Confederate

Federal

Trousers:   Eastern states offered gray or butternut Kersey wool, somewhat standard to each region with minor differences in details.  In the Western theater, trousers were mostly civilian pants, due to the fact there were very few depots to issue standardized pants.  With cloth being so hard to get, many times fabric was woven from combinations of wool and cotton, known as jean wool. 

Shirt:  Most  Confederate shirts were of civilian origin.   Typically, a banded collar or pointed collar with 3 button placket front.  Long sleeves with buttoned cuffs were the standard.  Most of the time the soldier wore his own shirts made by a loved one back home from whatever material they had, including cotton, linen and sometimes-even Mother’s tablecloth. 

Jacket:  Early war, majority of the soldiers would have worn a frock coat, a long coat reaching the knee.  As war progressed and supplies more scarce, the government realized a frock could be cut shorter and hence, save fabric.  Thus shell jackets, or waistcoats, became the standard.  The uniformity ended with the length of jacket.  Each state changed individual details to make their soldiers look different from other states.  For example, the Richmond Depot jackets featured a stand up collar with epilates and belt loops.  Where the Columbus Depot jackets a similar collar, no epilates, and no belt loops.  Jacket fabric was mostly Kersey wool (Eastern theater) or jean wool (Western)

Socks:  Confederate socks were issued in some cases, but generally, sent from home.

Shoes: most soldiers wore Brogans, or again, something brought from home.  In some cases, whatever footwear the man had would be his only shoes or boots.

Hat:  Confederate troops wore a kepi, an adaptation of a French style cap.  No standardization, with most men wearing whatever cap or hat he brought from home.  Quickly, a soldier realized the need for sun and rain protection and foraging, thereby his hat was more for function than style.

Haversack:  A bag hung on the right shoulder, resting on the left hip, with only one function—to carry three days’ rations (food) and any mess ware he might have.  Fabric was canvas, or ticking, or any sturdy fabric such as tapestry or carpeting.  A single flap, secured by 1-3 buttons was the only way to keep the contents confined.

Dinnerware (mess): There would be nothing standard. Forks, spoons and knives were either picked up or brought from home.  The plates would be of metal or possibly, the more useful “canteen half”.  A large metal cup, mucket or even a “peach can” would meet the soldier’s drinking needs. 

Cartridge Box: Used to hold the ammunition that each soldier would carry. It could hold approximately 40 rounds (shots) this would be the worn either on the soldier’s belt or an over-the-shoulder sling.  The box would be made of various materials early in the war.  This box would be made of canvas and coated with a tar and linseed oil mixture for waterproofing.

Belt: used to carry ones bayonet and cap pouch.  It would be fastened with various styles of buckles, quite often representing a particular region or military unit.  If a soldier has lost his buckle and found a U.S. buckle, he would confiscate it and wear it upside-down.  S.N. representing “Southern Nation”.

Cap Pouch: Is the piece of equipment that holds the primers (caps) for use with the muzzle loading muskets.

Bayonet: fits on the end of the muskets and would be used for close “hand to hand” fighting.  Held on the belt by using a scabbard, a piece of leather designed specifically to hold the bayonet.

Canteen:  A very important piece of equipment to carry drinking water.  The Confederate troops would have several types made from wood, tin, or even in some cases, animal skins. They would be carried by a sling made from various types of materials.

Back Pack:  Very few backpacks (knapsacks) were issued by the Confederate government. State militias would have made their own.  Styles varied according to available materials.  Federal backpacks would have been captured and used whenever possible.  Many soldiers incorporated the bedroll in lieu of a knapsack.  No matter what they used, a soldier would have carried a blanket, an extra shirt, drawers, socks, or any comfort items they may have the luxury of possessing.  Personal items for hygiene and remembrances from home would have been carried in the knapsack or bedroll.

Weapon:  Early war would have found the soldier carrying his rifle from home, typically a smooth bore musket.  As states captured Federal arsenals, improved weapons would have been distributed.  Still, the majority of the captured weapons available to the Southern troops were the outdated versions.  To equal the firepower and accuracy of the 1861 Springfield rifled musket carried by the Federal troops, the Confederates had few options.  They had to import from Europe, primarily Great Britain, the model 1853 Enfield rifled musket.  There were very few manufacturing facilities in the South, with Harpers Ferry being one facility, which made two varieties of a rifled musket, the Richmond rifle and the Harpers Ferry rifle.  Both models were close copies of the 1861 Springfield.

Trousers:  In the beginning of the war, the Federal troops wore the trousers of their state militia.  As the war progressed, the United States began to issue standard styled clothing.  Trousers were Kersey wool, sky blue in color.  

Shirt:  Uniform shirt was long sleeved white muslin, with a three-button placket and fold-over collar.  Muslin was worn in the warm months, while a wool or flannel shirt would have been worn in the winter.

Jacket:  State militia issued jackets gave way to more standardized uniform jackets.  Early war had various styles, such as frocks, shells, and sacks.  In an effort to standardize the U.S. Army, the Federal government adopted and issued a common, four-button, dark  blue, wool sack coat with American eagle buttons for all branches of the service.  Differences in each branch were illustrated by the color of the stripes and the backing of the shoulder boards.  Red-artillery, blue-infantry, yellow-cavalry, black-officers of the command staff.

Socks:  Standard wool socks.  Soldiers also wore socks sent from home, too.

Shoes:  Jefferson bootie brogans.  No right or left designation.  Soldier had to break them in to fit his foot comfort.

Hat:  While many variations existed in the beginning of the war, the standardization of the uniform continued by the issuing of the dark blue kepi or forage cap.  Soldiers fighting in the Western theater, in violation of military regulations, wore the wide-brimmed slouch hat whenever possible for protection from the elements.

Haversack:  These were made from a lightweight canvas covered with a black waterproofing material, it had an inner bag for the food and this bag was supposed to keep the food separate from the other items carried in this bag.

Dinnerware:  issued item would have been a tin cup steel plate, a knife, fork, spoon either in the form of a combination set or as individual pieces.

Cartridge Box:  This would be used to store the “40 rounds” (bullets) that each solider would carry into battle.  These boxes would be black in color and made of leather and worn either by use of a sling worn over the left shoulder or on the waist belt on the right hip.

Waist Belt:  belts were made from harness leather and dyed black their purpose was to hold the cap pouch, bayonet scabbard and if necessary the infantryman’s cartridge box.  It would have been secured with a standard US oval buckle.

Cap Pouch:  Black dyed leather with a shield style flap covering a pouch lined with sheep’s wool would best describe this accouterment worn on the waist belt.

Bayonet: The federal issued bayonet would be unique to the weapon that the soldier was carrying.  If, for example, he was carrying an 1861 Springfield the bayonet issued would be for that model weapon, since in most case the bayonets were not interchangeable.

Canteen: In the beginning of the war there were several varieties; a “kidney” shape with a filter, a tin drum, and a “bulls eye” shape. All of these gave way to the Federally issued smooth side canteen.

Back Pack: “Knapsack” is a non-rigid, double bag style that was made of a rubberized or painted canvas. It had shoulder straps and front straps that would be hooked to the infantryman’s belt or secured across his chest.  The Federal infantryman was expected to carry a double wool blanket, extra pair of shoes and socks, mess equipment, toilet articles and spare clothing.

Weapon: While there was many different rifled and smoothbore muskets used and issued by the Federal arsenals, none was more accepted or sought after than the Model 1861 Springfield Rifle Musket.  This rugged 1861 weapon saw more action from 1862 – 1865 than any other Federal firearm.  More than 700,000 of the 58-caliber Springfield's were manufactured during the war.

Reenacting Information

The Arkansas Toothpick

    Arkansas Sesquicentennial

Historic Dressmaker-Miss Ellie's Emporium