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While doing some research on uniforms worn on Alabama regiments in Rode's Brigade around the time on Chancellorsville I stumbled across a photo of David Barnum, who was in the 5th Alabama. The photo is claimed to have been taken between 62-64. I am tending to lean more closer to the 62 time frame.
As you can see from the photo it has dark colored cuffs, collar, and epaulettes nine button front and squared across the bottom. Could this be an early example of the Dept. of Alabama jacket?
John Young Gilmore of the 3rd Alabama Infantry wore this jacket.
Notice that this jacket also has the dark collar and epaulettes, but is lacking the cuffs. However it does appear that it may have had cuff trim at one point. Am I just seeing things? You can also see that this has only seven buttons and has rounded corners in the front.
The Murphree jacket worn by Thomas Murphree of the 6th Alabama has dark trimmed epaulettes, seven button front and rounded front corners. Most notably it has the two exterior welt pockets. If I understand it correctly Mr. Murphree wore this jacket until February of 63.
How about the jackets worn by Jefferson & Madison Strickland?
These brothers served in Company F of the 14th Alabama, ANV. Jefferson died January 2nd 1862 in Freeport, Va. so this style of jacket is clearly identified to early war. They also have some of the same features as the Murphree jacket. This being they each have seven buttons, two external pockets and trimmed epaulettes. But notice that these have dark tape on the collars and the pockets are also trimmed.
Other variations of Alabama jackets are the Andrew Jackson Duncan, of the 11th Mississippi Cavalry Demopolis jacket
and the "Mystery jacket" in Gettysburg. 
According to the articles written Les Jensen and Fred Adolphus and if I understand them correctly, issuance of the Demopolis and "Mystery" jackets didn't begin until late 63 early 64. With that being said, would it be safe to assume that examples such as the Barnum, Murphree and Strickland jackets would have been relatively common issuance among Alabama regiments within the ANV up until mid to late 63?
During another web search I found in Google books; The Confederate Army 1861-65: Florida, Alabama & Georgia By Ron Field In it Mr. Fields indicates that Gov. Moore in Aug. 1861 issued a proclamation recommending each, city, town and village form "Soldiers Aid Societies" and inform him by letter the amount of clothing that they would be able to produce for the men in the field. It goes on to identify where material and buttons were procured, a description of how the uniforms should look and be constructed. You can read more about it at here
As you can see from the photo it has dark colored cuffs, collar, and epaulettes nine button front and squared across the bottom. Could this be an early example of the Dept. of Alabama jacket?
John Young Gilmore of the 3rd Alabama Infantry wore this jacket.
Notice that this jacket also has the dark collar and epaulettes, but is lacking the cuffs. However it does appear that it may have had cuff trim at one point. Am I just seeing things? You can also see that this has only seven buttons and has rounded corners in the front.
The Murphree jacket worn by Thomas Murphree of the 6th Alabama has dark trimmed epaulettes, seven button front and rounded front corners. Most notably it has the two exterior welt pockets. If I understand it correctly Mr. Murphree wore this jacket until February of 63.
How about the jackets worn by Jefferson & Madison Strickland?
These brothers served in Company F of the 14th Alabama, ANV. Jefferson died January 2nd 1862 in Freeport, Va. so this style of jacket is clearly identified to early war. They also have some of the same features as the Murphree jacket. This being they each have seven buttons, two external pockets and trimmed epaulettes. But notice that these have dark tape on the collars and the pockets are also trimmed.
Other variations of Alabama jackets are the Andrew Jackson Duncan, of the 11th Mississippi Cavalry Demopolis jacket
According to the articles written Les Jensen and Fred Adolphus and if I understand them correctly, issuance of the Demopolis and "Mystery" jackets didn't begin until late 63 early 64. With that being said, would it be safe to assume that examples such as the Barnum, Murphree and Strickland jackets would have been relatively common issuance among Alabama regiments within the ANV up until mid to late 63?
During another web search I found in Google books; The Confederate Army 1861-65: Florida, Alabama & Georgia By Ron Field In it Mr. Fields indicates that Gov. Moore in Aug. 1861 issued a proclamation recommending each, city, town and village form "Soldiers Aid Societies" and inform him by letter the amount of clothing that they would be able to produce for the men in the field. It goes on to identify where material and buttons were procured, a description of how the uniforms should look and be constructed. You can read more about it at here
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