Other Confederate Infantry regiments

 Other Confederate Regiments at the battle of First Manassas, 21th of July 1861

North Carolina

6th North Carolina State Militia, Company B “Flat River Guards”. 

There are two beautiful reference photos of this company from 1861 by Henry Speck Harris and Joseph Carrithers Allison. A hardee hat, with an old infantry horn insignia and the letters “FRG” is worn, a gray short jacket with three rows of buttons, with black bands trimmed collar, with button and two black bands around the wrist ending in a button, further gray trousers with black trim.

6th North Carolina State Militia (infantry regiment).

This drawing clearly shows the difference in uniform per company. A regiment is made up of several companies. 

From left to right: 

Company G, with no name: 

a blue jacket and kepi with presumably gold trim and on the kepi

an old infantry horn insignia and a feather. Probably light gray pants. Several eyewitness

accounts describe members of the 6th North Carolina wearing blue uniforms and possibly

being shot at by friendly troops. This must have been this uniform. 

Company I “Cedar Fork Rifles” 

wears a very different uniform: long gray coat with black collar and collar points, blue

kepi and gray trousers. 

Company K "Flat Bottom Boys", also called "North Carolina Grays"

wore a gray shirt with black placket and sleeve inlays, gray pants with black trim and a black

hat. As a buckle the typical buckle of the 6th Regiment is worn. The moment I have painted

depicts the moment when the members of this regiment are waiting to be called to join the

battle. They see the fights and have mixed feelings: on the one hand they want to help their
comrades and drive out the 'yankees', but no doubt thoughts will also run through their
heads as to whether they will survive this.

South Carolina

Hampton Legion Company A “Washington Light Infantry”

This “Legion” , consisting of several companies, each with a unique uniform, was founded and equipped by the wealthy plantation owner Wade Hampton III at his own expense,

Hampton Legion was present on the battlefield amost all day longn and took the necessary blows. 

The uniform has been reconstructed from sketches based on descriptions form a newspaper: Long gray frock coat with black trim on collar and under sleeves. Gray trousers with black stripe, black (Hardee) hat, left brim turned up and fastened with a South Carolina palm tree insignia.

 

Georgia

8th Georgia Infantry Regiment, Company I “Stephens Light Guards”.

Mississippi

2nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Company H “Conewah Rifles”.

Other researchers have stated that two types of uniforms were worn by this company in 1861: a short blue jacket with epaulettes with green trim on the collar and epaulettes, and brown trousers with green trim. The typical Mississippi "tricorn" hat, of which there were many variations, is worn. Also a privately purchased large knife, carried mainly by troops from Mississippi, but also other regiments. The other uniform, which was worn by many troops from Mississippi around this time, was a red shirt.Blue jackets and red shirts were also widely worn by the Northern opponents. This is one of countless examples of situations that would lead to confusion on the battlefield.

Alabama

4th Alabama infantry Regiment, Company A, "Governor's Guards"

This company wore the pre-war Alabama Volunteers Corps (AVC) uniform.This consisted of a union blue frock coat with light blue trim, identical to the coat of the union enemy. The pants were gray with a dark blue stripe. The kepi was union blue. A whote “havelock” against the sun could be worn. A belt with “AVC” buckle was worn.

These uniforms could be cconfused with those of the enemy. Several companies of the union 69th New York State Militia also wore the same jacket and probably because of that were able to got close tot he 4th Alabama without being fired upon because they were mistaken for a friendly regiment.

4th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Company D, "Canebrake Rifle Guards" 

Based on different photos. The person in the foreground wears a dark blue overshirt decorated with gold ribbons. It is quite possible that this decoration was unique to this person. This happened more often, for example manufactured by family. Other photos show a dark blue overshirt without decoration, with a civilian undershirt underneath. Blue and light grey trousers were worn. At the beginning of the war, large knives were often carried in all kinds of versions. The person in the background wears a white "havelock" over his kepi, against the sun. They both wear a buckle with "AVC", (Alabama Volunteer Corps). The blue uniform parts were confused with those of the enemy. The federal 69th New York infantry regiment with mostly blue uniform parts was mistaken for a friendly regiment allowing it to get close and open fire. These kinds of mistakes were common during this battle. 

4th Alabama Infantry Regiment Company F 'Huntsville Guards"

Based on several photos.

Company F wore long coats with unique trim on the under sleeves and collar. No doubt these coats were later taken off on the very hot July 21. The two back figures show what that looks like: civilian or military overshirts were worn. The middle figure even wears a hat, more comfortable than a kepi. Individual adjustments or improvisations were common. The only uniform thing about these three is the gray trousers with black trim. 

 

Union Infantry Regiments

 Union Regiments at the battle of First Manassas, 21th of July 1861

New York:

14th New York State Militia/84th New York Infantry Regiment.

I have based this drawing on a colored portrait photo of a member of this regiment. This uniform is a very well known uniform unlike many other uniforms worn during this battle. This regiment is one of the regiments with a very exotic looking uniform. This regiment was also called the “Red legged devils”. This uniform stood out from a great distance because of the bright red colors. Here, a civilian belt is worn instead of the "US" or "SNY" (State of New York) buckle belt.

38th New York State Infantry regiment. 

This entire regiment, like the 27th New York InfantryRegiment, wore the typical state uniform for New York: Dark blue short jacket with epaulettes, the collar and epaulets were trimmed in light blue, Dark blue kepi and light blue trousers. This uniform was worn by many New York regiments throughout the war. This is one of the few uniforms that did not change after 1861. The belt buckle bears the letters “SNY”: State of New York,” derisively called “Snotty Nosed Yanks” by the Confederates. A white havelock is worn over the kepi against the sun. These were no longer used after 1861.

79th New York Infantry Regiment.

This regiment consisted mainly of Scottish immigrants. They wore a typical coat for this regiment and dark blue trousers and not, as is often claimed, kilt trousers or light  blue trousers. The proof is provided by this photo of prisoners of war of the 79th regiment just after the battle.

Michigan

1st Michigan infantry regiment.

This regiment wore an all-union blue uniform consisting of a kepi, with or without a white havelock, and a short coat. This regiment had a canteen with a red protective cover. The drawing depicts a soldier who, during the greatly delayed advance of the Union, left the rows without permission, went to pick blackberries and pause for a while. Many soldiers did this during this advance, but also Confederate soldiers did this during the battle. Many had barely eaten and there are eyewitness accounts that some took two days to get all the thorns out of the palms.

Massachusetts

5th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Company C “Charlestown Light Infantry”. 

According to  various sources, that regiment wore the same uniform as the regular army: dark blue long coat, dark blue trousers and headgear. An early photo and drawing show that in practice they wore a  light gray shirt in combination with the dark blue pants and kepi. This may no doubt have led to confusion again, as many Confederates also wore gray shirts.

11th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. 

This regiment wore gray uniforms which naturally led to
much confusion as many Confederate regiments also wore gray uniforms. It concerns Companies
 A, B and K, which all had different uniforms: 

Company A, with gray short coat, trousers and kepi,  with a copper "A" on it, 

Company B “Paul Revere Guards”, with the characteristic hat that was worn
by more regiments from Massachusetts sets and with red piping on the uniform.

Company K had rich red piping on the jacket.

Rhode Island

2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry, Company D

 Unlike many other regiments I am researching, the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island Infantry are the easiest regiments to research. Countless photos were taken of these regiments in the summer of 1861. The uniforms of all companies of the 1st and 2nd RI are almost the same: long blue over shirt, gray trousers, often
a red rolled up blanket/poncho, blue standard kepi with and without havelock, but also black
"hardee hats”, standard U.S. Army belt and magazine pouches. On the kepi of my example the
gold colored letters “RI” and on the closure of the strap on the kepi the number “2” have been
added. My drawing depicts a member taking a rest on his way to Manassas, his clothes and shoes dusty from the sand.