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37th Illinois Infantry
Impression Guidelines
At the time of the Battle of Prairie Grove, the 37th Illinois was a veteran regiment, having already been engaged in and suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Pea Ridge some nine months earlier, along with being involved in active campaigning in Missouri and Arkansas for over a year.
At the time of Pea Ridge, most of them men were probably wearing their state issue Illinois jackets, along with a mix of dark and sky-blue trousers. Most probably still had forage caps at that time, although there were probably some civilian hats as well.
Although there is no direct documentation, it is reasonable to assume that the jackets were put into storage during the warmer months of the summer, but they may have been retrieved by some of the men that fall prior to the Prairie Grove campaign.
The regiment was armed mostly with Belgian rifles except for the two flank companies, A and K, and the color guard. These were equipped with the 200 Colt Revolving rifles that had been originally scattered throughout the regiment, but had been consolidated in these two companies and the color guard.
The 37th is one of the few Trans-Mississippi regiments for which we have photographic evidence. Several images of their color guard exist showing them mostly in state jackets and dress coat or two, along with mostly civilian style hats. Another image of an unidentified soldier of the regiment shows him in a state jacket and forage cap and holding a Colt Revolving rifle.
Their Colt Revolving rifles had saber bayonets which were much too heavy and which one officer described as a “humbug.”
A painting by artist Andy Thomas shows the 37th during the fighting at the Borden House. He depicts them in a mix of civilian hats and forage caps, the former including a few brown and gray in color, as well as state jackets. Lt. Col. John C. Black can be seen on his horse in the center background, his arm still in a sling from having been wounded at Pea Ridge. In the foreground is Company K, commanded by his brother Captain William P. Black, with their Colt Revolving rifles. John Black won the Congressional Medal of Honor at Pea Ridge and William did so at Prairie Grove, thus making them one of only five pairs of brothers ever to win that high honor. Two other members of the 37th also won the medal, one at Newtonia in October 1862 and the other at Fort Blakeley in April 2865.
The best current source of information on the 37th is the regimental history by Michael A. Mullins. Sadly, it is currently out of print but may be available through your local library.
Impression Guidelines
Headgear
1st choice: civilian hat, mostly black but also a few brown, tan or gray
2nd choice: forage cap, early-war Type I preferred, late-war Type II acceptable
3rd choice: plain dress Hardee hat without insignia
Coat
1st choice: state issue infantry jacket, Illinois pattern preferred (8-button front, cloth epaulettes and plain sleeves
2nd choice: state issue infantry jacket from other states such as Ohio or New York
3rd choice: plain dress (frock) coat without shoulder scales
4th choice: fatigue (sack) coat, issue 4-button preferred
Trousers
Required – sky-blue infantry pattern
Footwear
1st choice: infantry bootees (brogans)
2nd choice: issue infantry or civilian black boots of appropriate style
Shirt
1st choice: issue wool of tan, gray, cream or dark blue color
2nd choice: civilian shirt of cotton, linen or wool in various colors
Drawers
1st choice: period issue or civilian cotton or linen
2nd choice: winter wool or heavy cotton
Socks
1st choice: issue or civilian wool in various colors
2nd choice: white cotton
Winter Clothing – optional but recommended
Issue overcoat (“great coat”), sky blue
Woolen scarf and gloves or mittens
Weapons
1st choice: either a Belgian rifle-musket or Colt Revolving rifle
2nd choice: 1855/1861 Springfield Musket/Enfield rifle-musket
3rd choice: 1842 smoothbore musket
saber bayonet preferred but socket bayonet acceptable
Accouterments
.58 cal. rifle musket cartridge box with shoulder belt (sling) and plates
cap pouch – early war “shield front” version preferred
waist belt with “US” oval buckle – early war version with leather keeper preferred
bayonet scabbard – early war completely sewn or two-rivet versions preferred
rifle belt (sling) – optional but recommended
Field Equipments
Black issue haversack
Federal issue canteen – smooth-side preferred over ringed (“bullseye”) version; gray or tan jeancloth preferred over sky-blue or dark blue; leather sling preferred over cloth
Knapsack – issue double-bag only; optional but recommended
Woolen blanket – issue gray or tan
Rubber blanket – infantry style (no hole) preferred over mounted
Tent – issue common (A-frame) style, 7’ height preferred but 6’ acceptable; no dog tents as these hadn’t been issued yet at this point!
Mess Equipments
Tin or pewter plate or canteen half
Period utensils or combination set
Tin cup or boiler
Personal Items
Books, Bibles, playing cards, smoking equipments, newspapers, letters from home and other items with which to do living history activities in camp
Christmas Items
Packages from home containing winter clothing, cakes, cookies, etc
Impression Guidelines
At the time of the Battle of Prairie Grove, the 37th Illinois was a veteran regiment, having already been engaged in and suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Pea Ridge some nine months earlier, along with being involved in active campaigning in Missouri and Arkansas for over a year.
At the time of Pea Ridge, most of them men were probably wearing their state issue Illinois jackets, along with a mix of dark and sky-blue trousers. Most probably still had forage caps at that time, although there were probably some civilian hats as well.
Although there is no direct documentation, it is reasonable to assume that the jackets were put into storage during the warmer months of the summer, but they may have been retrieved by some of the men that fall prior to the Prairie Grove campaign.
The regiment was armed mostly with Belgian rifles except for the two flank companies, A and K, and the color guard. These were equipped with the 200 Colt Revolving rifles that had been originally scattered throughout the regiment, but had been consolidated in these two companies and the color guard.
The 37th is one of the few Trans-Mississippi regiments for which we have photographic evidence. Several images of their color guard exist showing them mostly in state jackets and dress coat or two, along with mostly civilian style hats. Another image of an unidentified soldier of the regiment shows him in a state jacket and forage cap and holding a Colt Revolving rifle.
Their Colt Revolving rifles had saber bayonets which were much too heavy and which one officer described as a “humbug.”
A painting by artist Andy Thomas shows the 37th during the fighting at the Borden House. He depicts them in a mix of civilian hats and forage caps, the former including a few brown and gray in color, as well as state jackets. Lt. Col. John C. Black can be seen on his horse in the center background, his arm still in a sling from having been wounded at Pea Ridge. In the foreground is Company K, commanded by his brother Captain William P. Black, with their Colt Revolving rifles. John Black won the Congressional Medal of Honor at Pea Ridge and William did so at Prairie Grove, thus making them one of only five pairs of brothers ever to win that high honor. Two other members of the 37th also won the medal, one at Newtonia in October 1862 and the other at Fort Blakeley in April 2865.
The best current source of information on the 37th is the regimental history by Michael A. Mullins. Sadly, it is currently out of print but may be available through your local library.
Impression Guidelines
Headgear
1st choice: civilian hat, mostly black but also a few brown, tan or gray
2nd choice: forage cap, early-war Type I preferred, late-war Type II acceptable
3rd choice: plain dress Hardee hat without insignia
Coat
1st choice: state issue infantry jacket, Illinois pattern preferred (8-button front, cloth epaulettes and plain sleeves
2nd choice: state issue infantry jacket from other states such as Ohio or New York
3rd choice: plain dress (frock) coat without shoulder scales
4th choice: fatigue (sack) coat, issue 4-button preferred
Trousers
Required – sky-blue infantry pattern
Footwear
1st choice: infantry bootees (brogans)
2nd choice: issue infantry or civilian black boots of appropriate style
Shirt
1st choice: issue wool of tan, gray, cream or dark blue color
2nd choice: civilian shirt of cotton, linen or wool in various colors
Drawers
1st choice: period issue or civilian cotton or linen
2nd choice: winter wool or heavy cotton
Socks
1st choice: issue or civilian wool in various colors
2nd choice: white cotton
Winter Clothing – optional but recommended
Issue overcoat (“great coat”), sky blue
Woolen scarf and gloves or mittens
Weapons
1st choice: either a Belgian rifle-musket or Colt Revolving rifle
2nd choice: 1855/1861 Springfield Musket/Enfield rifle-musket
3rd choice: 1842 smoothbore musket
saber bayonet preferred but socket bayonet acceptable
Accouterments
.58 cal. rifle musket cartridge box with shoulder belt (sling) and plates
cap pouch – early war “shield front” version preferred
waist belt with “US” oval buckle – early war version with leather keeper preferred
bayonet scabbard – early war completely sewn or two-rivet versions preferred
rifle belt (sling) – optional but recommended
Field Equipments
Black issue haversack
Federal issue canteen – smooth-side preferred over ringed (“bullseye”) version; gray or tan jeancloth preferred over sky-blue or dark blue; leather sling preferred over cloth
Knapsack – issue double-bag only; optional but recommended
Woolen blanket – issue gray or tan
Rubber blanket – infantry style (no hole) preferred over mounted
Tent – issue common (A-frame) style, 7’ height preferred but 6’ acceptable; no dog tents as these hadn’t been issued yet at this point!
Mess Equipments
Tin or pewter plate or canteen half
Period utensils or combination set
Tin cup or boiler
Personal Items
Books, Bibles, playing cards, smoking equipments, newspapers, letters from home and other items with which to do living history activities in camp
Christmas Items
Packages from home containing winter clothing, cakes, cookies, etc