Union Chaplains

[David Gambrel]

I want to be as accurate as possible in portraying Union Chaplain. From what I've read US Army regs indicate honorary rank of captain but outside of the 1 Ky. Cav Chaplain I can find few instances of chaplains who wore uniforms. Most pics I have found indicate a black frock coat, black trousers, vests and short boots or brogans...appreciate advice and sources.
David Gambrel

[ephraim_zook]

Re: Union Chaplains

Hi David. Welcome to the board.

The 1861 US Army Regs, revised 1863, specify the following:

APPENDIX B
Paragraph 131.

The uniform for Chaplains of the Army will be plain black frock coat with standing collar, and one row of nine black buttons; plain black pantaloons; black felt hat or army forage cap, without ornament. On occasions of ceremony, a plain chapeau de bras may be worn.

So that's what the regs called for. Doubtless it was ignored from time to time.

By the way, a chapeau de bras is one of those "fore and aft" Admiral Hornblower type hats.

regards

Ron Myzie

[Mark Somerville]

Re: Union Chaplains

David

If you go to the research section of the forum under Camp of Instruction you will find an article called," Our Holy John" Understanding the Chaplain's Role in a Federal Regiment: A Guide for Military Reenactors by Michael Peterson, PH.D, M.Div, Columbia Rifles.

The Author is now a Chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces stationed in Nova Scotia.

Mark Somerville

[David Gambrel]

Re: Union Chaplains

Thanks- In the photos I have found of chaplains the frock coat looks like a Junior Officers Frock coat with black buttons. It has nine buttons with a stand up collar. I haven't fugured out how to add pics to my posting. Thanks so much for your help. I have been called upon for years to be chaplain at dedications for soldiers' markers. Marking unmarked vets graves is a passion of mine. But I've done the best at being period correct. I feel to properly honor the vets I'm need to be as authentic as possible. I've also dones a few Masonic services for Civil War markers. Thanks to this site I've finally found the period correct apron to wear.

[KPavia]

Re: Union Chaplains

In the book "All for the Union" which are the war diary entries of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, he talks about the regimental chaplain for the 2nd Rhode Island needing to be commissioned by the governor before he became the official chaplain.

[Ken]

Re: Union Chaplains

You are quite right about the Governors involvement in commissioning a new Chaplain. I own the kepi worn by William Henry Thomas of the 4th NH. In doing my research I obtained from the National Archives copies of handwritten letters. One is from all the Captains of the various Companies making up the 4th petitioning his Excellency, the Governor of the New Hampshire that the Rev. Wm Thomas of Laconia N. Hampshire may be appointed Chaplain of this Regiment. The letter is from the camp of the 4th NH Vol. Morris Island SC September 22, 1863. In addition to this military petition, a second letter was obtained from the ministers of the New Hampshire Conference M.E. Church, certifying that Rev. W H Thomas of Laconia is a regularly ordained minister in good standing in the NH conference and recommending him as "a suitable person to be appointed a Chaplain in the US Army". A picture of the WM. Thomas’s kepi is below

[markj]

Re: Union Chaplains

I want to be as accurate as possible in portraying Union Chaplain. From what I've read US Army regs indicate honorary rank of captain but outside of the 1 Ky. Cav Chaplain I can find few instances of chaplains who wore uniforms. Most pics I have found indicate a black frock coat, black trousers, vests and short boots or brogans...appreciate advice and sources.
David Gambrel

As with many other subjects, chaplain uniformage depended on the time, place, and individual. Meet Chaplain Charles A. Fischer of the 32nd (1st German) Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Known information about this ID'd image indicates it was taken in Louisville KY probably in the spring or summer of 1862. I'm sorry to say that Fischer suffered an untimely death in 1867.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Ken]

Re: Union Chaplains

As with many other subjects, chaplain uniformage depended on the time, place, and individual. Meet Chaplain Charles A. Fischer of the 32nd (1st German) Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Known information about this ID'd image indicates it was taken in Louisville KY probably in the spring or summer of 1862. I'm sorry to say that Fischer suffered an untimely death in 1867.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

Interesting image. At first glance he appears to be wearing a standard frock coat. However, upon closer inspection it has only six buttons and appears, from the way it hangs, that it is not the typical high end broadcloth we usually see. Instead it looks like a cheaper wool flannel ala sack coat. Cool image.

[Andrew German]

Re: Union Chaplains

Greetings:

Attached, I hope, is a winter 1861-62 cdv of the Reverend James Hervey Beale, chaplain of the 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Cavalry, who, you can see, wished to dress as a cavalry captain. He drilled with the men as well as preaching to them, and by 1863 occasionally served as regimental adjutant. He qualified as a "fighting chaplain."

Andrew German

[kevin]

Re: Union Chaplains

Hello,
Our hobby recently lost a dear friend and an authority on Civil War Chaplains: Ben Maryniak. Ben portrayed Chaplain Philos Cook of the 94th NY and was co author of "The Spirit Divided" and "Faith in the Fight", both about Chaplains in the Union Army. For more info you can visit www.140thny.org and click on "Chaplain Cooks pulpit". I know very little about this personally but I hope this little bit helps.

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Union Chaplains

Chaplain Lorenzo Barber of the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters was another man of the cloth who could be found in combat. He carried his own personal target rifle and reportedly did not hesitate to use it on the skirmish line. Aside from providing an important service as a chaplain and "fighting parson" he handled the regimental and brigade mail and assisted the quartermaster department on a number of occassions. He was discharged in February 1864 after suffering a debilitating leg wound during the Mine Run campaign; he was shot while fighting on the skirmish line.

He had the habit of writing letters that dealt with combat or violence in the third person, was described by some as a very friendly man who always made time for any discussion, and was well-liked by many in the Third Corps. Unfortunately, only a few years after the war Barber died after accidentally shooting himself while cleaning his hunting rifle.

As far as his dress goes, the only photograph I know of shows him wearing what may be a black frock with covered buttons. However, a soldier-diarist in the 20th Indiana Infantry (brigaded with the U.S.S.S. at one point) described Barber as being "dressed in a soldier's clothes" while riding through camp in late 1863. I don't know if this means that he was wearing enlisted garments, as was the practice among in-field Sharpshooter officers, or an actual officer's uniform.

[David Gambrel]

Re: Union Chaplains

Thanks for the great images. I knew the regulations before I posted the question. The regulation black frock coat has a very Episcopalian look to it. As a Kentuckian knowing a little of the history of churches I have a hard time seeing some protestant chaplains from Kentucky dressing in that manner, especially Baptists ministers. I hope to find some more info about Kentucky chaplains. Thanks again for all of the great information!