Uniform of the First Light Infantry of Providence
By Ron Field The expense of full dress and fatigue uniforms required by many antebellum militia companies largely limited their membership to men from the upper classes of American society.
By Ron Field The expense of full dress and fatigue uniforms required by many antebellum militia companies largely limited their membership to men from the upper classes of American society.
By Mark Elrod Two brothers from New York City are armed with Harpers Ferry Model 1855 Rifles and attired in full marching-order military accouterments in the distinct military uniforms of
By Anthony F. Gero In early 1864, Californians glimpsed new uniforms for state militia. A report in the Sacramento Bee sets the scene: “At the window of Lamott’s on J
By Ron Field The first few months of the Civil War were a period of experimentation with military hats and caps, particularly in the Northern states. One pattern used extensively
By Frank Graves Portraits of Civil War soldiers armed with any of the three models of Colt Dragoons are uncommon. Images such as this tintype of a Union cavalryman gripping
By Ronald S. Coddington “While not originally uniformed as Zouaves this regiment created one of the most unique and readily identifiable uniforms of the war,” writes Daniel J. Miller in
By Ronald S. Coddington Americans followed the sport of target shooting with rapt attention in the 19th century. One of the most memorable matches occurred in Covington, Ky., in April
By Frank Graves Early war images of enlisted men with revolvers tucked into their waist belts are fairly common. These weapons were privately purchased or perhaps given as gifts from
By Frederick C. Gaede Prior to the Civil War, the Quartermaster Department provided U.S. soldiers with three items of personal protection from the elements: woolen blankets (bedding or saddle), great
By Michael R. Cunningham, Ph.D. During the 1850s, the U.S. War Department experimented with a variety of military accoutrements made with rubber and gutta percha. The items included canteens, holsters,