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I was working on the subject of Michigan issued gray uniforms and thought someone on the forum might find this interesting. The gray uniforms worn by the 3rd Michiagn and 4th Michiagn Infantry Regiments are fairly well know but not many people know about the Camp of Instruction gray uniforms.
Michigan established a Camp of Instruction for officers and non-commissioned officers from militia units being considered for inclusion in the 5th, 6th and 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. The Camp of Instruction ran from July to August of 1861. The men who attended were instructed to wear uniforms of blue or some color other than gray. Caps, shirts and perhaps full uniforms were to be issued there.[i] Some men would have arrived wearing their militia company uniforms. After they arrival, the state, unable to procure blue cloth and instead issued the non-commissioned officers gray uniforms.[ii]
The uniforms issued to the non-commissioned officers were gray roundabout jackets with black trim and black badges on the sleeves to denote rank. It is probable that the buttons were Michigan staff buttons. The pants were also gray, but the caps were blue. A gray shirt and coarse shoes completed the outfit.[iii] Samuel Sykes & Company, 180 Jefferson Avenue Detroit Michigan or one of the four other Detroit merchant tailors made up the uniforms (E. S. Heineman & Company, Russell House block, under the Russell House, Detroit, Michigan, James. McGrath, 105 Woodward Avenue Detroit Michigan, H. Hallock 168 Jefferson Avenue Detroit Michiagn, M. B. (Michael) Kean 76 Woodward Avenue Detroit Michigan). F. Buhl & Company, 148 Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan most likely made up the caps (Buhl usually made the caps but often used the other three Detroit hat makers help fill his contracts). The cloth for these uniforms was manufactured in Michigan by the Battle Creek and Jonesville Woolen factories ((H. (Horance) Ranson Gardner & Company Jonesville Woolen Factory, Water Street, Jonesville Michigan, The Battle Creek Factory. Possibly this was the William Wallace Woolen Factory, Jefferson, Battle Creek Michigan).
The Detroit Daily Tribune confirmed this when they reported that the NCOs of the Skeleton Regiments had been outfitted in gray uniforms.[iv] The Weekly Mercury and St, Joseph County Advertiserindicates the NCOs attending the Camp of Instruction were being measured for uniforms made of gray, with the non-commissioned officers receiving uniforms at cost to them and that officers attending the Camp of Instruction furnish their own dress uniforms.[v] An article in the Detroit Daily Advertiser on July 2 1861 indicates they were going to receive blue uniforms styled like the uniforms of the 1st and 2nd Regiments made of blue cloth made by the Battle Creek and Jonesville woolen factories. This was in error because neither of these factory had the ability to manufacture blue cloth
No information about the uniforms purchased by officers attending the Camp of Instruction is available; however it is probable that the normal state company grade officer’s blue frock coats, dark blue trousers and dark blue caps were purchased by the officers. The state’s officer’s frock coats were based on the current U.S. Officer’s frock coats and nearly identical to U.S. officer uniforms except the buttons. Officers in charge of operating the Camp of Instruction wore standard state, blue frock coats, either staff grade or company grade, which ever was appropriate. Offices used Michigan staff buttons, or infantry buttons. Most officers purchased their uniforms from M. B. (Michael) Kean, 76 Woodward Avenue, Detroit Michigan. The Camp of Instruction used the old rifles of the 4th Regiment.
[i] Detroit Free Press, July 6 1861.
[ii] Detroit Daily Advertiser, June 14 1861.
[iii] Marshall Statesman, July 10 1861.
[iv] Detroit Daily Tribune, August 2 1861.
[v] Weekly Mercury and St. Joseph County Advertise, Jul 11 1861.r
Michigan established a Camp of Instruction for officers and non-commissioned officers from militia units being considered for inclusion in the 5th, 6th and 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. The Camp of Instruction ran from July to August of 1861. The men who attended were instructed to wear uniforms of blue or some color other than gray. Caps, shirts and perhaps full uniforms were to be issued there.[i] Some men would have arrived wearing their militia company uniforms. After they arrival, the state, unable to procure blue cloth and instead issued the non-commissioned officers gray uniforms.[ii]
The uniforms issued to the non-commissioned officers were gray roundabout jackets with black trim and black badges on the sleeves to denote rank. It is probable that the buttons were Michigan staff buttons. The pants were also gray, but the caps were blue. A gray shirt and coarse shoes completed the outfit.[iii] Samuel Sykes & Company, 180 Jefferson Avenue Detroit Michigan or one of the four other Detroit merchant tailors made up the uniforms (E. S. Heineman & Company, Russell House block, under the Russell House, Detroit, Michigan, James. McGrath, 105 Woodward Avenue Detroit Michigan, H. Hallock 168 Jefferson Avenue Detroit Michiagn, M. B. (Michael) Kean 76 Woodward Avenue Detroit Michigan). F. Buhl & Company, 148 Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan most likely made up the caps (Buhl usually made the caps but often used the other three Detroit hat makers help fill his contracts). The cloth for these uniforms was manufactured in Michigan by the Battle Creek and Jonesville Woolen factories ((H. (Horance) Ranson Gardner & Company Jonesville Woolen Factory, Water Street, Jonesville Michigan, The Battle Creek Factory. Possibly this was the William Wallace Woolen Factory, Jefferson, Battle Creek Michigan).
The Detroit Daily Tribune confirmed this when they reported that the NCOs of the Skeleton Regiments had been outfitted in gray uniforms.[iv] The Weekly Mercury and St, Joseph County Advertiserindicates the NCOs attending the Camp of Instruction were being measured for uniforms made of gray, with the non-commissioned officers receiving uniforms at cost to them and that officers attending the Camp of Instruction furnish their own dress uniforms.[v] An article in the Detroit Daily Advertiser on July 2 1861 indicates they were going to receive blue uniforms styled like the uniforms of the 1st and 2nd Regiments made of blue cloth made by the Battle Creek and Jonesville woolen factories. This was in error because neither of these factory had the ability to manufacture blue cloth
No information about the uniforms purchased by officers attending the Camp of Instruction is available; however it is probable that the normal state company grade officer’s blue frock coats, dark blue trousers and dark blue caps were purchased by the officers. The state’s officer’s frock coats were based on the current U.S. Officer’s frock coats and nearly identical to U.S. officer uniforms except the buttons. Officers in charge of operating the Camp of Instruction wore standard state, blue frock coats, either staff grade or company grade, which ever was appropriate. Offices used Michigan staff buttons, or infantry buttons. Most officers purchased their uniforms from M. B. (Michael) Kean, 76 Woodward Avenue, Detroit Michigan. The Camp of Instruction used the old rifles of the 4th Regiment.
[i] Detroit Free Press, July 6 1861.
[ii] Detroit Daily Advertiser, June 14 1861.
[iii] Marshall Statesman, July 10 1861.
[iv] Detroit Daily Tribune, August 2 1861.
[v] Weekly Mercury and St. Joseph County Advertise, Jul 11 1861.r
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