Western theater Union Soldiers

[hoosier28]

I've read a lot of different articles in various places that discuss the relaxed uniform standards and regulations for the Union army in the western campaign of the war. I'm wondering how relaxed these standards were. We've all seen the photographs of Sherman's soldiers clad in slouch hats. I have two photographs of family members with civilian hats. I know that was a common trend, but has anyone seen or read anything to suggest that civilian trousers were ever worn? A very random question, but curiousity has gotten the better of me. All help is appreciated.

Very respectfully,
Stephen W Thompson.

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: Western theater Union Soldiers

Watson,

Check out the Fort McCallister thread in the events section. There is at least one photo posted of Sherman's troops wearing all manner of items, and by the time they reached Goldsboro, NC, their uniforms were in pretty rough shape. There are accounts of soldiers augmenting their clothing with civilian trousers, but at the moment I can't immediately direct you as to where to look. Sorry about that.

However, I believe that is also the exception to the rule, since regulations were followed as much as they could be and soldiers write of repairing their uniforms as they could. I do not know of any specific order that authorized some kind of "relaxed standard" though civilian slouch hats are shown in many photos in Larry Strayer and Richard Baumgartner's series of books as well as being described in several accounts like Robert Hale Strong's A Yankee Private's Civil War. He served in the 105th Illinois.

Western Feds were known for their independence and officer's and enlisted alike seem to have adopted the functional over fashionable, and sometimes at the same time, at that!

If you want to do Western Fed with a bunch of like-minded people, come to Bentonville!

Hope this helps.

[Mississippian]

Re: Western theater Union Soldiers

Reading Larry Daniels history of the Army of the Cumberland, he noted that there was even differences between the two main western armies, the aforementioned Army of the Cumberland and the Grant/Sherman Army of the Tennessee, giving a quote from W.B. Hazen that while the AoC was much more soldierly looking and was better at drill and discipline, the AoT was more harmonious in it's command structure and very democratic and feisty. I thought that was interesting....

Will MacDonald

[adamandnicole]

Re: Western theater Union Soldiers

Blue Acorn Press (Richard Baumgartner) books have tons of pictures of western federals. By far the best books about the western federals.

Adam Dickerson