California Infantry Impression

[Guest]

Hello all. I will give you a little background info on a problem I am having. So about 2 weeks ago I get an email from someone in Old Sacramento asking me to run a 1864 California Infantry Parade and so I agreed thinking the task of finding info on Uniforms would be fairly easy. Boy was I wrong. Finding a jacket was fine after looking at the Benicia Depot but it didn't have anything on the trousers. I have everything else perfect except the trousers! And I am actually waiting for a page to load looking for more information on them at this second so I am asking desperately for help if anybody by chance would know of a pattern or similar pattern that would be okay for a basic California Infantry man. The help is very much appreciated. Thanks

[csuniforms]

Re: California Infantry Impression

Check out American Military Equippage by Fred Todd-- and the Chapter on California--

CSuniforms
Tom Arliskas

[AZReenactor]

Re: California Infantry Impression

California is a very interesting microcosm during the war. Early on California was not expected to have any role in the expectantly short war and was told its volunteers would not be needed. Following the early reverses in the East that attitude quickly changed as Lincoln began calling for Volunteers. There were large amounts of material stockpiled on the West coast prior to the war. Arms particularly (as well as US Regulars) were rushed down to Panama, across the isthmus, and up the East coast. California Regiments were quickly raised and equipped from existing supplies. Indications are that early regiments were fully uniformed and equipped according to pre-war regular standards but as more and more regiments were called up, the readily available supplies begin to diminish. Requests for resupply from the East were responded to with "you're on your own." Fortunately, California had been developing modern industry rapidly. Frequently these firms produced goods superior to Eastern firms since readily available capital made it possible to purchase the newest and latest factory equipment. The state boasted a growing wool and clothing industry before the war which was able to supply high quality military goods. The smaller amount of goods required to be produced and the adherence to a pre-war frugal mentality in the military command meant that accounts and contracts wee closely monitored and adhered to in the West which generally meant a mix of well made new items mixed with older (sometimes even obsolete) items supplied from existing stocks on hand. Much later as the war progressed and Eastern manufacturers began to catch up with demand, California began receiving limited shipments of goods from the East.

I know of no identified extant examples of California made military trousers so pattern is mere speculation. With that I suggest Schuylkill pattern since Western manufacturers likely followed the pre-war Army examples closely. And with California's more modern clothing industry, a machine sewn variation of this pattern would not seem unreasonable.

As typical though, such things are time, place, unit specific. What regiment are you depicting specifically? Many of the early formed regiments were issued dark blue Schuylkill trousers from existing pre-war stock. Even as late as 1864 there are indicators that there were efforts to draw dark blue replacement trousers to maintain uniformity within companies though inspection reports indicate that some far flung companies had a mix of light and dark blue trousers.

On the other hand, photo evidence suggest that later formed units were supplied light blue trousers from the beginning. Here is a photo from my collection of Gerorge Perkins (6th Cal. Inf, Co. H) He enlisted in Columbia during '63 and was discharged at Benicia in '65. The photo was taken in San Francisco.

[tsgalloway]

Re: California Infantry Impression

Great info, Troy. I love it!

[fatocat]

Re: California Infantry Impression

Yes indeed, good stuff. Thanks Troy.

[Guest]

Re: California Infantry Impression

Yea that was. Thank you very very much!

[sharpshooter]

Re: California Infantry Impression

Elijah,

When is that parade going to happen? I am near Sacto.