Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

[Danny]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

Hi,

I agree with Mr. Beasley, in that you really would not want to wear pants that you pulled off of a dead soldier. The only way I can see Confederate sodliers wearing Federal trousers, was if they captured supply wagons carrying trousers. I know that General Price's men at West Port did this, infact some where wearing complete Federal uniforms at this Battle.

Respectfully, I disagree with Mr.Beasley and Mr. Kasmar, as pulling pants or boots off of dead soldiers, done just after the day's battle as documented, was no problem whatsoever. These men weren't fools and certainly knew what the 'window of opportunity was.' And of course at Fredrickburg it was quite cold out so you could have scavenged for a few days after the battle.

Generally speaking, it seems that for every documented Reb practice there's an equal but opposite documented Reb practice, but of course the the truth lay in the studied details, as with the notes above on the pattern of construction and not so much the color alone.

Dan Wykes

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

Dan,

I don't doubt you, this could very well have happened. However, when the body is shot, and organs are hit, each organ has a different smell, in regards to body fluid. We learned this in the beginning, to help dx the areas hit. Also, prior to death in most cases colon control is lost.

I could see for sure overcoats, ammo, food, hats, etc...but like I told the young man, he aint sleeping next to me:wink_smil.

Oh yea...one more thing....don't wear them at WIG Events, if you are Confederate.

[Danny]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

Dale -

I see your point. You were probably trying to be polite and not have to specify the gruesomes - sorry.

Dan Wykes

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

Dan,

Let us agree, if we are going to take Sky Blues off the dead...we are going to check them twice:D.

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

The only reason I mentioned Fredericksburg at all was the accounts from both feds and confeds about the naked or near naked condition of those poor men who were killed in front of Marye's Heights after the victors stripped the dead. There were at least a thousand killed or MW on that field alone. Still, any trousers taken could not have supplied more than 2% of Lee's army lasting about 3-4 months max - i.e., any soldier so re-equipped would have needed another pair of trousers by the Spring 1863 campaign.

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

I totally agree that the use of Federal sky blue trousers on Confederates should only - and rarely - be for those specific documented instances when there is historical reference as to such. To expand on Doug's examples, some of Cleburne's troops at Perryville (October 1862) were wearing Federal issue sky blues captured a few months earlier at Richmond, KY (August 1862) after Bragg's long march from Chattanooga had caused extreme wear and tear on the CS troops' unis. There is also documentation that some Wheeler's cavalry pickets along the Northern Alabama - Chattanooga - Eastern Tennessee picket line in the winter of 1863 were wearing complete Federal uniforms. Wheeler's best supply source was the Federal supply trains that he raided more than once. The CS resupply could never coordinate getting equipment to folks like Wheeler and Forrest because of the large areas of operation that they operated in and the fact that by the time that the resupply got to Point A, the cavalry was already at Point D.

[JustRob]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

For the record, I was quite surprised to discover that French Blue trousers were appropriate for the ANV at Chickamauga.

While it upset expectations, it was correct and well documented. Still not sky blue, though.

[Longbranch 1]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

Just a little twist.

From "No Such Army Since the Days Of Julius Caesar" Shermans' Carolinas Campaign
from Fayetteville to Averasboro.
Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky

" Hardees's command began moving into Fayetteville on the afternoon of March 9. A formation of " galvanized " Yankees preceeded the advance of Hardee's Confederates. These former prisoners of war had opted to serve in the ranks of the Confederate army as a means of escaping the squalor of Southern prisons. Armed with axes, picks, and spades, these men moved in front of the regular formations to repair and build roads for the Army's movement. "

Particularly at this late stage in the conflict, What might these men be wearing?

In general in this campaign, the Confederates were well equipped as regards uniforms. Did this extend to these " galvanized " troops, or were they an " orphan " unit, possibly still wearing parts of their initial ( Fed. ) uniforms.

Any information is appreciated.

Regards,
Kevin Ellis,
26th NC

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

Just a little twist.

From "No Such Army Since the Days Of Julius Caesar" Shermans' Carolinas Campaign
from Fayetteville to Averasboro.
Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky

" Hardees's command began moving into Fayetteville on the afternoon of March 9. A formation of " galvanized " Yankees preceeded the advance of Hardee's Confederates. These former prisoners of war had opted to serve in the ranks of the Confederate army as a means of escaping the squalor of Southern prisons. Armed with axes, picks, and spades, these men moved in front of the regular formations to repair and build roads for the Army's movement. "

Particularly at this late stage in the conflict, What might these men be wearing?

In general in this campaign, the Confederates were well equipped as regards uniforms. Did this extend to these " galvanized " troops, or were they an " orphan " unit, possibly still wearing parts of their initial ( Fed. ) uniforms.

Any information is appreciated.

Regards,
Kevin Ellis,
26th NC

Think about what would have happened to these men if captured by their former comrades in federal uniform...or rebel uniform for that matter. Not a good position to be in either way. Looking like a day laborer would be the safest.

Sherman's men were in such bad shape by this time that some of them were wearing parts of rebel uniforms captured in their march through NC, to say nothing of civilian attire.

[Enfilade]

Re: Confederate Trousers - how accurate is it to wear light blue ones?

To ask whether a "Confederate soldier" would have worn Yankee trowsers or not is a very ambiguous question. Again, we are reenacting a time-frame on a time-line. Each Corps, Brigade, regiment, and sometimes even company would have had a specific "look" as to what they would have worn for any given campaign and specific to a given theatre and or battle. All depending upon their specific circumstance, issue dates, etc.

As it is when we do an event and ask each man to wear a "frock coat" or a "Columbus Depot" jacket or a "Type 3" or a "Type 1" or a "North Carolina jacket", we also prepare guidlines for canteen, arms and other equipment. There is no need to short cut trowsers as they need attention to detail as much as any other garment or piece of equipment. That said, mainstreamers take exeptional liberty as to wear sky blue unauthenticated pants when doing a generic Confederate and just say that they are "captured'. Humbug!

As has been stated, there are instances when Federal trowsers would have been the norm. However, let me remind you that Confederate troops wore "uniforms" too! North Carolina was issued "uniforms". Georgia troops were issued "uniforms", etc, etc,. When you see images of Confederates do you actually believe they would have been taken in Federal clothes? And then you may say, "yeah, but they captured clothes and wore them". Ok, then tell me when and where and specifically to whom were they available? Most likely AP Hill's men at Sharpsburg had many Federal items on when they arrived on the field at Antietam. But listen to this account from Stephen Sears" book, "Landscape Turned Red"...

"Both battle lines were soon blanketed in choking smoke. An officer of the 3rd North Carolina came upon one of the regiment's new conscripts walking distractedly back and forth behind the firing line, complaining that he could not see anything to shoot at and hated to waste his ammunition. He was instructed to lie down and "look for blue britches under the smoke." At this the conscript's face lit up in comprehension, and he went to work." (page 209). The 3rd was in DH Hill's Division at Sharpsburg.

So it would depend on "who" you are portraying and "when". Even on the same field of battle and even on the same campaign.

Mark Berrier
North State Rifles

http://www.northstaterifles.com