Odd CDV question

[Johan Steele]

Last evening I stopped into antique shop and noticed a rather intriguing CDV. It was a nicely detailed studio CDV of a man in full French Army Light Infantry Kit w/ an M1855 Rifle Musket. On the back was the date Aug 1863.

My question is were there any units wearing full French kit that late in the war? While I am aware of several AoP unts that received full French Army kits (minus arms) prior to the Penninsula campaign I understood that they were wearing "standard" Union Army garb by the time of Gettysburg.

Am I correct in my knowledge?

THe majority of data I have found on French kits in Union servie has been of the knapsacks & capes... little of substance referring to the full uniform & leathers.

My only other theory is that the photo is patently incorrect and it comes out of the later Franco Prussian War. I know quite a few surplus CW arm ended up in French Sevice, in particular Spencer arms... but the M1855 is what makes me fairly certain that it is an early ar Union sodier.

Any thoughts for this poor scatterbrained researcher?

[ScottCross]

Re: Odd CDV question

While researching an original French Model 1860 Military Shako imported from France in 1861 for use by Union regiments in the Civil War, I found a little information. Major General George Brinton McClellan ordered the Shakos in conjunction with French Chasseur uniforms. The uniforms were issued to the 18th Massachusetts Infantry, the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry and the Invalid Corps which later became the Veteran Reserve Corps. Sorry, I didn't record the dates, but I think the Invalid Corps got them late.