The majority of Union militia and volunteer infantry wore the floppy forage cap, four button sack coat and sky blue trousers (2&3). Also at this time, many officers wore dark blue trousers, instead of sky-blue, as did US Regular enlisted men.Įnlisted Infantry - General. Coats were double breasted for Colonels and single breasted for Captains and Lieutenants. Officers' frock coats were of better quality cloth than the enlisted man's and the skirt extended two-thirds to three-quarters of the length from hip to the bottom of the knee (3).
Many of the units represented by the ACWS Union Army were actually not engaged in the peninsular campaign, but that should not detract from our attempts to get the right feel for the period. Corps badges may have existed at this time but were unofficial and usually only worn by HQ and Staff officers. However, in the main, while battle-tested, the Union Army still believed in bright brass ware, colourful uniforms, standing in straight lines and "taking it like men". Those who had begun the campaign as raw often untried troops ended as seasoned veterans, who had learned their lessons the hard way. During this period they were operating at the end of a tortuous supply line with often inadequate methods of resupply. The Battle of Malvern Hill concluded three months of arduous campaigning for the Army of the Potomac (1). However, there are points, which I think we, as re-enactors should consider in order to match the authenticity of the Confederates. Luckily, the mass-produced nature of the standard Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry uniforms of the Federal soldier does not require alteration of embellishment to match the period. Graham Beattie's excellent article on Confederate uniforms on the Road to Malvern Hill, begs a similar article on the uniforms of the Union Army for the same period. UNIFORMS OF THE UNION ARMY On the Road to Malvern Hill
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