Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

[faube]

This question was asked of me by an 11 year at a living history last week... quite frankly I had no answer... I can go on for days on the variations of uniforms worn by the Confederates... However, this question begs for an answer... Any HELP would be greatly appreciated... Thanks

Frank Aube

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

I suppose some of it had in part to do with the cost of dyes. The dark blue of the union uniform is due to dyeing with indigo (a southern grown crop) and due to shortages they were even forced to lighten the color of their trousers to "sky blue". Would this have had an affect on the Confederacy as well? Other peoples thoughts?

Paul B. Boulden Jr.

RA VA MIL '04

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

It is the cheepest and easiest dye to produce.

[markj]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

Hi,

Possibly another element that factored into this, aside from the practical reason stated above, was that gray was a traditional "volunteer" color for uniforms of antebellum independent militia companies in both North and South. A good example of this here in Indiana was the "Indianapolis City Grays," organized in July 1857, and later folded into Lew Wallace's 11th Indiana Zouaves (Three Months), which also, incidentally, started the war in gray uniforms.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

This question was asked of me by an 11 year at a living history last week... quite frankly I had no answer... I can go on for days on the variations of uniforms worn by the Confederates... However, this question begs for an answer... Any HELP would be greatly appreciated... Thanks

Frank Aube

While well known that in 1861 much of the early uniforms were anything but uniform, General Order #9 from the Adj./Insp. Cooper in the CSA War Dept. in Richmond, June 1861 issued uniform regulations for the military branches of the Confederacy.

Like Mark Jaeger said the gray was adopted to emulate / associate with the color of the volunteer miltias, North & South, which were the epidimy of what a free society could produce under the Constitutional system they (the South in general) had been living under in pre-war days... Actually many urban northern militias would re-adopt gray militia uniforms in 1866 and continue their usage up to 1898/1917 and beyond in some cases.

Attached are the pages from the Official Record which shows the 'CS Regs'. Although they are basically a carbon copy of the pre-US regs, still interesting to note that Regs. did exist, at least on paper for the C.S.A. Note the "gray / cadet gray" reference.

from: OR : Series 4 - Volume 1 pp. 369-373 courtesy Cornell Univ. MOA

[JustRob]

Why was color Gray chosen

Several volunteer manuals of the period explain that two colors - blue and grey - are the most difficult to see on the battlefield. While they're not that difficult to spot on a green field, once the gunsmoke starts churning, blue (notably sky blue) and grey blend into the background. Studies also showed certain colors, such as red, easier to spot at far ranges.

That at least explains blue and grey. As for why each side picked one, my best guess would be that since the standard Federal uniform was blue, the Confederates had to chose grey, which was already in use in many militia units of the era.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

I don't want to start any flame arguements...but many militia troops also wore blue...First Mannassas comes to mind when I think of the confusion of both armies when many were wearing Blue.

Paul B. Boulden Jr.

RAH VA MIL '04

[Michael McComas]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

I read once in one of the books on Confederate uniforms (I don't recall which, possibly Brasseys) that the US Army used gray for class 2 uniforms, so there was already a quantity of these laid up in the arsenals in the Confederate states. I took that with a grain of salt, pending independent confirmation.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

I read once in one of the books on Confederate uniforms (I don't recall which, possibly Brasseys) that the US Army used gray for class 2 uniforms, so there was already a quantity of these laid up in the arsenals in the Confederate states. I took that with a grain of salt, pending independent confirmation.

Michael

I think I know what "class 2" means, but Im not certain. Could you enlighten me?

[BarryDusel]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

Going back to what Mr. Weddle , et.al, spoke of. It too was explained to me that gray was the prescribed colour for Militia uniforms. This explanation was given to me by various learned indivuals, going back to my formative years participating with the BAR. However, over the years. I've come to a number of theories.
1) That there wasn't any prescribed uniform reg's for militia issued by the Central Gov't.In V. Stuebens 1792 manual, that includes the militia act, etc. There is no refernce made to uniforms. Hell, even as to weaponry all it says is that a militiaman must only provide his own firearm and ammunition. At least that I can find reference too. However, that doesn't mean that at some time a suggestive directive wasn't issued by the Commander of the regular forces. There may even be a regulation guiding militia uniforms. I've never seen it . Has anyone else? maybe some states issued them, but was there a Federal standard? Militia being what it was .I suspect , and it's proven, that not all militia companies had any formal attire.
2) I suspect that many militia companies did attempt to uniform in a method that copied the Regular Military Force of the Central Government. I think that if one were to have access to the colour plates of the COMH that would be shown.
3) As there doesn't appear to be a uniform standard for militia. I do believe much lee way was taken. As was alluded to earlier. Pre War , take a look at descriptions , etc. Case in Point. The Lancaster PA Fencibles. There are at least 2 photoes of them in 1856. They are wearing what's described as a copy of the US Army regs. However, there is some deviation. White pants,(Linen) are apparent. They do wear Regulation Frocks augmented by Cloth fringed epulettes. Their headgear is the 1851 US Shako. I suppose that if one were to investigate further. Their were Zouave attire being used by some Militia units. In other locales, militia units were attired to emulate earlier US Army regs.This would include gray uniforms. Remember, that the Corps of Cadets, USMA, wear a uniform today to honor , W. Scotts forces?, ( Maybe a grad of USMA can chime in here?)
4) As most militia probably drilled or responded to alarms in their everyday clothing. Because of financial considerations.I suspect not many militias had formal uniforms. Those that did, in most cases, did not replace said formal/parade attire too often . In which case those that had purchased said uniforms in the 1830's may have marched away to war in 1861 wearing the formal attire of their unit.At which point said uniform may have been around since ????
5) Also I suspect that some militia units. Desirous of a uniform, but not having the finances. Would accquire surplus uniforms, and thus, earlier regs. In their eyes they were uniforms.
6) Finally gray. Yes, I suspect it is cheap to produce. I believe it shows dirt less readily then other colours, and is probably advantagous for that reason.
While there were some forward thinking indivuals in the military hierachy I don't know how much gray as a subdued colour for camoflage would have been a consideration.
Which brings us back to the basic question. Why was it the colour of choice for the Southron forces?

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

One hears all sorts of things about the regulations of 1861 -- I can't find the reference at hand, but I even read somewhere that the designer based the CSA uniforms on those of the Austrian kaiserjaegers. Certainly expense of manufacture or blue dye wasn't a primary consideration in the first set of regs, or they would not have called for frock coats and light blue trousers.

I'll keep looking for documentation, but in the meantime it might be worth noting that, by late 1862 at least, gray was no longer the official color of the uniform of the Confederate army. See section 4 of the act of congress quoted below, and available at this web site: http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/csstat62/csstat62.html


CHAP. XXXI.--An Act to encourage the Manufacture of Clothing and Shoes for the Army.

October 8, 1862.

President authorized to import, duty free, machinery or materials for the manufacture of clothing, shoes, &c., for the army.

The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President is hereby authorized to import, duty free cards or card cloth, or any machinery or materials necessary for increasing the manufacture of clothing for the army, or any articles necessary for supplying the deficiency of clothing or shoes, or materials for shoes for the army.

Such materials or machinery may be worked on Government account, or leased or sold.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That any machinery, or parts of machinery or materials imported as aforesaid, may be worked on government account, or leased or sold, at the discretion of the President.

The privllege of this act may be extended to companies or individuals.

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That the President may extend the privileges of this Act to companies or individuals, subject to such regulations as he may prescribe.

Clothing for the army may be of such color and quality as may be obtained.

SEC. 4. That the clothing required to be furnished to the troops of the Provisional Army under any existing law may be of such kind, as to color and quality, as it may be practicable to obtain, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

[Michael McComas]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

Robert,

"Class 2" is my usage, not the book's. I believe it said "secondary uniform" or something like that. I took it to mean for fatigue duty, or winter wear. I'll look for the exact quote. The US Army did issue a gray winter uniform up until 1830, and it was still in use throughout the decade. That might have been the source of their assertion. I'll search the books as soon as I can.

-Michael

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

Last night, going through some of my books, I found the source of my reference to the Kaiserjaegers: in Echoes of Glory (CS), on p. 82, credit for the design of the 1861 regulation uniforms is given to Nicola Marschall, a Prussian artist living in Alabama, who based them on the attire of Austrian sharpshooters he'd seen in Verona, Italy in 1857.

That said, since gray was already so widely used in America, it would seem to make a natural alternative to the blue of the regular US army.

Not that one really needs contrasting coats to fight. Both the Prussians and French in 1870 had blue coats -- I guess it helped that the French wore red trousers.

Interestingly enough, by the time the Confederate States had officially adopted a double-breasted tunic based on the KuK's, the Austrians themselves had switched (in 1859) to a more field-worthy single breasted tunic.

[RyanBWeddle]

Addition

Here is an additional version of my previous post, info now in PDF.

[FlemSmythe]

Re: Why was color Gray chosen as the color for the Confederacy

stupid as this sounds, I was speculating that maybe they chose gray because they used that color for the VMI uniforms? :confused_

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