This soldier wears ankle-high shoes known as 'brogans'. Trousers could be worn over socks or tucked into them, or they could be rolled up a bit. The pockets in the trousers shown here are the same style as those found on 18th C. The trousers issued to the soldiers were made of wool. Many men had a beard and/or mustache, often with long sideburns as well. They were for sale in general stores and people would choose which pair worked best. SocksĮach soldier was issued 1 pair of wool socks per year.Ī soldier would bring his spectacles from home. Most men brought shirts with them from home. If a man asked for another or lost one, he would be made to pay for it. However, most men preferred to not to wear any drawers at all! ShirtĮnlistees were issued 1 shirt per year but these shirts usually wouldn't last that long. They were made of cotton and had a fly that buttoned. Go to interactive Flash version UndergarmentsĪll men who enlisted were issued one pair of drawers per year. In the later years of the Civil War the dress code was not as strictly enforced. Anyone found in violation was made to pay a fine.

A dress code for all soldiers was strictly enforced except when they were on the battlefield. For the most part they were sewn on treadle sewing machines, although some shirts were hand sewn and some of the finish work on the uniforms was done by hand. Companies that had contracts with the government made the uniforms. Officers were expected to purchase their own and had to make sure that they met strict military requirements. Soldiers, except for officers were issued uniforms.

In the north a certain number of men between the ages of 18-45 from each community were drafted into the Union army. “Naval Innovations” was the start of a lecture series exploring science and technology during the Civil War held at the Museum of the Confederacy.E-Postcards | Chronologies Turns ActivitiesĪ Union Soldier's Uniform from the Civil War, around 1865

Coski used slides throughout his presentation and responded to questions from members of the audience. Coski showed items and reproductions from the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack), the Hunley and other ironclads and warship used by the Confederates. Technological advances during the Civil War besides the use of ironclads included gains in mine, torpedo, and artillery design, as well as the first-time use of a submarine to sink an enemy ship. T18:01:10-04:00 John Coski talked about the “arms race” between the Union and Confederate navies within the larger international context of revolutions in naval technology at that time.

American civil war union navy uniform