150-Years-Ago -- The Regulation Confederate Uniform Prescribed



New Orleans Daily True Delta
May 25, 1861

The uniform this volunteer was wearing for this picture
varies considerably from the officially prescribed uniform
of the Confederate army, as did most. The palmetto insignia
on his kepi indicates he was a South Carolina soldier.
Ambrotype/Tintype filing series (Library of Congress)
 Liljenquist Family collection (Library of Congress)


Confederate States Uniform.
     The uniform adopted by the secretary of war of the Confederate States . . . is thus described:
     The coat is to be a short tunic of cadet gray cloth, double breasted, with two rows of buttons down the breast two inches apart at the waist, and widening toward the shoulders. The pantaloons are to be of sky-blue cloth, made full at the leg. The buttons to be of plain gilt, convex form, three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The different arms of the service are to be distinguished by the color of the trimmings - blue for infantry, red for artillery, and yellow for cavalry. In the artillery service the buttons are to be stamped with a letter A, but in infantry and cavalry the buttons will bear only the number of the regiment.
     For the general and the officers of his staff the dress will be of dark blue cloth, trimmed with gold; for the medical department, black cloth, with gold and velvet trimming. All badges of distinction are to be marked upon the sleeves and collars. Badges of distinguished rank, on the collar only. For a brigadier-general, three large stars; for a colonel, two large stars; for a lieutenant colonel, one large star; for a major, one small star; and horizontal bars; for captain, three small stars; for a first lieutenant, two small stars; for a second lieutenant, one small star.
     For a general and staff-officers the buttons will be bright gilt, convex, rounded at the edge -  a raised eagle at the center, surrounded by thirteen stars. Exterior diameter of large sized button, 1 inch; of small size, 1/2 inch. For officers of the corps of engineers the same button is to be used, except that in the place of the eagle and stars, there will be a raised E in German text. For officers of artillery, infantry, riflemen and cavalry, the buttons will be a plain gilt convex, with a large raised letter in the center - A for artillery, I for infantry, &c. The exterior diameter of large steel button, seven-eighths of an inch; small size, one-half inch.