black uniforms

[Bill52]

Has anyone heard of the federal government issuing black uniforms? I am working on what the 1st to 4th Michigan Infantry wore at the 1st Battle of Bull Run or 1st Manassas. But I have found a problem with the uniforms of the 4th Michigan. A letter published in the Allegan Journal written on July 7 1961 indicates that they were to change their gray clothes for black, but the letter did not tell what type of back uniforms they were expecting to get.

The Detroit Daily Tribune on July 4 1861 indicates that the 3rd Michigan still wore thick gray clothes but they are to be supplied this week with new suits entire, to include linen pants. A letter printed in the Lansing Republican on September 17 1861 written June 6 by a member of the Edler Zouaves, 3rd Regiment states that they were to soon receive blue coats, pants, shirts and caps. Some of the confusion can be cleared up by a letter in Grand Rapids Weekly Enquirer From the Third Regiment, Camp Blair July 12 1861, 4:3. from the period of just before the Battle of Bull Run. The Third Michigan Infantry were in mixed colored uniforms. “I really hope we shall not move till we get whole clothes for this regiment is the laughing-stock of every one around Washington as far as our uniform is concerned it is a beautiful arrangement of all the colors of the rainbow” … What is not clear is if the mixed colors referred to individual men in mismatch uniforms or if different companies wore different color uniforms.

I am aware that some Michigan Regiments received black trousers and black overcoats in 1862, but have never seen any references to black jackets or black frock coats. Any help would be appreciated.

William T. Carr
Company of Military Historians

[Pvt. Shattuck]

Re: black uniforms

"The uniform of the 16th regiment, received
June 15th, is nearly the same as
that of the 18th, light blue pantaloons
and black jackets. The overcoats of the
16th regiment are of light blue; those of
the 18th are grey."
Ogdensburgh (New York) Advance July 1861
I believe however these state jackets were dark blue and not actually black.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: black uniforms

Hallo!

Federal government? Not that I can recall at the moment. However, some states did in the 1861 rush to clothe their volunteers. Ohio for example. IIRC, Fremont maybe?
I forget what regiments, and the thread on it disappeared one or two crashes ago in Archive history.

Curt

[erik]

Re: black uniforms

The issue of "black" maybe a dye problem as sometimes black was issued and intended to fade to a lighter color such as blue or dark green. This was the solution to dye colors for the British rifles as the green rapidly faded to many shades of yellow etc.
The original color was maybe very dark and faded to a federal blue.

Erik Simundson

[Bill52]

Re: black uniforms

Thank you for the comments. The State of Michigan issued the original gray uniforms (gray satinet uniforms of roundabouts with 10 buttons with standing collars and epaulets, gray pants, gray overcoats and gray caps all provided by Lewis Porter (Grand Rapids) made in either Cincinnati Ohio or Detroit) for the 3rd Infantry, but the federal government took over the replacement of the uniforms once the Michigan regiments were in the field. The Federal government did have many uniforms manufactured in Detroit (by Samuel Sykes (Detroit) made from blue New York army cloth), but these were for the new regiments forming in the State. The ‘black” uniforms would have come from the federal government and were not likely made in Michigan. That is if they received then at all and if they were actually black. Also, if they did received linen pants, did these linen pants have to be white?

William T. Carr
Company of Military Historians

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: black uniforms

This passage comes from Montgomery Meigs and forms part of the December 1, 1862 Annual Report of the Secretary of War, starting on page 75: http://books.google.com/books?id=Rog...page&q&f=false


There's more, which bears reading, but the upshot seems to be that, yes, the Federal government bought a lot of substandard material at the very beginning of the war, replaced it as quickly as possible with the right stuff, but held on to the inferior items for later gratuitous issues to POWs, parolees, black laborers, and hospital patients.

CLOTHING.

When the rebellion first compelled the government to call out a large force, the stock of clothing on hand in the arsenals, being intended only for the supply of the regular army, about 13,000 strong, was inconsiderable. The manufacture of cloth and materials of army clothing occupied but few of the factories of the country, and the stock of clothing and material was at once exhausted. There was great difficulty in supplying the large force suddenly raised. The organization of this department did not furnish enough officers of experience to provide and distribute to all parts of the country the necessary supplies. The mills, which were at once set to work upon army goods, could not manufacture fast enough to clothe the troops. There was a great scarcity of suitable blankets, and army cloths and under garments.

The troops being received generally through the State authorities, these authorities were engaged to assist the department in providing the necessary supplies. Large importations were made by merchants, and the goods thus imported were bought by the State authorities and by the quartermaster's department, and manufactured by contract or in the establishments of the department into clothing. As the cold weather approached, the troops, in some cases, for a time, suffered for want of overcoats and blankets. Under these circumstances, and to supply the immediate and absolute necessities of the suffering troops, large quantities of such materials as could be found in the market in the hands of dealers and manufacturers—materials manufactured for the ordinary clothing of the people— were purchased and made up. In some cases these articles were redyed, of the uniform colors, light and dark indigo blue; but the greater part of the gray, brown, and black cloths purchased were made up in those colors. For a time they were gladly received, and they prevented much suffering; but these materials were inferior to the army standard goods. When the troops came in contact with the enemy on thickly wooded fields mistakes occurred. The rebel forces were generally clothed in gray, and our own troops, in some cases, fired into each other. This caused orders to be issued, both by the eastern and western commanders, prohibiting the issue or use of clothing of any but the established uniform colors, light and dark blues.

As fast as uniform clothing could be obtained the irregular clothing was withdrawn from service. A great prejudice now exists against it, and the department has been the subject of unjust criticism for its action in the matter. The material was undoubtedly inferior to the excellent army cloths, and in making , the immense purchases required the officers of the department were in some cases imposed upon by unscrupulous dealers and unfaithful inspectors. But the troops were clothed and rescued from seven; suffering, and those who saw sentinels walking post about the capital of the United States in freezing weather in their drawers, without trowsers or overcoats, will not blame the department for its efforts to clothe them, even in materials not quite so durable as army blue kersey.

There is still on hand a considerable stock of this clothing, which it has been thought better to keep in store than to sacrifice at auction. It is used for gratuitous issue to soldiers in hospital, who have lost their clothing in consequence of wounds or disease. Some of it has been issued to prisoners of war hi distress, both rebel prisoners and our own men released on parole, and some of it to negroes employed in the army. In time it can all be disposed of in these modes, and in the chances of war it is not impossible that this reserve of irregular clothing may yet prove of value to some portion of the armies in the field.

[faabala]

Re: black uniforms

There are many good images of the 4th Michigan outside Washington in 1861. I had always though the uniforms were dark blue but they could be black.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...against-a-tree...

[Bill52]

Re: black uniforms

I appreciate all the information and will add a footnote to my Michigan uniform data base to reflect this ‘back’ uniform information. For anyone interested, this is where the first uniforms issued to Michigan troops came from. Michigan purchased/made almost 11,000 sets of uniforms in 1861. The federal government took over and had about 12,000 sets of uniforms made in Detroit and send around 12,000 uniforms more to Michigan. The uniform manufactures were Samuel Sykes, E.S. Heinemann, Jas. McGrath(all Detroit) Lewis Porter (Grand Rapids, but he had the uniforms made in Cincinnati or Detroit) and Ransom Gardner (Detroit) who made 1000 gray uniforms for Illinois. Most Michigan officers purchased their uniforms from M.B. Kean of Detroit. Caps came from F. Buhl, S.A. Fulller and J.T. Smith all of Detroit.

William T. Carr

Company of Military Historians

[Pvt. Shattuck]

Re: black uniforms


This is from a letter home by Pvt. Alvah Beach of the 16th NY in June, 1861. Apparently they were issued black jackets by the State of NY.

[Philip cav]

Re: black uniforms

I remember reading that some Union overcoats we're dyed black. But I do not have any info on coats or trousers. Sorry. Philip Brening

[Bill52]

Re: black uniforms

In my first post I typed the 4th Michigan Infantry and I should have said the 3rd Michigan Infantry were about to receive black uniforms just prior to the Battle of Bull Run. Although I have never been able to confirm that the Michigan 3rd Infantry were actually issued black uniforms in the summer of 1861 I do know that the 3rd did receive black trouser and overcoats during the winter of 1861-62.

The 15th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment a.k.a. Mulligan Regiment sent an agent to Washington D.C. to arrange for clothing. On January 26 1862 they received blue frock coats trimmed in light blue cord, black pants and light blue overcoats. They received fatigue caps like officers caps but with a glazed Havelocks attached.

William T. Carr

Company of Military Historians

[Guest]

Re: black uniforms

To Bill52, If the Federal government issued any white pants, it would have been in duck, the ones issued to Navy Sailors and Marines for summer wear. Or the white pants were issued with entire white uniforms that were worn by the medical personnel aboard the ships. I do not believe they issued white linen pants.

Please sign your full name to all posts... thanks- Johnny Lloyd

[Bill52]

Re: black uniforms

Elirulz thank you for your view on this. Although three sources indicated that they received linen pants, new wool pants, straw hats and new forage caps as well as new sown shoes, none gave a color for either pair of pants. My thoughts were that the new pants were blue and thus did not deserve to have the color noted. I see no reason that linen pants could have not been dyed blue. Prior to the war some of the men of this regiment were in the Detroit area militia which wore white linen pants and I thought it was possible that when no color for the linen pants were given, that the pants could have matched their prewar pants.

William T. Carr

Company of Military Historians