back and shoulders, and weary the man before half the march was accomplished. It was found that the better way was to dress out and out, and wear that outfit until the enemy's knapsacks or the folks at home supplied a change. Certainly it did not pay to carry around clean clothes while waiting for the time to use them.
Very little washing was done, as a matter of course. Clothes once given up were parted with forever. There were good reasons for this. Cold water would not cleanse them or destroy the vermin, and hot water was not always to be had. . One blanket to each man was found to be as much as could be carried, and amply sufficient for the severest weather. This was carried generally by rolling it lengthwise, with the rubber cloth outside, tying the ends of the roll together, and throwing the loop thus made over the left shoulder with the ends fastened together hanging under the right arm.
The haversack held its own to the last, and was found practical and useful. It very seldom, however, contained rations, but was used to carry all the articles generally carried in the knapsack; of course the stock was small. Somehow or other, many men managed to do without the haversack, and carried absolutely nothing but what they wore and had in their pockets. The infantry threw away their heavy cap boxes and cartridge boxes, and carried their caps and cartridges in their pockets. Canteens were very useful at times, but they were as a general thing discarded. They were not much used to carry water, but were found useful when the men were driven to the necessity of foraging, for conveying buttermilk, cider, sorghum; &c., to camp. A good strong tin cup was found better than a canteen, as it was easier to fill at a well or spring, and was serviceable as a boiler for making coffee when the column halted for the night.
Revolvers were found to be about as useless as heavy lumber as a private soldier could carry, and early in the war were sent home to be used by the women and children in protecting themselves from insult and violence at the hands of the ruffians who prowled about the country shirking duty.
Strong cotton was adopted in place of flannel and merino, for two reasons. First, because easier to wash, and second, because the vermin did not propagate so rapidly in cotton as in wool.
Common white cotton shirts and drawers proved the best that could be used by the private soldier.
Gloves to any but a mounted man were found useless, worse than useless. With the gloves on, it was impossible to handle an axe well, or buckle harness, or load a musket, or handle a rammer at the piece. Wearing them was found to be simply a habit, and so, on the principle that the less luggage the less labor, they were discarded.
The camp chest soon vanished. The Brigadiers and Major Generals even found them too troublesome, and soon they were left entirely to the quartermasters and commissaries. One skillet and a couple of frying pans, a bag for flour or meal, another bag for salt, sugar and coffee, divided by a knot tied between, served the purpose as well. The skillet passed from mess to mess. Each mess generally owned a frying pan, but often one served a company.
The oilcloth was found to be as good as the wooden tray for making up the dough. The water bucket held its own to the last!
Tents were rarely seen. All the poetry about the "tented field" died. Two men slept together, each had a blanket and an oilcloth. One oilcloth went next to the ground. The two laid on this, covered themselves with two blankets, protected from the rain with the second oilcloth on top, and slept very comfortably through rain, snow or hail, as it might be.
Very little money was seen in camp. The men did not expect, did not care for, or get often any pay, and they were not willing to deprive the old folks at home of their little supply; so they learned: to do without any money.
When rations got short and were getting shorter, it became necessary to dismiss the darkey servants. Some, however, became company servants, instead of private institutions, and held out faithfully to the end, cooking the rations away in the rear, and at the risk of life carrying them to the line of battle to be devoured with voracity by their "young mahsters."
Reduced to the minimum, the private soldier consisted of one man, one hat, one jacket, one shirt, one pair of pants, one pair of drawers, one pair of shoes, and one pair of socks. His baggage was one blanket, one rubber blanket, and one haversack. The haversack generally contained smoking tobacco and a pipe and generally a small piece of soap, with temporary additions of apples, persimmons, blackberries, and such other commodities as he could pick up on the march.
The company property consisted of two or three skillets and frying pans, which were sometimes carried in the wagon, but oftener in the hands of the soldiers. The infantrymen generally preferred to stick the handle of the frying pan in the barrel of a musket, and so carry it.
The wagon trains were devoted entirely to the transportation of ammunition and commissary and quartermaster's stores, which had not been issued. Rations which had become company property, and the baggage of the men, when they had any, was carried by the men themselves. If, as was sometimes the case, three days rations were issued at one time and the troops ordered to cook them and be prepared to march, they did cook them, and eat them if possible, so as to avoid the labor of carrying them. It was not such an undertaking either, to eat three days rations in one, as frequently none had been issued for more than a day, and when issued were cut down one half.
The infantry found out that bayonets were not of much use, and did not hesitate to throw them, with the scabbard, away.
The artillerymen, who started out with heavy sabers hanging to their belts, stuck them up in the mud as they marched, and left them for the ordinance officers to pick up and turn over to the cavalry.
The cavalrymen found sabres very tiresome when swung to the belt, and adopted the plan of fastening them to the saddle on the left side, with the hilt in front and in reach of the hand. Finally sabres got very scarce even among the cavalrymen, who relied more and more on their short rifles.
No soldiers ever marched with less to encumber them, and none marched faster or held out longer.
The courage and devotion of the men rose equal to every hardship and privation, and the very intensity of their sufferings became a source of merriment. Instead of growling and deserting, they laughed at their own bare feet, ragged clothes and pinched faces, and weak, hungry, cold, wet, worried with vermin and itch, dirty, with no hope of reward or rest, but each fighting on his own personal account, needing not the voice of any to urge them on, marched cheerfully to meet the well fed and warmly clad hosts of the enemy.

Source: Southern Historical Society Papers. Vol. II. Richmond, Virginia, September, 1876. No. 3.

[sedlakchristopher]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Gents,

OK - time for Federals!
A post of one of my favorites, although it is officers, of Federals in 1862.
It shows how the US uniform had started towards field serviceable sack coats even this early... yes, they are officers and "don't prove anything for enlistedmen."

IM NOT arguing the use of mounted service jackets with red trimmings, I just love this photo and its essence... "here we are!" is the feeling.

The second one from left is Capt. John C. Tidball, who would later go on to be a brevet Maj. Gen of volunteers and lead the 2nd Corps artillery in the Wilderness and spend some 60 years in the army! (I don't know, thats what his bio said... how anyone can do 60 years....?)
He is also the one who wrote the little read unpublished memoir of Civil War artillery that talked about how the boys treated their light artillery sabres as trash and got rid of them soon thereafter their issuance. (This is posted somewhere on the A/C if you search for it... sorry, I can't remember who posted it or I'd give credit.. the manuscript it is at Ft. Sill?)

Any way, it is so easy to get caught up in this photo and admire the fashion and air about these boys!

Your obedient servant,
Chris Sedlak

[Mbond057]

Re: Improving Artillery Uniforms

Here is a photo from the 1st Maryland Light Artillery, Battery A, U.S.

Private Charles C. Wintling saw action in the following battles:
Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862
Crampton's Gap, Md., September 14, 1862
Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862
Marye's Heights, Va., May 3, 1863
Salem Heights, Va., May 3-4, 1863
Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-3, 1863.