Trouser stripe(s)

[thad gallagher]

Hopefully this hasn't already been brought up in the past, I tried to search the topic.

I was thumbing through the Union EOG, and on pg 102 noticed something interesting. There is a picture of Gen Sedgwick's staff, and the Captain seated in the center, in front of the doorway, seems to have two thin trouser stripes of the left leg (the only one visible).

Has anyone seen or heard of anything like this before, or am I seeing things?

[BrianHicks]

Re: Trouser stripe(s)

If I remember correctly, pre-war regulations called for a welt made of the branch color to be worn down the seam of Officers trousers legs. Perhaps this welt (or piping) is this thin stripe you saw in the image?

[thad gallagher]

Re: Trouser stripe(s)

It appears to me, to look like it is two stipes, one on each side of the seam. His trousers are kersey with these dark blue stipes. Just looked odd.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Trouser stripe(s)

Hallo!

Yes, there are two narrow stripes, perhaps 1/4 inch wide. (Nice plug hat too...)

IMHO, as evidenced by Period images, since officers purchased their own clothing- there is a "latitide" when it comes to how strict to Regulations, how much slack a commanding officer might look the other way over, how much access an officer had to tailors and clothiers at different times and places, and how much personal taste an officer wished to pay for to make a personal "fashion" statement.

Curt

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Trouser stripe(s)

And on a broader level...

Many pairs of CS trousers featured stripes. Some were on the front side of the outer leg seam and others were on the back side of it. Some were narrow and others were broad. The "Portraits of Conflict" series (among other books containing a fair number of images) shows quite a number of trousers with stripes. I recall "Cadet Grey and Butternut Brown" (authored by an AC member) giving voice to this as well.

My two cents,