Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

The 11th Iowa was the first Iowa regiment to be fully supplied by the US ARMY. So, I really doubt they had grey uniforms. Jim, once again I would like to see the documentation.


In Army Life of an Illinois Soldeir Charles Wills (8th Illinois) mentions they had grey uniforms. Maybe that is where the confusion is.

You can PM me with your findings.
Thanks!

[BrandonEnglish]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

Hi,

Pennsylvania issue grey shell jackets (that look almost like Richmond Depot style) to their Reserve Corps. Also, company L of the 28th Pennsylvania wore these shell jackets in 1861, but they were replaced in 1862. The 2nd New Hampshire wore grey shell jackets trimmed in red, along with grey trousers and grey kepis.

Andrew

One of these shell jackets from the 28th PVI is on display at Pamplin Park. It has Eagle I buttons, it's a really cool coat.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

I'm anxious to see these images. I just posted in the thread Iron Brigade Uniforms asking for a color photo of one of these. I lost my color photo long ago of this uniform. Did one look like this?

[ATTACH]13032[/ATTACH]

Mr. Danner-

The shell jacket in the front of the display is in fact identical to the one in the image, save that it is a corporal's coat.

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

re: Illinois - more than you'll want

Got Jim's message and then saw this thread. Sorry for the confusion; I have no information about Iowans (11th and 13th of Oglesby's/Hare's brigade of the Shiloh timeframe) wearing gray.

All my gray chatter has been involving Illinois only. Charles Wills in 'Army Life of an Illinois Soldier' mentions two uniform issues that were gray. Both of these were before leaving the Cairo/Bird's Point area.

Probably the kink in all this was when I made use of the name for one of the gray uniforms. It was referred to as a 'brigade uniform.' But the brigade being referred to was the 1st brigade of Illinois volunteers/militia - the 90-day fellows who rushed off in April 1861. It is also mentioned in Frederick Todd's 'American Military Equipage Vol. 2' - which as I understand was mostly if not all written by Tom Arliskas (csauniforms). I believe the state ordered some 10,000 of these uniforms.

A quote from Todd's book reads, "On 20 August 1861, as a reward for enlisting, the first Brigade of Illinois Volunteers (7th through 12th Regiments) were to receive a distinctive brigade uniform. It was described by a reporter of the Chicago Tribune: The uniform is in two suits, the first, a fine doeskin casimere ... (grey) coat with a short skirt, midway to the knee, trimmed with scarlett for artillery, and blue for infantry. The pants are the same material. The hat is of a soft durable felt, gray, moderately high crowned, cocked at the sides by a simple button. The fatigue suit is a shirt, pantaloon and zouave cap in a firm hickory cloth. The overcoat is the usual army pattern.

"Contemporary evidence points out that this 'Brigade' uniform was not issued to all six regiments. Only the 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th Regiments seem to have received it, if the evidence found in contemporary references is correct. From various letters, diaries and order books, it appears that the Brigades uniforms were issued in late August or early September. "Contracts for gray cloth ceased upon receipt of a War Department letter dated 23 September 1861, which requested 'that no troops hereafter furnished by your State, for the service of the Government, be uniformed in gray - that being the color generally worn by the enemy.' The issuance of gray clothing did cease on receipt of this order, but gray uniforms continued to be worn by Illinois soldiers well into 1862."

Charles Wills described the a uniform issued to the 8th which must have been the 'brigade uniform' noted above. On Sept. 1, 1861, Wills wrote, "A uniform was also furnished us last week. It is of all-wool goods, and not so heavy as to be uncomfortable. The color is very fine gray, the pants are fashionably cut and equal to such as would cost six dolars in Peoria. The coats have short skirts and are rather fancifully trimmed in blue ... We will have a fatigue suit shortly."

In March 1862, Oglesby wrote himself that his men needed to replace their worn clothing with recently-arrived uniforms. Two separate 8th Ill. soldier diaries (G.D. Molineaux and James Jessee) record that on March 13 they received short dark blue jackets and light blue pants.

I don't have all the ends completely tied up, but it looks like the 8th was out of gray before Shiloh. (Peter Cozzens wrote in 'My Poor Little Ninth' that there is an account of the 9th Ill. changing from gray to blue THAT morning before they headed out to fight.)

Thanks to a sharp eye by Mike Bub, I have an original tintype (SEE BELOW) of William Bullard, Co. A, 8th Ill., who died of wounds March 4, 1862. He is wearing the brigade uniform. They also have a copy of this image on file at Carlisle Barracks. It was this sucker (or Sucker) who started a quest by Greg Schuller and myself to find more images of this uniform.

A back issue of Military Images turned up another (12th Ill.); then we have another published image of a 1st Ill. Cav. trooper (there were a couple companies NOT at Lexington, Mo. but at Cairo) wearing what looks to be it. Also, a contact at Springfield, Ill. turned up the Thomas Riddle image and maybe 1-2 others. A possible 9th Ill. one has turned up, along with at least one other 12th Ill. probable.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=294&pictureid=2527

Also, Nic Clark found a great cased image (SEE BELOW) of what is likely another brigade uniformed Sucker wearing his knapsack and holding musket, sadly it lacks an ID.

Don Troiani did a print of a 12th Ill. soldier a few years back that depicts this uniform.

Thanks for letting me babble on. Sorry Jim if I gave you the wrong impression.

I won't even get into the Whipple-like hat.... :tounge_sm

[Brian Baird]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

John,
I've seen an image from a relative of a member of the 15th Ill. wearing gray at the start of the war.
Brian Baird

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

That's cool! Do you have ID on it? Do you recall was it a jacket or dress coat?
Well, if you get a copy or a scan, you know who to share it with! :tounge_sm

Thanks for dropping the note,

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

I stand corrected. It was just the Illinois units and not Iowa units in Hare's Brigade that had the gray uniforms (see the Thomas Riddle picture). Sorry about the confusion. John is one of the most knowledgable people I know on Illinois units and helped provide much info and help on my research for the 2007 Shiloh event and my research on my ancestor.
On another note, has anyone ever seen a surviving version of the weird (Whipple style?) hat that Riddle is wearing in the picture?

Jim Butler

[markj]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

FWIW. I haven't worked on this for many moons, but I suspect most of it is still good.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

I have to admit Iwas going a little crazy with the 11th grey. It would be like saying we never landed on the moon. Or have we?

We are having a nice blizzard here in Hawkeye land!

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

It was all done in a movie studio in Kahleeforrnia.

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

In 2010 we should get a group of us to meet at Shiloh and have a two day tour. I think it would be fun to tour without having an event.

Any takers?

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

Get outta my head.

One of my biggest regrets in missing Jim's Shiloh events is the 'staff ride/tour' on Sunday....

[rogue]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

Just to add some further photographs. The attached were in the collection of the late Dick Tibbals. He obtained them from Roy Mantle, a collector who lived in Illinois at one time. No identification, but it was felt they were early Illinois boys. Grey uniforms and hats, with US accoutrements and smoothbore muskets. With the exception of the cuffs these are similar to the photographs Mark Jaeger included in his early Indiana work.
Steve Sullivan

[markj]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

This is a complement to the above item I posted in "zoomable pdf." At the time I wrote these items, I was primarily interested in the 10th Indiana Volunteer Infantry hence the special attention paid to that regiment in the text.

Enjoy,

Mark Jaeger

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Grey Uniforms in the Union Army

Mark,

Thanks for providing those articles...they're great! I remember how badly I was chomping at the bit to make a run of early Indiana state jackets for the Rich Mountain event....someday...maybe "for the heck of it."