How much do you know about the uniforms and equipment of the US military in various periods?
DATE: Mar 29th, 2024
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War of Independence period (1775-1783)
Tricorne hat This cocked hat is made of black felt and the brim edge is usually bound with a white wool band. The white trim of the wool band represents infantry and the yellow trim represents artillery. On the left front there is a black cockade made of ribbon, secured with string and buttons. After France entered the war, the hat was changed to black and white. Coats The uniform coat of the Continental Army was made of dark blue wool, contrasting with the red uniform of the British Army. The trim on the collar, cuffs, and lapels varied in color depending on the region: white in New England; aqua in New York and New Jersey; red in the Mid-Atlantic states; and blue in the Southern states. Vest: Worn under a coat, over a shirt, the vest is usually single-breasted, with a stand-up collar and two small pockets in front. Shirt: The shirt is usually made of coarse white or natural linen, long and loose, with full, slender sleeves and a large collar. Collar scarf: Worn over the collar of the shirt and tied around the neck with a buckle, clasp, or tie string, they help soldiers maintain military posture. They are usually black and woven from horsehair, leather, or linen. Overalls: For winter service, overalls were usually made of white wool; for summer service, they were usually made of white linen. Pants were usually cut looser than breeches. Breeches: Breeches were a common civilian garment, worn early in the war. Breeches had a full seat, tight legs, and were just below the knee in length. Breeches were usually made of wool or linen, and sometimes leather. George Washington considered overalls to be a superior garment, and by the end of 1778, most U.S. troops had adopted overalls in place of breeches. During the first years of the war, large numbers of uniforms were manufactured in the central cities of Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Charleston. These uniforms were made from locally woven cloth or fabric imported from France.
Shoes were low-topped black leather shoes with buckles or laces. War of Independence Period (1775-1783)
Uniforms for the Continental Army varied throughout the war due to shortages of supplies and transportation difficulties, but the Continental Army generally wore uniforms similar to those of the world's elite forces of the time, the British and French armies. The Continental Army established uniform regulations in 1779 and worked to standardize small arms and equipment with some success by the end of the war. Equipment The most common backpack is a square linen bag with a large flap, usually painted, for protection in wet weather. It can be used to equip with clothing, personal items and a folded blanket. A backpack is a white linen bag used to carry food, utensils and small personal items. A canteen was used for liquids, usually water, and was a round wooden "cheese box" bucket. It had a wooden stopper and was secured by a leather shoulder strap. The two crossed belts were usually made of "whitened buffalo hide" but sometimes tanned leather or woven linen was used. One of the belts extends from the left shoulder to the right hip, supporting the cartridge case. The cartridge case, also usually of leather, contained a wooden block with small holes drilled in it to hold pre-rolled paper cartridges, usually about two dozen rounds. Another belt hung in the opposite direction, with a buckle or breastplate to adjust the length, and was used to support the sheath of the bayonet. The blackened, tanned leather sheath was sized to fit the blade of the bayonet. The early rifle of the Continental Army was the British Land War Short Musket also known as the Type II Brown Bess Rifle, a smoothbore flintlock firing a 0.75 caliber lead bullet. By the end of the war, the M1766 Charleville musket, supplied by the allied French army, had become the most common weapon in the Continental Army's inventory.
War of 1812 (1812-1815)
During the War of 1812, Army regiments varied in their equipment, with the exception of uniforms. Designs continued to follow European military trends, and by 1813 lace ties were no longer a feature and uniforms could be mass-produced and quickly distributed to troops. The "Tombstone" military cap was a tall, black, flat-topped cap with a slightly extended top. Originally made of felt, it was later changed to leather to better withstand the elements. The cap features the troop logo and a white wool plume. The braided cord with tassel comes in yellow or white: yellow for artillery and white for infantry. Jacket: This tight-fitting uniform is waist-length in the front and has a short tail in the back. The single-breasted uniform had 10 metal buttons and a high stand-up collar with white trim. Dark blue was the prescribed color, but due to a shortage of dyes (most of which came from Europe), gray, brown, and green wool were also used. Silver or white trim was used for infantry, and gold or yellow trim for other units. Vest: Undershirts, also called undershirts, were single-breasted, had high standing collars, and were worn over shirts and under coats. The vest is of white linen in summer, and of wool in winter. Shirt: Shirts are generally made of white or natural linen, long and loose, with long, wide sleeves and large collars. Shirts were also used as pajamas. Collar Cover: Worn on the collar of the shirt to help the soldier maintain his military posture, the neck brace is usually black leather and secured with a brass clasp. Pants: Pants had replaced breeches and overalls by the War of 1812. Like breeches, pants were white linen in summer and blue, white, or gray wool in winter. Tights Also known as leggings, they were designed to keep shoes from getting dusty and to protect the legs in rough terrain. Tights are worn over the outside of the pant leg and reach just below the knee. They were usually black wool or canvas painted black, with button closures on the outside and straps under the boots. Dark, tanned leather shoes usually have a rough side. Small wooden pegs held the soles of the leather shoes together, and the rest of the boot was stitched together with twine. Equipment. Soldiers carried spare clothing, personal effects, and a folded blanket in linen backpacks painted with the word "U.S." in a light blue oval under the flap and secured with three straps. All clothing not worn close to the body was coated with waterproof paint. The white linen knapsack contained food, utensils, and small personal items. The kettle was usually a round wooden "cheese box" bucket for liquids, usually water. The kettle had a wooden stopper and hung from a strap, most of which were painted sky blue according to regulations, with "U.S." painted in white. The cross strap was made of "whitened buff" leather or leather dyed black. (This is the more efficient option). The black leather bullet case contains a wooden block with holes drilled in the top for pre-rolled paper bullets. Beneath the wood block is a tin tray with three compartments for spare flints, musket tools and a cleaning rag. A belt that hung across the left shoulder supported the weight of the box. Another belt supported the bayonet's sheath, which ran from the right shoulder to the left hip. It also has an oval chest plate for length adjustment. The sheath is made of black leather and is sized to fit the bayonet blade. M1795 Springfield Rifle: the first rifle issued in the United States, it was manufactured by the Springfield Arsenal in Massachusetts and several private contractors, including Eli Whitney. It was a direct copy of the French Charleville rifle used in the Revolutionary War.
Civil War (1861-1865)
By the middle of the Civil War, the uniforms of the U.S. Army, known as the "Regular Army," and the volunteer regiments raised by the states had been largely standardized. Although there were still some types, standardized uniforms for enlisted infantrymen had emerged. The first type Dress Coat. The M1858 pattern cap, known as the dress cap or Hardie cap, is made of black felt with a three-inch brim, rolled up on one side, and a stamped brass eagle design (from the U.S. coat of arms) on the brim. The branch insignia of the infantry was a looped hunting bugle with the regimental number in the center and the letters of the company at the top. In addition, the forage cap described in "Fatigue Uniforms" was issued. The uniform was also fitted with a smoked buffalo leather belt with a brass plate or buckle bearing the letters "U.S." and the back of the belt was filled with lead for added weight. Attached to the belt is a black leather percussion cartridge pouch containing primers for rifles or muskets. Sewn-in wool strips keep the musket cap from falling off. Overcoats The two most worn coats by infantry units throughout the war were the 1858 dress coat and the sack coat, a fatigue topcoat. Worn by infantry, cavalry, and light artillery units, the sack coat was made of dark blue, loose-fitting facecloth wool woven to just below the waistline, and was available in four sizes. Single-breasted with four brass buttons and a simple rolled collar, the sack coat was primarily used for work or detail, but by the end of the war it was more popular on the battlefield than the dress coat. The 1858 dress coat, also known to civilians as a frock coat, was made of dark blue wool with a hemline halfway to the knee. It was single-breasted with nine brass generic eagle buttons down the front and a stand-up collar attached at the neck. The sleeves have pointed cuffs that open at the seams and are secured with two small brass buttons. The edges of the collar and cuffs are set with piping cloth in the color of the service (sky blue for infantry). Early in the war, these coats were more commonly worn by infantrymen, as well as certain infantry and heavy artillery units. Shirts: The shirts issued by the army were of the pullover type, and were made of white dolomite facecloth, a kind of cotton or cotton and wool facecloth. These shirts are coarse in texture, inexpensive, and easy to manufacture. Pants: Enlisted men wore full cut, straight legged, cuffed, wrinkle free pants with vertical side pockets, made of sky blue wool, a coarse wool. A small tightening band called a "yoke" gives the pants a better fit. The pants came in four sizes and had no belt or suspenders, but soldiers could wear them themselves. Shoes, called Jeffersons, were ankle-high, lace-up, smooth, blackened leather, with soles held in place by small wooden pegs.
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