The drawing is based on a photo of Wesley Culp, who would be
killed near Gettysburg two years later. Because it is not known whether the
shirt he is wearing was unique to him and because the colors are not known, I
have drawn it in black and white. Another member of this company writes in a
letter that they have been given heavy shirts, possibly this type. I myself
added a kepi with havelock against the sun and white belts.
Co D “Berkeley Border Guards”
This drawing is based
on a photograph taken early in the war, probably around April 1861, of James M.
Reed.He wears a dark blue
kepi, a long gray coat and pants with black trim. Cadet chevrons are worn on
the coat. These were normally only worn by recruits from military academies.
There was no rank indication for ordinary soldiers. This is one of many
examples of personal or company adaptations of soldiers from both sides in
1861.
Co E “Hedgesville Blues”
I have based this
drawing on a photo of a member of this unit. As some companies of the 2nd
Virginia Infantry were described as wearing red and blue shirts in 1861. I have
given my example a red shirt. It’s just an interpretation, for I’m not interely
sure if the photo is from 1861. Many companies after shedding their jackets or
coats or just wearing shirts could have looked almost as this drawing; this goes
for many Confederate companies, but could go for Union regiments and companies,
such as from Ohio, 11th New York, 1st Minnesota as well creating much confusion
that day.
Co H “Letcher Riflemen”
This drawing is based on a description of a descendant of a
soldier of Company H "Letcher Riflemen" of the 2nd Virginia Regiment.
He has a photo that he describes on a forum. Unfortunately, the person is no
longer online, because I wanted to request a scan of the photo. He described
the uniform as a gray jacket with a black collar and ditto epaulettes and dark
blue or dark gray kepi. It was a photo of the torso so it is not clear whether
the coat is a long "frock coat" or a short "rondabout".
That's why I only drew the top part.
Co I “Clarke Riflemen”
I have based this drawing on a portrait photo of Carter Louthan from this
company and a photo of two Virginian soldiers with "CR" on their
caps, the jackets look the same as the portrait photo of Carter Louthan. So it
is almost, but not 100% certain that the pair are also from this company. The
long coat has gold colored tape around the collar. The kepi has a black band
with gold-coloured letters “CR”. Black piping is worn on the pants
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Unknown company
Based on information from "Sunday Picnic
Uniforms". Cap with black rubber waterproof cover, black trousers, gray
long coat with black collar and black pointed trim on the sleeves, white
webbing belts.
4th Virginia Infantry Regiment
Co B “Fort Lewis Volunteers”
The
soldier has been identified as Abraham Gross. He wears a kepi with black band
and bronze letters “FLV”, a short “roundabout” or “shell” jacket, and trousers
with a broad black seam stripe. Apart from the black trim on the pants and cap
and the "FLV" lettering, this is actually a harbinger of the basic
uniform that the South would wear for the rest of the war, albeit in various
shades of gray from almost white to gray blue or gray black, and with all kinds
of hats or caps as headgear.
Co C “Pulaski Guards”
This company wore gray
long coats and trousers. The pants have a green thick trim. They also wore a
gray shako with a green band and pompom. A gold wreath with “PG” was worn on
the front. In my drawing I had the wearers remove the metal reinforcement from
the shako and the pompom, so that the cap has become an easier to wear kepi. As
with so many Virginia regiments, white webbing straps and cross straps are worn
as equipment with the Virginia coat of arms on the belt buckle.
Co F “Virginia/Grayson Daredevils”
This drawing is based
on a photo of an original uniform, partially worn during the battle. According
to the description with the uniform, this was worn by both the officers and
men. The jacket was not worn because it was quite warm during the battle. The
jacket and cap have a kind of pepper and salt color, the pants are light gray
with a pepper and salt color. According to other accounts, this
company wore bright red shirts, based on the then popular "red
shirts" worn by Garibaldi's troops during the battles for the unification
of Italy. The first drawing with a coat depicts a soldier of this company while
waiting at the Piedmont Station from which several regiments were transported
by train to Manassas. This was the first time in history that soldiers were
transported to the battlefield by train. The second drawing, without jacket and
with red shirt, depicts a soldier of this company on Henry Hill during the
battle.
Co G “Montgomery Invincibles”/ “Wise Fencibles”
These two drawings and
the photos on which they are based make it clear that even in a company of a
regiment there could be a difference in uniformity. The only similarities
between the two soldiers are the gray pants with black trim and the white
webbing straps. The first soldier, based on the accompanying photo of Elijah
McClanahan Ingles, wears his long gray coat and shako with “WF” initials. Often
the metal wire reinforcements were removed from the old shakos so that it
looked more like a more slack modern kepi. In the photo the carrier has not
done that, I have done that on the drawing.
Soldier number two,
based on the accompanying photo of J.K. Ewing is no longer wearing his coat.
During the battle on July 21 it was very hot and many soldiers from both sides
took off their heavy coats and fought in overshirts. These were often civilian
shirts so that after taking off the coats a group of soldiers who looked
orderly with coats had a motley appearance of red, blue, white and many
patterned shirts, this is described in eyewitness reports as being soldiers in
civilian clothes. Ewing wears a “Sicilian” hat as a headgear, often a personal
taste of the wearer.
Co I “Liberty Hall Volunteers”
This company consisted
of younger students. This unit, like several confederate units, had a shirt
with two large pockets as a uniform jacket. These shirts were piped in black in
various ways at the collar, sleeves, closure and pockets. See also the original
portrait photos. A dark blue cap, sometimes with bronze “LHV” letters, was worn
as a kepie. Some of them wore a white “havelock” cover against the sun. Gray
trousers with black trim were worn, sometimes with white leggings. White
webbing belts and transverse belts in the early militia style were worn as
equipment. The drawing represents a crucial part of the battle: it looked bad
for the Confederates until General T.J. Jackson called on the 4th and 27th
Virginia infantry regiments to stop the advancing federal 14th Brooklyn Zouave
regiment. After a fiery speech from him, the regiments attacked, under loud shouting,
the birth of the “rebel yell”. The 14th Brooklyn was driven back, but the
battle was not over yet.
5th Virginia Infantry Regiment
Co A “Marion Rifles”
A clear early photo of
this unit is known of Peter Lauck Kurtz. I based the drawing on this photo. He
wears a frock coat with black bars on the collar and three black bands with a
button on each sleeve. He wears pants with black trim. He wears a black hat
with a small brim, folded up on both sides. It is not known whether this hat
was worn only by Peter Lauck Kurtz, or whether his entire company wore the same
hats. It can be a personal addition, as so much happened in the Civil War.
Co C “Mountain Guards”
As with several
companies and regiments from both the North and the South, the red overshirt
was also popular with this company. Gray trousers and dark blue kepi and white
webbing belts are worn. I discolored and faded the shirt. The drawing depicts a
soldier who takes cover in the tall grass for the exploding grenades above him,
the fear can be read from his face and body position. The red shirt stands out
from miles away and is a perfect target. Young boys from the North and South
volunteered with a happy feeling, which they expected would only last a few
months and the war would be won. Disappointment soon set in…
Co D “Southern Guard” part 1, (right) and Co F "West View Infantry" (left)
Company D “Southern
Guard” is taken from an early war picture of James B. McCutchan, showing an early beautifully
trimmed coat, whether it is a frock coat or rondabout and if the undersleeves
are trimmed is not known unfortunately. Records say grey coats, but tekst is
partly illegible.
Company F “West View
Infantry” is taken from an early war picture, no further information is known whether
it’s a shirt, frock coat or rondabout
5th Virginia Infantry
Regiment. Company D “Southern Guard” (part 2)
I have based this
drawing on a 1861 “excerpts from the Supplemental Official records. Company
records”description about the uniforms of Company D.
Many thanks to the www.Stonewallbrigade.com website for providing
this. Members of the facebookpages of the Stonewallbrigade and
Authentic Campaigner helped me with the interpretation of the “U.S. Navy caps”:
this could have been a navy cap with peak or simply a navy blue kepi or forage
cap. The “gray illegible jacket” is described in the post above. The “blue
flannel jacket” is very probably a shirt.
Co E “Augusta Greys”
Based on a picture
from december 1861 showing a blue kepi with sky blue piping, with brass “AG”
letters in front. The blue shirt is taken from a reenactment group, but I don’t
know if it’s entirely accurate. Under research.
Does somebody know how to contact this reenactment group?
I want to ask them about the shirts
Co G “Staunton Rifles”
Based on an early war
photograph, showing the wearer in gray military pants with black or dark green
(rifles) trouser stripe but with a civilian coat. The hat can be a personal
touch. Nothing is known of the military coat or shirt that was worn in 1861, so
I draw him with a white undershirt, as many coats were taken off, due tot he heat
in July, 21th, 1861..
Co K “Continental Morgan Guards”
This uniform looks as if
it comes from the Revolutionary War 90 years earlier. This militia had this
uniform prewar, and there is a possibility it was also worn at First Manassas
until other evidence surfaces
Co L “West Augusta Guards”
This is a uniform that
undoubtedly caused a lot of confusion on the battlefield.
The uniform is a
variation of the state uniform prescribed in 1858. Many regiments in Virginia
had a gray variant in 1860, but a number of companies of Virginia regiments
still had the blue 1858 uniform in various variants in 1861. It hardly differs
from some uniforms of the Union counterpart, the uniform of the U.S. Army.
regular troops was almost the same. However, a few minor details were unique to
this uniform. The Hardee hat did not bear the infantry horn, but the letters
“WAG”, for “West Augusta Guards”. The jacket had no light blue piping on the
collar and sleeve cuffs. Badges, probably the “L” of company “L”, were worn on
the collar. Light blue pants were worn instead of the dark blue ones.
A white militia pair
with oval clasp without inscription is worn.
27th Virginia Infantry Regiment
Co B “Virginia Hibernians”, Captain Norris
Charles Norris was only 17 years old when he was made acting
captain of Company B (60 to 100 men). He was a cadet at the Virginia Military
Institute (VMI). Since there was apparently no officer's uniform available, he
wore his cadet uniform during the battle, borrowing the jacket from a study
mate. Charles Norris led Company B in a crucial counterattack by General
Jackson. He was hit in the heart during this attack. His older brother Joseph
Norris who was also present at the battle and served with the Loundoun
artillery found the body after the battle and brought it home. Charles Norris
was buried in Leesburg. This is one of the many tragic stories of the Civil
War. The very young age feels shocking and admirable at the same time. Charles
Norris' jacket with bullet hole is kept in the VMI. The current uniform of the
cadets of the VMI has hardly changed except for a few details. In my research
into the uniforms worn during this battle, I have been unable to find any
information regarding the uniforms of Company B's men. I gave the men gray
trousers, and, which often happened given the heat that afternoon, I had them
take off their coats, revealing the civilian shirts, in all colors, this was
confirmed in several eyewitness accounts. As headgear I gave them a kepi with
white “havelock” against the sun, the color of the kepis are thus hidden. The
person behind left wears a civilian mechanic cap with rubber cover. These were
regularly brought along by men of both sides with this profession. Finally, the
flag that is carried. This is the Southern “Stars and Bars” , the opposite of
the Northern “Stars and Stripes”. From a distance, these opposing flags looked
a lot alike. Just like the uniforms, this led to a lot of confusion, so that
enemy troops were accidentally fired at enemy troops or not at all or too late.
In late 1861, therefore, Confederate troops would fly the famous and better-known
“Southern Cross” battle flag, which was very different from the “Stars and
Stripes”.
Co E “Greenbrier/ Lewis Rifles”
I based this drawing
on the accompanying photo of Alfred Mallory Edgar. As was customary for several
Confederate companies, the overshirt is worn. A cheaper alternative than a
uniform jacket, and, for the warm summer months, much more comfortable. The
overshirt has no decorations, but does have small gold, probably military
buttons. Gray trousers are worn. A gray kepi with a black band is worn as
headgear.
CCummings Regiment (later 33d Virginia Infantry Regiment)
Co H “Page Greys”
These two drawings and
the photos on which they are based also clearly show that even in a company of
a regiment there could be a difference in uniformity.
The first wears a gray
long coat and trousers without decorations, and a kepi with a black band, at
the front with a point pointing up. The second wears a shirt, richly decorated
with black and chevrons, presumably for a sergeant. The two photos on which
these drawings are based are probably of two brothers, Hite.
It may well be that
the first soldier took off his long warm coat in the afternoon during the
battle, when it was very hot and that a shirt like soldier 2 was worn
underneath.
Colonel Cummings
Commander of “Cummings
regiment”, what would be called the 33rd Virginia Infantry regiment after the
battle. One clear early photograph in uniform of Colonel Campbell Cummings is
known on which the drawing is based. He wears the dark blue uniform prescribed
in 1858 for Virginia officers. Apart from the buttons and buckle with symbols
of Virginia, this uniform is hardly distinguishable from the officer uniforms
of the Union opponent.
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Brigadier General Thomas Jonathan Jackson, commander First Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah
General Jackson is my
favorite Civil War general. He was very eccentric, but a genius in the field.
He would be nicknamed "Stonewall Jackson" on this battlefield and
that is how he would be called until his death in 1863 and still in most
history books today. Only a few photos of Jackson were taken during the war,
and all in 1862 and 1863 in which he wears the gray uniform and one with a
raincoat or cape. There is an eyewitness account of what Jackson wore during First
Manassas: his old dark blue coat he wore before the war as a teacher at the
Virginia Military Institute (VMI), although Jackson was already a Brigade
General, he still wore shoulder pads of the rank of Colonel. The coat is still
hanging in the VMI, albeit with the generals shoulder pads. As headgear he wore
his old flat cap that he had worn during the war in Mexico. Many drawings and
paintings about First Manassas show Jackson wearing the wrong cap, the one he
wore later.
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