08.28.08
The Development of Civil War Uniforms
At the beginning of the Civil War, there really weren’t any specific uniforms for the armies. The Union army was made up of many different ethnic groups, from Italians to the Irish. Their uniforms reflected their backgrounds until the uniforms were standardized. The Confederate’s early uniforms were more of a general color format, but also consisted of different ethnic influences. The result during a battle was confusion, such as was found at the First Battle of Bull Run. Many opposing sides’ uniforms had similar markings and styles. There was much confusion and a bloody battle was the result. Strangely enough, even after that battle no one sought to standardize the uniforms.
The Standardized Civil War uniforms had many differences to signify rank and duty. For example, the Union Officer’s Kepi was more ornate than the enlisted soldier’s Kepi. The insignias were often worn on the soldiers’ hats. The Cavalry Kepi Insignia depicts crossed swords, while the Civil War Artillery Insignia depicted crossed cannon barrels.
The differences in the uniforms is vast, but very subtle. Different numbers of buttons on the soldier’s jacket denoted rank, while different insignias denoted their duty. Civil War uniforms are fascinating in their intricacy, both before and after standardization.
