This
is the uniform that an average soldier in the
Army of the Potomac would have worn during
mid to late war.
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Download
the
Uniform
and Equipment
List
and
the
Vendor
List.
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Forage
Cap
Probably
the most recognizable piece of the Civil War
uniform is the forage cap. It is called a
forage cap because when turned upside-down,
the floppy crown falls down and the cap turns into
a bucket - perfect for berries and nuts. Sometime
company and regimental insignia is attatched to the
disk.
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Shirt
A
civilian style shirt, like the one on the left,
could be any type of pattern, and have glass, bone,
or wood buttons. A Union soldier could wear a
civilian shirt from home or an issue shirt like the
one on the right. The U.S. issue shirts vary
between gray and white domet flannel.
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Vest
To
the campaigning soldier, a vest was unnecessary
weight, so few enlisted men wore them. However,
with etiquette of the 1860's, the vest was an
important part of a man's clothing. This vest is a
civilian pattern rather than a military vest, since
the military vests had to be bought at high prices
(they were not issued).
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Sack
Coat
The
woolen fatigue sack coat gained huge popularity in
the Civil War. It became a universal coat for every
branch of service for its simplicity, durability,
and light weight. It has four brass eagle buttons
and is lined in a drab colored flannel.
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Drawers
Like
the shirt, drawers could be of U.S. issue, like the
pair shown, or of a civilian pattern. Issue drawers
were made of an off-white canton flannel, which has
a durable exterior with a soft interior. Draw
strings at the ankles prevented them from riding up
the legs. Civilian patterns were made usually of
cotton and commonly also an off-white
color.
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Trowsers
These
light blue woolen pants were the standard issue to
most Union soldiers. Before the war, pants were
dark blue, but to save on costs of dye, light blue
was substituted. Note the suspenders attached to
them are of a civilian pattern. Suspenders, or
braces, were not issued by the U.S. government at
this time, therefore a soldier needed to supply his
own.
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Shoes
and Socks
The
shoes shown are known as Jefferson Brogans, and
were the most common among the Union soldiers.
Notice the horseshoe-like heel plates to prevent
the heels from wearing down. The socks are cotton
U.S. issue, however civilian socks, in wool or
cotton of any color, were essential since U.S.
socks were complete garbage.
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