Confederate Uniform

A Confederate uniform set a soldier from the South apart from ones from the North. It was commonly seen in gray but a variation of brown was also seen.

Confederate soldier in battle

The Confederate states included the following: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. These states were all south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The Southern states were fighting the war to end slavery and for patriotic reasons. The slaves came from the South. Most soldiers from the South were volunteers who were opposed to the Federal government.

These volunteers believed that they needed to take a stand against the government to stand up for their rights. At the beginning of the war, it was not uncommon for these volunteers to wear clothing from home as their uniform. There were actually shortages of uniforms during the war for the Confederate soldiers.

There was a basic uniform for the Confederacy. Southern uniforms were different from the uniforms worn by the Union soldiers. Their uniforms were made from a poorer quality and were done in cotton, which was plentiful in the South. This uniform was more comfortable and breathable since it was made from cotton instead of wool like those uniforms of the North. The cotton was dyed by various methods, resulting in variations to the colors. Commonly the uniform was dyed gray but could also be done in a brownish-gray, which led to the nickname “Butternuts.”

The basic Confederate uniform consisted of the following components:

• Short jacket with a vest done in gray or tan. The jacket buttoned up the front and often had buttons with markings to identify their regiment.
• Trousers were done in blue, made from jean cloth.
• A shirt made from cotton shirt was worn under the jacket.
• Soldiers were issued cotton or light flannel undergarments.
• The hat worn was a gray slouch hat. This style did not protect the soldier from the sun since it did not have a wide brim.

The Confederate soldier did not have a high quality pair of shoes. Shoes were not in abundance and were hard to obtain. Most shoes did not last for a long period of time. Unlike the North, a belt was not used to carry all their important items. Instead, necessities were carried over the shoulder in a blanket roll. Other items that a soldier would carry included:

• Cap box
• Cartridges
• Bayonet
• Rations

Confederate sharpshooters wore western-style hats and carried special rifles. There were several variations to uniforms of the South. The variations depended on rank and regiment. Officers had more adornments on their jackets than lower-ranking soldiers. Officers also wore darker blue pants than the soldiers wore. The difference in uniforms is what set apart the various ranks and companies.

The uniform of the South was done in gray or tan which set it apart from the blue uniform of the North. There were standard features of the Confederate issued uniform. When a soldier needed a new jacket or pair of trousers, it was not uncommon for them to take one of a causality of the North. The downfall to this practice of taking uniforms was that it led to confusion on deciphering who belonged to what side.

• Civil War Clothes
• Scientist Lab Coat
• Confederate Soldier in Uniform
• What Drives Your Interest In Historical Uniforms?

• Majorette Uniforms
• Roman Soldier Uniform
• United States Military Formal Uniforms
• Girl Scout Uniform History
• Cub Scout Uniform

• Main Page
• Union Soldier Uniform
• Category:Historical Uniforms
• Civil War Soldier Uniform
• Nurse Uniform Catalogs