Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

[KyCavMajor]

Is there any evidence to support this? I have to believe it was fairly common.
Either the lack of resupply or perhaps the disinclination to exceed the issue allowance could lead to this.
Would the officers be tolerant of it I wonder?

[KyCavMajor]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Is there any evidence to support this? I have to believe it was fairly common.
Either the lack of resupply or perhaps the disinclination to exceed the issue allowance could lead to this.
Would the officers be tolerant of it I wonder?

Is it a stupid question or is it just no one knows of any documentation?

[ewtaylor]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Is it a stupid question or is it just no one knows of any documentation?

Mr. Lane,
The consensus on this forum is to stick with PEC. If YOU can document Fed soldiers wearing civie trowsers at what ever time frame you are reenacting then bring it before the authenticity police at whatever event it is. If you cannot, then stick with the PEC trowsers. At some point in time I'm sure some Fed soldier was wearing civie trowsers, but that doesn't mean every reenactor out there has the green light to wear them at whatever event he attends. Its pretty much the same as the mainstream CS reenactors wearing sky blue Fed pants to every event-- Research your unit's clothing issue and what they were wearing before the event you are going to.
hope this helps,
ewtaylor
bluegrass rifles

[KyCavMajor]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Mr. Lane,
The consensus on this forum is to stick with PEC. If YOU can document Fed soldiers wearing civie trowsers at what ever time frame you are reenacting then bring it before the authenticity police at whatever event it is. If you cannot, then stick with the PEC trowsers. At some point in time I'm sure some Fed soldier was wearing civie trowsers, but that doesn't mean every reenactor out there has the green light to wear them at whatever event he attends. Its pretty much the same as the mainstream CS reenactors wearing sky blue Fed pants to every event-- Research your unit's clothing issue and what they were wearing before the event you are going to.
hope this helps,
ewtaylor
bluegrass rifles

Mr Taylor,
That is exactly what I am attempting to do. I was hoping someone may have the "proof" of it happening and how often.
As my unit tries to advance beyond the "blue pants all the time" thing one of the common reasons givin to purchase the sky blue is so they can galvanize.
Now we will do Union at ONE event this year. I am thinking that I would rather have 3-4 men out of the 40 or so we field wearing civilian pants when we do Union, versus the sky blue when we do Confederate. IF it can be documented.
Hey, I know it isn't the ultimate solution. Small steps.

[SouthernFed]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Mr Taylor,
That is exactly what I am attempting to do. I was hoping someone may have the "proof" of it happening and how often.
As my unit tries to advance beyond the "blue pants all the time" thing one of the common reasons givin to purchase the sky blue is so they can galvanize.
Now we will do Union at ONE event this year. I am thinking that I would rather have 3-4 men out of the 40 or so we field wearing civilian pants when we do Union, versus the sky blue when we do Confederate. IF it can be documented.
Hey, I know it isn't the ultimate solution. Small steps.

Tod
Have you looked at the records in Frankfort . They might be able to help as to what was issused?
Ron Orange

[KyCavMajor]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Tod
Have you looked at the records in Frankfort . They might be able to help as to what was issused?
Ron Orange

Ron,
I need to get back down there as soon as I can. Been a while.
How you wintering?

[markj]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Hi,

For whatever it's worth, letters written by Captain James Gillette, who served in both the Eastern and Western theaters, indicate he wore "black pants," "two pair of white pants," and also ordered trousers from Brooks Brothers of New York. Gillette's letters are currently at the Library of Congress and were partially quoted in the following article:

Bird, Harrison K. Jr. "Parcels from Home to a Soldier, 1861-1865." Military Collector & Historian, Spring 1962, p. 1-5.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[KyCavMajor]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Hi,

For whatever it's worth, letters written by Captain James Gillette, who served in both the Eastern and Western theaters, indicate he wore "black pants," "two pair of white pants," and also ordered trousers from Brooks Brothers of New York. Gillette's letters are currently at the Library of Congress and were partially quoted in the following article:

Bird, Harrison K. Jr. "Parcels from Home to a Soldier, 1861-1865." Military Collector & Historian, Spring 1962, p. 1-5.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

Thanks for the info Mark.
White pants? hmmm. I have seen a few references to officers having done this. I am wondering about the rank and file.

[Tom Craig]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Tod,

I know your original question was about Western Feds...

I don't have the book in front of me, but in a letter written by Charles Francis Adams Jr, (1st Mass. Cav, AoP) he talks about how he kept fairly tight discipline in terms of uniform, but that in other companies as long as the troops were wearing dark blue on top and light blue on the bottom that was all that matters.

It is an anecdotal reference, but if that was happening in a well supplied Eastern unit it is possible that things may have been worse in the west.

Take care,
Tom Craig

[Clark Badgett]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

Tod, I have veiwed at least 12 pictures of Kentucky cavalrymen from a few different units and in all the photos they appear to be wearing regulation trowsers. I'm not saying that this is the only thing they wore, but that is all I have proof of right now.

[Johan Steele]

Re: Civilian Trowsers on Western Federal troopers

For what it's worth I've seen references to Sherman's men, in particular Iowa boys, wearing just about anything that would cover their legs as during the Atlanta campaign some Regiments received no clothing supplies, of note there is a reference in Burke Davis's book I believe, of Western troops presenting quite a motley appearance during the Grand Review as issue hadn't caught up w/ the need from the Carolina Campaign...

I've read of a letter of thanks written by an officer in one of Sherman's Brigades addressed to the Gov of NC for allowing them to pass out replacement trousers from a storehouse to paroled CSA troops of Johnstons Army and to quite a few to his own men who were sorely in need of britches.

There is a photo floating around showing some of Hazen's men wearing what appears to be newly issued dark blue 1857 regulation trousers.

Western troops were most certainly not as well equiped as their Eastern brethern so I would expect at least some variation in clothing but I think the majority would have been wearing standard issue.