Confederate Uniforms
Typically dyed in colors of gray or butternut (brown), Southern uniforms were noted
more for their simplicity of cut and style than for their military panache. Many a
Yankee observed that the Confederate uniform was barely a uniform at all.
CLASH OF THE ARMIES 1862■^ Cartridge box This box belonged to a member of the
Washington Artillery, a New Orleans unit. ■ Haversack
Used by soldiers to carry rations. ■ Cherrywood canteen
The Confederacy was often short of metals such as tin
causing soldiers to create homemade alternatives. ■ Belt
plate A bullet pierced this Alabama belt plate. ■ General
service belt buckle Brass buckles embossed with CS and
CSA were standard issue for Confederate soldiers.
■^ Knapsack Designed to carry a range of items, mainly
camping equipment. ■ Tailcoat, 4th Georgia Militia
Regiment Some state units retained this traditional design,
although it had generally been replaced by the frock coat or
shell jacket. ■ Kepi Copied from the hat worn by French
officers, this one, worn by Captain Bardland of the
Washington Artillery, was standard-issue headgear. The
crown could be colored according to the branch of service of
the wearer; red denoted artillery. ■ Kepi of A. J. Charbaron.
■(; and ■(2^ Slouch hats Throughout the war, supply
shortages meant Confederate soldiers frequently had to
provide their own clothing. This produced a wide variety of
colors and styles of dress. ■(3 Shell jacket The red piping and
chevrons on this homespun jacket signify that the wearer was
a sergeant in the artillery. ■(4 Battle shirt Also known as an
overshirt, this would have been worn as a substitute for a
proper uniform. The colors and styles again varied widely.
■(5^ Infantryman’s uniform jacket This style was cheaper
and easier to make than the frock coat. ■(6 Butternut
uniform Confederate soldiers earned the nickname
“Butternuts” due to the practice of dyeing cloth in a
mixture of walnuts and copper to make uniforms
a yellowish-brown color. ■(7 Artillery jacket and
vest The Washington Artillery changed to the
regulation Confederate uniform, since their
original militia blue coat was too similar to the
Union uniform. ■(8 Officer’s uniform pants,
Washington Artillery The red line running
down the seam of these butternut pants
identifies the wearer as an artilleryman.■ GENERAL SERVICE BELT BUCKLE
■ HAVERSACK
■ TAI L COAT
■ CARTRIDGE BOX, WASHINGTON ARTILLERY
■ KNAPSACK
■ BELT PLATE WITH BULLET HOLE
■ WOODEN
CANTEEN