Just recieved my "Military Collector & Historian" quarterly. Therein is a contemporary watercolour painting of U.S. Army Regulars during the Penninsula Campaign of mid-1862, executed by the Prince de Joinville. All, officers, NCO and EMs, wear dark blue trousers.
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1862 Regulars
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Certainly the dark blue trousers have to do with time and place: few were in evidence on doughboys in the trenches of France in 1918. My point is: although sky blue became regulation in 1861, whole Federal units...and they Regulars in the eastern theatre, at that...persisted into at least mid 1862 parading uniformly in dark blue trousers. Presume (as I posted in the authenticity forum) that may be of some interest to some readers as we anticipate reenacting the 1862 campaigns this year. That they are Regulars is because that's who the artist chose to paint. And no, I'll not post the picture from a currently copywrited article.David Fox
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Thank you for clearing that up David. Photographs taken on the Penninsula show a great deal of dark blue trousers being worn. There is a rather famous grouping of Michigan troops all wearing DB troops at that time.Robert Johnson
"Them fellers out thar you ar goin up against, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks and sassidge-eatin'forrin' hirelin's you have in Virginny that run atthe snap of a cap - they're Western fellers, an' they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin."
In memory of: William Garry Co.H 5th USCC KIA 10/2/64 Saltville VA.
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Originally posted by David Fox View PostMy point is: although sky blue became regulation in 1861, whole Federal units...and they Regulars in the eastern theatre, at that...persisted into at least mid 1862 parading uniformly in dark blue trousers...That they are Regulars is because that's who the artist chose to paint.
Cheers,
Randall Pierson
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Or it could be simply, DB trousers were issued because they were in the supply chain, use until stock pile is used up. Same thing happens with every other change in US uniforms.Aka
Wm Green :D
Illegitimi non carborundum
(Don’t let the bastards grind you down!)
Dreaming of the following and other events
Picket Post
Perryville
The like to do a winter camp.....hint hint...
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Re: 1862 Regulars
In the far West volunteer troops were still wearing dark Blue trousers as late as '63 and '64. From correspondence it sounds like there was an effort at least by some commanders to push for uniformity of dark or sky blue trousers within their companies when supplies were available. In inspection reports it notes if there was a lack of uniform colored trousers within a company.Troy Groves "AZReenactor"
1st California Infantry Volunteers, Co. C
So, you think that scrap in the East is rough, do you?
Ever consider what it means to be captured by Apaches?
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Re: 1862 Regulars
I would have to guess the reasons why DB trousers out west in the Department of the West, Hq in Santa Fe with one of the largest Federal (pre-war) logistics depots at Ft Union: Two or three regiments of Infantry, Cav.
The Mexican war still foremost on military planners minds, end point for the Santa Fe trail, Indians, gold fields in Calif and Colorado.Aka
Wm Green :D
Illegitimi non carborundum
(Don’t let the bastards grind you down!)
Dreaming of the following and other events
Picket Post
Perryville
The like to do a winter camp.....hint hint...
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Re: 1862 Regulars
It makes sense that troops in the far West were using prewar supplies, where the vast majority of pre war stocks were located. Also with a smaller number of troops there would be more opportunity to stretch the usage of DB trousers to the wars end. Like Huck said, In the East prewar stock would be used until they were exhausted.Robert Johnson
"Them fellers out thar you ar goin up against, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks and sassidge-eatin'forrin' hirelin's you have in Virginny that run atthe snap of a cap - they're Western fellers, an' they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin."
In memory of: William Garry Co.H 5th USCC KIA 10/2/64 Saltville VA.
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Originally posted by David Fox View PostConversely, would there not have been stockpiles of sky blue trousers never exhausted, especially in the West, still in use while regulation dark blue came (1858)...and went (1861)?
From the 1861 regulations regarding trousers,
1472. For Enlisted Men, except companies of Light Artillery - dark blue cloth; Sergeants with a stripe one and one-half inch wide; Corporals with a stripe one-half inch wide, of worsted lace, down and over the outer seam, of the color of the facings of the respective corps.
1475. For Companies of Artillery equipped as Light Artillery--sky-blue cloth.Keith Kosek
1st Minn, Co. A
http://www.firstminnesota.org/
“The beautiful thing about the truth is, the truth requires your questions. Therefore, there is no competition in art.” - Gary Busey
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Yeah, I had thought that the dark blue trousers were part of the standard uniform from 1858 up until 1861 for the US Army, but like others have said: If they had them still at the depot then they continued to issue them until they ran out. So it wasn't uncommon for few soldiers through out the war to be issued dark blue trousers. But of course as the war progressed it became less and less of a possiblity to be issued a pair of them. Just like today in our current military they are no longer making the tricolor camo. pattern for the army but are just making it in general for other people but are going to continue to issue it until it runs out. Just like the US Army has every war they've had because they always manage to create some new uniform for the military.... Just had to get my 10 cents worth in..
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Originally posted by KeithRK View PostThere really wouldn't have been unused stockpiles of sky-blue trousers since the Light Artillery continued to wear sky-blue trousers during this period.
From the 1861 regulations regarding trousers,
1472. For Enlisted Men, except companies of Light Artillery - dark blue cloth; Sergeants with a stripe one and one-half inch wide; Corporals with a stripe one-half inch wide, of worsted lace, down and over the outer seam, of the color of the facings of the respective corps.
1475. For Companies of Artillery equipped as Light Artillery--sky-blue cloth.
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Re: 1862 Regulars
Originally posted by Elirulz View PostWould these have been 1851 style trousers in sky blue? While everyone else is being issued dark blue 1858 trousers they are being issued sky blue 1851 trousers? Thanks
My point, was that according to the regulations, sky blue trousers remained the regulation trousers for the light artillery throughout the period that dark blue trousers were issued to other troops. They would have continued to produce more since some troops still needed them issued.Keith Kosek
1st Minn, Co. A
http://www.firstminnesota.org/
“The beautiful thing about the truth is, the truth requires your questions. Therefore, there is no competition in art.” - Gary Busey
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