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((short description|U.S. Confederate States armed forces had their own service dress and fatigue uniforms))
[[File:Confederate uniforms plate 172.jpg|thumb|Confederate uniforms,  plate 172 of the Civil War ''[[War of the Rebellion Atlas|Atlas]]'']]

Each branch of the [[Military forces of the Confederate States|Confederate States armed forces]] had its own [[Dress uniform|service dress]] and fatigue uniforms and regulations regarding them during the [[American Civil War]], which lasted from April 12, 1861, until May 1865.

The uniform initially varied greatly due to a variety of reasons such as location and limitations on the supply of cloth and other materials, State regulations that were different from the standard regulations, and the cost of materials during the war. Texas units, for example, had access to massive stocks of U.S. blue uniforms, which were acquired after Confederate forces captured a U.S. supply depot in [[San Antonio, Texas|San Antonio]] in 1861. These were worn as late as 1863.

Early on, servicemen sometimes wore combinations of uniform pieces, making do with what they could get from captured [[Union Army|United States Army]] soldiers, or from U.S. and Confederate dead or just wear civilian clothing. There are some controversies about some of the exact details of a few of the uniforms since some of the records were lost or destroyed after the Civil War ended.

==Service dress uniforms overview==
The original Confederate uniforms from all branches of the military closely followed the lines of the [[Uniform of the Union Army|U.S. Armed Forces]]. This was until June 6, 1861, when the Confederate Council issued General Order 9, the new regulations for the Confederate Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery.

The new uniforms were designed by [[Nicola Marschall]], a German-American artist who also designed the original [[Confederate flag]]. He was heavily influenced by the mid-1800s uniforms of the [[Austro-Hungarian Army|Austrian]] and [[French Army|French Armies]].

Although the regular Confederate military had a paper strength of 6,000 personnel, the first 100,000 volunteers from all over the South participated in a variety of dress. Many were from [[state militia]] outfits, which had their own state-issued uniforms. In the early battles, some Confederate units that wore dark blue uniforms were often mistaken on the field of battle for the enemy. Conversely, many U.S. units that were originally [[militia]] units went to war wearing gray.

It was not until the depot system was established in early 1862 by the Confederate Quartermaster in Richmond, Virginia, that uniforms were mass-produced and supplied to troops. Until that time, the "commutation system" was in place; this allowed soldiers to have their own uniforms made to the new CSA regulations and to be reimbursed by the CS government. The allowance for uniforms was $21 ($538.72 in 2020) per six months. In a letter from 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Slemons') Company D's Lt. Walter Greenfield to his wife on April 11, 1862, from his encampment near Shiloh, Greenfield writes:

((blockquote|All our company officers are fully equipped.  Uniforms are only $90 dollars and saddles $85.<ref>Greenfield, Walter letter.  Accessed 11 January 2017, http://www.ancestry.com/</ref>))

Officers had to buy their own uniforms until March 6, 1864, when General Order 28 was released; this allowed Confederate officers to purchase uniforms from the same sources as the troops, and at cost price.

Following the [[Richmond Depot]], other depots started up throughout the South to supply their respective regional forces. Major depots were in Columbus, Athens and Atlanta, Georgia for the [[Army of Tennessee]] and Houston, Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana for the [[Trans-Mississippi]] forces. The use of the depot system meant that army-wide uniformity was impossible, as different depots had unique uniforms (Columbus Depot jackets for instance, had breast pockets, whilst Richmond Depot jackets did not). This resulted in a varied set of uniforms worn by different Confederate units.

As the war progressed, the image began to shift from the "ragged rebel" look to a well-uniformed Army in the Eastern and Western theaters. In the last 12 months of fighting, these Confederate forces were well-uniformed, the best they had ever appeared in terms of consistency, wearing clothing made of imported [[blue-gray]] cloth, either manufactured locally or bought ready-made under contract from British manufacturers, such as Peter Tait of Limerick, Ireland, who became a major supplier of uniforms for the Confederacy.((Citation needed|date=June 2021|reason=where did the information in this paragraph come from?))

In the [[Trans-Mississippi Department|Department of the Trans-Mississippi]], problems with the distribution of the plentiful uniforms made in Houston and Shreveport meant that the South Western forces went without proper uniforms for some part of the war.

Confederate headgear was to be the [[chasseur]] cap, or "[[kepi]]", a French military cap. Often broad felt or [[straw hat]]s or even [[slouch hat]]s were worn instead. The Federal Army style [[forage cap]] was also popular. General [[Stonewall Jackson]] was famous for wearing the forage cap. Confederate Cavalry troops often wore [[Hardee hat]]s, much like the U.S. Army Cavalry, which was a representative of the additional "flair" associated with the Cavalry troops. Two examples of CSA Cavalry officer's famous for wearing these hats are Colonel [[John S. Mosby]] and General [[J. E. B. Stuart]].

<gallery>
File:JohnSMosby&men.jpg|Colonel [[John S. Mosby]] 3rd from right center row 
File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14782791043).jpg|[[J. E. B. Stuart]]
</gallery>

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|-
!colspan=11|
|-
![[Confederate States Army|CSA Infantry]]
![[Confederate States Navy|CSA Navy]]
![[Confederate States Army|CSA Cavalry]]
![[Field artillery in the American Civil War|CSA Artillery]]
![[Confederate States Army|CSA Engineers]]
|-
![[File:Edwin Francis Jemison no color.jpg|200px|center|thumb|Confederate Infantry uniform, Private [[Edwin Francis Jemison]], 2nd Louisiana Regiment, C.S.A. killed at Malvern Hill 1862]]
![[File:DeckSceneCSSAlabama.JPG|185px|center|thumb|Confederate Navy uniform, Lieutenants Armstrong and Sinclair]]
![[File:Confederate Cavalrymen.jpg|87px|center|thumb|Confederate Cavalry uniform, sergeant]]
![[File:Corporal Artillery CS Army.jpg|120px|center|thumb|Confederate Artillery uniform, corporal]]
![[File:The Photographic History of The Civil War Volume 01 Page 114.jpg|thumb|right|June 1865 Photograph of captured and paroled officers of the 1st Louisiana Engineers CSA.<ref>Note: One officer 2nd from right top row a Lt is not identified—possibly this was: "Hodges, H. K. Lieut, act. Chief engr. District of Arkansas, staff of Gen. E. Kirby Smith, March 1865" see [https://books.google.com/books?id=u-ZYAAAAMAAJ&q=+E.Kirby+Smith&pg=PA67 ''Confederate Staff Officers''] 1861–1865 p. 78 [US War Dept].</ref>]]

|}

===Design===
[[File:RichmondDepotShellJackets.jpg|thumb|Richmond Depot shell jacket]]
The use of wool in the uniform meant that the uniforms were not suited to the warm climates that were common in the [[Southern United States|South]]. This contributed to many Confederate soldiers suffering from heatstroke on long marches.<ref name=XY>Mansfield p. 33</ref> However, one understanding of the heavy woolen garments is that after the marching during the day time, when the soldiers would rest at night and cool themselves down, the thermal-shock could render some men unable to function the next day. As such, the woolen garments would protect the soldiers from this, and keep them able to keep marching the next day to fulfill their duties. This was also the case with the better equipped [[U.S. Army]]. Many Confederate soldiers started the war with [[frock coat]]s. However, cloth shortages and wartime wear ensured that, by 1863, waist-length [[cadet gray]] or [[Juglans cinerea#Fabric dye|butternut]] [[shell jacket]]s were generally worn by Confederates in the Eastern and Western Theaters. Examples of frock coats being worn by enlisted men can be seen in photographs taken after the battles of [[Battle of Gettysburg|Gettysburg]], (1863), and [[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House|Spotsylvania]], (1864).

Gray was not chosen for [[camouflage]]. It did, however, at times provide enough of a mask along tree lines during battle, keeping the line of [[Infantry]] hidden long enough to strike effectively. At the time of the American Civil War, the usefulness of camouflage was not generally recognized. Gray was chosen for Confederate uniforms because gray dye could be made relatively cheaply and it was the standard uniform color of the various [[State Militia]]s.<ref name=XYZ>Smith p. 25</ref> The gray uniforms worn by early State volunteers was normally a shade of cadet gray, which is not suitable for combat wear, as it gives away the position of the individual easily from its bright blue-gray tones, and for this reason it was preserved by some men for dress-parade functions. The gray mentioned is dull toned, often varying in color depending on the region and time during the conflict, resulting in a uniform that could blend in with the tree lines, or hide the men in the field wearing them.

Generally, the uniform jacket of the Confederate soldier was single breasted, made of gray or brown fabric, with a six to nine button front. The design of the garment featured several variations: a four to six piece body, and one or two piece sleeves, usually with lining, often of a cotton material. The fabric used in these jackets, ranged from the finer [[kersey (cloth)|kersey]]s and [[broadcloth]]s used early in the war, to the cotton/wool blends of jeans, [[satinet]]te, and [[Cashmere wool|cassimere]], to name several examples. The exact color of the fabric also ranged from the prewar bright cadet gray, similar to the fabric used by [[Virginia Military Institute]], or [[U.S. Military Academy]] dress uniforms, to the sumac and logwood dyed fabrics, that would eventually fade to the ragged butternut appearance. Epaulettes may have been used in the construction of the jacket, as was the case for the Richmond clothing bureau designed jackets, commonly called today, the Richmond Depot types I, II, and III. Belt loops were also in intermittent use, such as the Richmond and the Charleston clothing depots. Trimming on the jackets range from piped or taped collars, cuffs, and front lapel edges, to full facings on the collar and cuffs, commonly in light blue, dark blue, red, or black. Owing to the difficulty in obtaining yellow dye ingredients as the war progressed, yellow was infrequently used by the Cavalry Corps throughout the conflict.

==Confederate States Army uniforms==

===General officers===

====Rank insignias====

====Collar insignias and buttons====
<gallery>
File:Braxton Bragg.jpg|((center|[[Braxton Bragg]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:william mahone 2.jpg|((center|[[William Mahone]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:GeorgePickett.jpeg|((center|[[George Pickett]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:Extra Billy Smith-Virginia.jpg|((center|[[William "Extra Billy" Smith]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:JAWharton.jpg|((center|[[John A. Wharton|John Wharton]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:Daniel Harvey Hill.jpg|[[Daniel Harvey Hill]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar
File:Edmund Kirby Smith.jpg|((center|[[Edmund Kirby Smith]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:Pgt beauregard.jpg|((center|[[PGT Beauregard]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:Albert S. Johnston, head and shoulders portrait (cropped).jpg|((center|[[Albert Sidney Johnston]] wearing one version of Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
File:Stonewall Jackson.jpg|((center|"[[Stonewall Jackson]]" Example of the Three Gold Stars and Wreath on a General's Collar))
</gallery>
On the upright collar of [[History of Confederate States Army Generals#Major general|full generals]], [[Lieutenant General (CSA)|lieutenant generals]], [[Major General (CSA)|major generals]], and [[Brigadier General (CSA)|brigadier generals]] three stars were stitched within a wreath, all embroidered in gold coloring. The center star was slightly larger than the other stars.<ref name=Davis390-1>Davis pp. 390-1.</ref> It was not possible to know which grade of general an officer was by his collar insignia. However, major generals and lieutenant generals wore two rows of nine buttons in groups of three down the front of the overcoat, and brigadier generals wore two rows of eight buttons in groups of two.<ref name=Davis390-1/> However, Confederate Army Regulations had no distinction between the general officer grades, and had only the insignia for brigadier generals recognized. At least three general officers did not wear the prescribed uniform: Robert E. Lee, who wore the uniform of a colonel, refusing to wear a general's insignia until the Confederate victory; [[Joseph L. Hogg]], who died of a fever; and [[Benjamin McCulloch]].

<gallery>
File:Robert E Lee in 1863.png|((center|CS General [[Robert E. Lee]] wearing the 3 stars of a colonel))

File:Image of Lieutenant General A.P. Hill.jpg|((center|CS General [[A. P. Hill]] wearing the 3 stars of a colonel))

File:Joseph Johnston.jpg|((center|CS General [[Joseph E. Johnston]] wearing the 3 stars of a colonel))

File:Winfield Scott Featherston.jpg|CS General [[Winfield Scott Featherston]] wearing the 3{?} stars of a colonel

File:Cobbtrr.jpg|CS General [[Thomas R. R. Cobb]] wearing the 3 stars of a colonel

File:ThomasMunford.jpg|Colonel (Acting Brigadier General) "[[Thomas Munford]]"
</gallery>

===Field and company officers===
[[file:William_McNeill_Whistler.jpg|right|thumb|150px|William_McNeill_Whistler of the 1st S.C.R.R.]]

====Rank insignias====

=====Collar insignias=====
[[Colonel (United States)|Colonels]] wore three gold stars of the same size on their collar; the same as generals, but without the wreath. While [[lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonels]] wore two stars on their collars, [[major (United States)|majors]] wore one star, which was placed in the middle of the collar. [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captains]] had three gold horizontal bars, [[first lieutenant]]s wore two bars, and [[second lieutenant]]s wore one bar.<ref name=Davis390-1/> However, the Confederate Congress often created new commissions, and did not always standardize rank insignia immediately.<ref>Miller pg. 122</ref>

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|-
!colspan=11| '''Collar Insignias of the Confederate Army'''
|-
![[General officers in the Confederate States Army|General]]
![[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]]
![[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]]
![[Major (United States)|Major]]
![[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]]
![[First Lieutenant]]
![[Second Lieutenant]]
|-
![[File:Confederate States of America General-collar.svg|150px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Colonel.png|125px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Lieutenant Colonel.png|75px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Major.png|50px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Captain.png|75px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America First Lieutenant.png|75px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Second Lieutenant.png|75px]]
|}

====Sleeve insignias, branch of service colors====
Confederate Army officers indicated their military affiliation with different [[Facing colour|colored facing]] on their coats or jackets. The colors were red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, light blue for infantry, and black for medical. A very distinctive feature of the Confederate officers' uniforms was the [[gold]] [[braid]] [[Austrian knot]]s on their sleeves. More elaborate braiding indicated higher rank and some knots almost reached the shoulder. However, a general order, issued in 1862, called for the Austrian knots not to be worn in the field, as this made officers conspicuous to enemy combatants.

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|-
!colspan=11| '''Collar and Sleeve Insignias of the Confederate Military'''
|-
![[General officers in the Confederate States Army|General]]
![[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] (Infantry)
![[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] (Staff or Engineers)
![[Major (United States)|Major]] (Medical Service)
![[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]] (CS Marines)
![[First Lieutenant]] (Artillery)
![[Second Lieutenant]] (Cavalry)
|-
![[File:Confederate States of America General-Staff Officer.svg|90px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Colonel-Infantry.svg|96px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Lieutenant Colonel-Staff Officer.svg|98px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Major-Medical.svg|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Captain-Marines.svg|96px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America First Lieutenant-Artillery.svg|89px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Second Lieutenant-Cavalry.svg|94px]]
|}

====Buttons====
Field Grade officers, and Company Grade officers commonly wore two rows of seven equally spaced buttons each, despite regulations calling for the top two buttons to be spaced at four inches apart, coming closer together at the waist at 3&nbsp;inches in distance.<ref name=Davis390-1/>

====Trousers====
The Confederate trousers were very similar to those of the U.S. forces. Early on, the trousers were sky blue in color. They were most often made of wool, and were easily worn during long marches. If trousers did not arrive for the troops the soldiers would have to use their own pants to wear. Regimental and company officers wore the colors of their respective branch on the outer seam of their pants on one and one-quarter inch stripes. Generals wore two and five-eighths inch stripes on each pant leg. While the [[quartermaster]]s, commissary, and engineer officers wore a single magenta, one and one-quarter inch outer-seam stripe. Non-commissioned officers were to wear on their outer seams a one and one-quarter inch cotton stripe or braid of colors appropriate to their army branch.<ref name=Z>Troiani pp. 106-107</ref>

====Kepis====
[[File:SuedstaatlerCappi.JPG|thumb|Butternut kepi in a German museum]]
The "African" pattern [[kepi]] was the standard issue headgear to all army personnel, with a dark blue band, sides & crown for generals, staff officers, and engineers. Kepis worn by commissioned officers and enlisted personnel had two patterns, specified by regulations in 1861 and 1862, respectively. The first pattern was a colored band, denoting the branch of service, with the crown and sides to be made of Cadet Gray cloth. The second pattern had a dark blue band for all branches, with the crown and sides colored according to the branch of service. The branch of service colors were as follows, Red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, and light or sky blue for infantry.

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|-
!colspan=11| '''Officer Kepis of the Confederate Military'''
|-
![[General officers in the Confederate States Army|General]]
![[Colonel (United States)|Cavalry Colonel]]
![[Captain (United States O-3)|Infantry Captain]]
![[Lieutenant|Artillery Lieutenant]]
|-
![[File:Confederate General's Kepi.JPG|100px]]
![[File:Confederate Cavalry Colonel's Kepi.JPG|100px]]
![[File:Confederate Infantry Captain's Kepi.JPG|100px]]
![[File:Confederate Artillery Lieutenant's Kepi.JPG|100px]]
|}

===Army enlisted men===

==== Rank insignias ====

=====Chevrons=====

In the Confederate Army, chevrons were worn by [[sergeant]]s (three on each sleeve) and [[corporal]]s (two on each sleeve)<ref name=Davis390-1/>

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:auto; width:100%;"
|-
!colspan=10| '''Chevrons of the Confederate Military'''
|-
![[Sergeant Major]]
![[Quartermaster Sergeant]]
![[Ordnance Sergeant]]
![[First Sergeant]]
![[Sergeant]]
![[Corporal]]
![[Musician (rank)|Musician]]
![[Private (rank)|Private]]
|-
![[File:Confederate States of America Sergeant Major-Infantry.jpg|80px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant-Artillery.svg|80px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Ordnance Sergeant-Artillery.jpg|80px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America First Sergeant.jpg|80px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Sergeant-Artillery.svg|80px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Corporal-Cavalry.jpg|80px]]
!no insignia
!no insignia
|}

=====Sword and sash=====
When in full dress and sometimes also in battle, all ranks above Corporal (i.e. all Sergeants) in non-mounted service branches carried the [[Model 1840 Army Noncommissioned Officers' Sword|M1840 NCO Sword]] (when available) suspending on a leather belt (as did their counterparts in the U.S. Army, except Hospital Stewards who carried a special Sword Model). Additionally all CSA Sergeant ranks were permitted worsted waist sashes: red for Artillery and Infantry (and all others Service branches), but yellow for Cavalry.<ref name=S.Cooper1861>Uniform and Dress of the Army of the Confederate States (1861), Adjutant and Inspector Generals Office, Richmond, September 12, 1861, Samuel Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General</ref><ref name=J.A.Seddon1864>Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, 1864. War Dept, James Alexander Seddon, Secretary of War</ref> (For their counterparts in the U.S. Army crimson worsted waist sashes for all service branches were only allowed to NCOs above Sergeant (i.e. First Sergeant, Ordnance Sergeant, Hospital Steward, Sergeant Major etc.))

====Trousers====
Army trousers were of similar pattern to the [[U.S. Army]] trousers, or civilian designs, depending on the area in which they were made. They were typically a shade of gray or brown, with a variety of medium blues also produced. The individual could also have them trimmed to reflect his militia unit, his Non-commissioned officer status, or as a personal flare, to the ubiquitous service pants. Noncommissioned officers were to wear on their outer seams a one and one-quarter inch cotton stripe or braid of colors appropriate to their army branch.<ref name=Z>Troiani pp. 106-107</ref>

====Belt====
[[File:Confederate Civil War Belt Buckle.jpg|right|thumb|Example of a CS Belt Buckle]]
There were numerous types of belts produced for the Confederate Military during the Civil War. There were literally dozens of types of buckles used and produced by or for the Confederacy. The buckles ranged from single plates with hooks, to two piece interlocking buckles, to simple roller buckles and countless other variations. Many buckles use plates that bore the state seal or motto of their home states. The vast majority used simple roller buckle plates of the type found on a common dog collar. As the War progressed, more and more men used captured US belt plates, often wearing them upside down.<ref>Collecting the Confederacy by Shannon Pritchard or Confederate Belt Buckles and Plates, by Steve Mullinax</ref>

===Infantry uniforms===

====Design====
[[File:Uniform and dress of the army of the Confederate States bis-page-031.jpg|thumb|Infantry uniform according to the 1861 uniform regulations.]]
The Confederate Infantry, the largest Corps of the Army, had a large variety of uniforms, and the greater amount of records. The initial Confederate Army uniform consisted of a kepi, double-breasted tunic, trousers, and Jefferson bootees/brogans. The kepi was not specified until the 1862 Regulations, as a sky-blue kepi, reflecting the Infantry Corps, with a dark blue band, and leather visor. The tunic was to be of cadet gray, with two rows of yellow-metal (brass or gold) buttons, 'solid' cuff and collar facings in sky-blue, and lined with a lighter gray fabric. The coat was of the same pattern specified as regulation for the field and company officers, as well as for the artillery and cavalry enlisted men.

These designs for the uniform, however, did not prevail, as the complexity of the uniform proved to be difficult for mass-production. The simpler uniform turned out to be the regulations dictated by Judah Benjamin. He stated that the uniform should be that of: a gray jacket; a blue, gray, or brown pair of trousers; any slouch hat or cap-type of head cover; and any kind of foot-wear to be worn for Confederate service in mid-1861. His regulations, however, were overruled by the subsequent set of regulations of June 1861, stating the Franco-Austrian styled uniform to be issued and purchased to all corps and by all officers, respectively.

The guidelines set by Judah Benjamin in 1861 soon became the choice of the clothing depots across the South as the war went into its second year. This easier-to-produce jacket, with the loosened hat and trouser regulations, made it easier to clothe Confederate infantrymen. The typical uniform by the end of 1861 and beginning of 1862 was a slouch hat or kepi, a shell-jacket, and a pair of sky-blue or gray cloth trousers, with brogans.

====Jackets and coats====

[[File:Unidentified soldier in Confederate nine-button frock coat LCCN2011648533.jpg|thumb|right|Unidentified soldier in Confederate nine-button frock coat. From the [[Library of Congress]] Prints and Photographs division]]

The jacket prescribed for infantry use was of the same design for all service men. The design itself depended entirely on the region, time, and the source of fabrics. The Eastern Theater uniform jacket was the [[Richmond Depot]] design, with three primary types issued throughout the war. The jacket varied from a cadet gray, piped and trimmed jacket, looking much like a pre-war militia jacket, to the jeans-cloth jacket that was worn out in six months. The materials and uniforms imported from England were also issued to the troops through this facility. The Western and Deep Southern facilities manufactured similar uniforms, being jeans-cloth, dyed with vegetable based grays, that would fade to brown or tan. The typical jackets issued had 5-7 button fronts, with collar and cuff trim that varied from era, region and source, and an outside pocket on occasion.

The previous styles were the militia uniforms. These consisted of everything from the more sharp-looking jackets and coats, which resembled the French or Northern Infantry uniforms, to the no-flares "battle-shirt", meant for drilling and battles only. The uniform for these militia units varied by each company through a single county or parish, let alone the country itself. The militia uniforms were a menagerie of colors, from cadet gray, dark blue, and hunter green, to reds, buffs and gold tones. The other variety of CS Army uniform jackets and coats is the Zouave. This jacket was meant to be loose-fitting and reflect the French-African Zouave units. There were several units to consist of this uniform, including the "Richmond Zouaves" of the 44th Virginia Infantry Regiment, the "[[Louisiana Tigers]]" in the 1st Louisiana Special Battalion, and "[[Georges Augustus Gaston De Coppens|Coppen's]] Zouaves" of Louisiana.

====Buttons====
The buttons worn on the Infantryman's clothing is not as minor a detail as it would sound. The average infantryman may have had his uniform made for him in [[Richmond, Virginia]], however, the man enlisted in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and is now marching through the former state. In reflection to his loyalties to home, this man, for example, could have adorned his uniform with Georgia State buttons. This would indicate to his fellow soldiers his allegiance to both his state and his military unit. This was common practice during the war for both sides in the conflict.

The regulation infantry buttons for enlisted men described the button as to have a number on the front to reflect the unit designation; for example, a soldier in the 1st Confederate Infantry Regiment would have a "1" on the buttons of his coat. These buttons are rare or non-existent. However, the officer's regulation button, consisting of the "block I" button, for Infantry, the A for Artillery, etc.; was very common amongst soldiers, and replaced the efforts to produce the different, numbered buttons for each regiment in service.

As before, the uniform buttons could also reflect the state loyalties of an individual. All of the Confederate States made an effort to supply their respective State buttons to their troops. The states that did not join the Confederacy, but had men within its ranks, such as Maryland and Missouri, also made buttons, that have turned up on surviving uniforms.

The Confederacy also implemented ready-made supplies of button, consisting of the U.S. Government stockpiles throughout the war. These consisted of the Enlisted men's coat button, (an eagle with the shield of the U.S., with the olive branch and arrows held in its talons,) and the officer's buttons, (the same as before, but the shield is replaced by a blank shield, with the respective letter for each branch of service, I for infantry, A for artillery, C for cavalry, and D for dragoons).

====Hats and kepis====
The headgear of the typical Confederate Infantryman was the [[slouch hat]], or the military Kepi. The [[Kepi]] is a short fatigue and dress cap that was easy to manufacture for the Army during the war. This type of hat had its drawbacks, however. It provided little weather protection, and was worn out easily after a few months of hard wear. The Infantryman design cap was sky-blue with a dark blue band, but this was rarely seen outside of officer private-purchase caps. More typical would be the plain gray/brown cap, with or without the branch of service trim. There are examples of deep-south made caps that were trimmed in red cotton and wool, and issued to Infantry units, showing that any available clothing was issued to the troops as the war progressed.

The slouch hat was the preferred choice of many soldiers, including officers. The hat was normally a floppy, wide brimmed, woolen body head-cover, meant to protect the individual from the sun, and inclement weather. It was normally a civilian hat, of brown, gray, or black wool. This simple hat saw widespread use throughout the Confederate Armies, and even with [[U.S. Army]] personnel. Occasionally, the hat was adorned with insignia of the wearer's preference, and may have been pinned up for the drill in the use of the regular weapon of the time, the Rifled-musket.

===Cavalry uniforms===
[[File:Uniform and dress of the army of the Confederate States bis-page-027.jpg|thumb|Cavalry uniforms in accordance with the 1861 uniform regulations.]]
[[File:Confederate cavalry 1st virginia bw.jpg|right|thumb|375px|1st Virginia Cavalry-Example of a Confederate cavalryman wearing the stag hat]]
[[File:confederateshotgun.jpg|thumb|[[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] cavalryman John Duponte of Dartmouth, Alabama with muzzle-loading shotgun and a "Square D" handle Bowie knife]]

====Design====
The first of the Cavalry uniforms were made by the cavalrymen themselves. By 1862, the Confederate regulations ordered the uniform to become organized, being [[cadet gray]] and lined with a thin layer around the sleeve. The pant legs were light blue with a yellow strip rising from the bottom of the leg to the top. Non-commissioned officers of the cavalry wore either regular clothes from home or a variety of different types of uniforms.<ref name=Davis390-1/> yellow was the prescribed branch of service color, but surviving uniforms show beyond a doubt that the vast majority of cavalrymen who used any branch of service color, used buff as yellow cloth was virtually non existent in the Confederacy.

====Buttons====
According to the June 1861 regulations, and later the 1862 and 1863 regulations, enlisted men were to wear a frock coat with the same button pattern as the Company and Field Grade officers. Each coat had 2 columns of buttons with 7 buttons in each column.<ref name=Davis390-1/>

====Hats====
A cap copying the French Kepi was the prescribed headgear for all three branches of the land service, adorned with the various branch of service colors, but Confederates preferred the slouch hat and surviving photographs show that as many or more men wore some type of slouch hat than wore the prescribed cap, especially as the War progressed.

The Troiani book says, "Although in some units hats seem dominate, the issuance of caps was widespread. For example, requisitions for the 19th Alabama Infantry throughout 1863 and early 1864 show a decided preference for hats, whereas those for the 17th Mississippi Infantry for the same period record only caps being received. One Confederate clothing facility in Charleston, South Carolina, was devoted entirely to the manufacture of caps. These were cut out by government employees at the depot and sent to 1,000 to 1,500 local "persons of a needy class" for assembly."

===Artillery uniforms===
[[File:Uniform and dress of the army of the Confederate States bis-page-023.jpg|left|thumb|Artillery uniform in accordance with the 1861 uniform regulations.]]

====Design====
The first of the Artillery uniforms were a variety of handmade and personally customized uniforms. By 1862, the Confederate uniforms became organized. They became [[cadet gray]] and were to be lined with a layer of red around the sleeve. The pants legs were light blue. Even after the uniforms were organized many of the artillerymen wore regular clothes due to the heat and discomfort caused by the regular uniforms.<ref name=Davis390-1/>

====Buttons====
In the Confederate Artillery, a normal junior officer had two rows of seven evenly spaced buttons, grouped into pairs, while a senior officer could have as many as eight buttons in two rows.<ref name=Davis390-1/>

====Hats====
The [[kepi]] was also standard issue to the artillerymen, they were made red to match that of the rest of their uniforms. During the summer months they were also allowed to wear straw hats because of the heat.<ref name=Davis390-1/>

==Confederate States Navy uniforms==

===Design===
[[File:CS Navy Department Seal.svg|right|thumb|Confederate States Navy Department]]
The first of the Navy uniforms were made in dark blue, but with the Southern style of rank insignia for the officers. The 1862 Confederate regulations ordered the uniform to be [[steel gray]] and lined with a dark black silk [[serge (fabric)|serge]]. They were also made in medium gray and [[cadet gray]]. They were made of wool, and these uniforms were not fit for the heat of the lower decks of a ship.<ref>Konstam, (2001) pg. 1873</ref> Petty officers wore a variety of uniforms, or even regular clothing.<ref name=ABC>Faust pg. 770</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="background:white; color:black"
|+ Confederate States Navy Sea Officers Insignia
! Insignia<br>location !! Admiral !! Captain !! Commander !! Lieutenant !! Master !! Passed<br>Midshipman !! Midshipman
|-
| style="background:#b0e0e6;"| Sleeves || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Flag Officer-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Captain-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Commander-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Lieutenant-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Master-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Passed Midshipman-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Midshipman-Navy.png|75px]]))
|-
| style="background:#b0e0e6;"| Shoulder<br>Straps || ((center|[[File:Csn strap flag.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Csn strap capt.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Csn strap cmdr.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Lieutenant strap-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Master strap-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|[[File:Confederate States of America Passed Midshipman strap-Navy.png|75px]])) || ((center|(none)))
|-
| style="background:#b0e0e6;"| Cover || [[File:Csn cover flag.png|100px]] || [[File:Csn cover capt.png|100px]] || [[File:Csn cover cmdr.png|100px]] || [[File:Csn cover lieut.png|100px]] || [[File:Csn cover mast.png|100px]] || [[File:Csn cover pmid.png|100px]] || [[File:Csn cover mid.png|100px]]
|}

===Shoulder straps===
[[File:Raphael semmes.png|right|thumb|Example of a Confederate Naval Officer's Uniform (Statue of Captain [[Raphael Semmes]], Mobile, Alabama).]]

According to the dress code of the Confederate Navy, shoulder straps were to be worn differently by each rank.<ref name=BCD>Van Doren Stern pg. 233</ref>

*Admirals wore a shoulder strap of sky-blue cloth, edged with black, that was four inches long and one inch and three-eighths wide embroidered with gold one-quarter of an inch in width. They had five stars spaced equally, the two on the ends six-tenths of an inch in diameter, and the three intermediate stars six-eighths of an inch in diameter.
*[[Flag Officer|Flag officer]]s wore a shoulder strap of sky-blue cloth, edged with black, that was four inches long and one inch and three-eighths wide embroidered with gold one-quarter of an inch in width. They had four stars spaced equally, the two on the ends six-tenths of an inch in diameter, and the two intermediate stars six-eighths of an inch in diameter.
*[[Captain (United States O-6)|Captains]] wore the same shoulder straps as the flag officers, but with three equally spaced stars, each six-tenths of an inch in diameter.
*[[Commander (United States)|Commanders]] also had the same shoulder straps, but with only two stars.
*[[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenants]] had the same shoulder straps, with a single, central, star.
*The shoulder straps worn by masters had the same design, but without any stars.
*Passed [[midshipman|midshipmen]] wore a strip of gold lace four inches in length and a half an inch wide.
*For a [[midshipman]], no shoulder straps were to be worn.<ref name=BCD />

===Caps===
Confederate Naval Caps were made of steel gray cloth.<ref name=BCD /> They were not to be less than three inches and a half, nor more than four inches in height. They were also not to be more than ten, or less than nine inches and a half, at the top, and had a patent leather visor, to be worn by all officers in their service dress.
*For a flag officer, the cap had an anchor in an open wreath of oak leaves, with four stars above the anchor. They were to be embroidered in gold as per pattern.
*For a captain, the same as a flag officer's, except that there were only three stars above the anchor, and the gold band was one and one-half inches wide.<ref name=BCD />
*For a commander it was to be the same as for a captain, except that there were only but two stars.
*For a lieutenant, the same as that of a captain, except there was only one star.
*For a master, the same as for a captain, except that there was no star.
*For a passed midshipman, an anchor without a wreath.
*For a midshipman, no caps were to be worn.<ref name=BCD />

==Confederate States Marine Corps uniforms==
The uniform used by the [[Confederate States Marine Corps]] resembled that prescribed for the [[Confederate Army]]. However, there is controversy about some of the exact details of the uniform, since the CSMC was not as large, and many of its records were destroyed. In 1865, right after the war's end, [[Lloyd J. Beall]], commander of the CSMC, had a fire at his home which destroyed most of the CSMC's records.<ref name=Z3 /> It is clear, however, that the Marines were often equipped out of the stores of whichever garrison was nearest their location. One description has the Marines dressed in [[frock coat]]s of a particular (and undetermined) shade of gray, and dark blue or black trousers. It appears that Confederate Marines wore [[forage cap]]s although it is unclear if there was any ornamentation on the cover.<ref name=Z2>Nofi, Albert A., pg. 152</ref> Much of the gear worn by the CSMC was imported from [[Russia]], and from [[Great Britain]] and its [[British Empire|empire]], mainly [[Canada]]. This created a fairly unusual look.<ref name=Z3>Van Doren Stern pg. 181</ref>

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="center" width="100%"
!colspan=6| 
|-
![[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]]
![[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]]
![[Major (United States)|Major]]
![[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]]
![[First lieutenant#United States|First Lieutenant]]
![[Second lieutenant#United States|Second Lieutenant]]
|-
![[File:Confederate States of America Colonel-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Lieutenant Colonel-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Major-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Captain-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America First Lieutenant-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Second Lieutenant-Marines.jpg|100px]]
|-
!colspan=6| 
|-
![[Sergeant Major#United States|Sergeant Major]] 
![[Quartermaster Sergeant#United States|Quartermaster Sergeant]]
![[Ordnance Sergeant]]
![[First Sergeant]]
![[Sergeant]]
![[Corporal]]
|-
![[File:Confederate States of America Sergeant Major-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Quartermaster Sergeant-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Ordnance Sergeant-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America First Sergeant-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Sergeant-Marines.png|100px]]
![[File:Confederate States of America Corporal-Marines.png|100px]]
|}

==See also==
*[[Military of the Confederate States of America]]
*[[Ranks and insignia of the Confederate States]]
*[[United States Civil War]]
*[[Confederate States Army]]
*[[Confederate States Navy]]
*[[Confederate States Marine Corps]]
*[[Uniform of the Union Army]]

==Notes and references==

===Notes===
((reflist))

===References===
* Davis, George B., Perry, Leslie J., and Kirkley, Joseph W., ''The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War'', Random House Value Publishing, (1988) ((ISBN|0-517-53407-X))
* Faust, Patricia L., ''Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War'', HarperPerennial, (1986) ((ISBN|0-06-273116-5))
*Konstam, Angusand and Bryan, Tony ''Confederate Ironclad 1861-65'', Osprey Publishing, (2001) pg. 1873 ((ISBN|1-84176-307-1))
*Mansfield, Howard, "The Same Ax, Twice: Restoration and Renewal in a Throwaway Age", UPNE, (2001) ((ISBN|1-58465-117-2))
*((cite book
 | author    = Miller, David
 | title     = Uniforms, Weapons, and Equipment of the Civil War
 | location  = [[London]]
 | publisher = Salamander Books Ltd.
 | year = 2001
 | isbn = 1-84065-257-8
))
*[[Albert Nofi|Nofi, Albert A.]], "Marine Corps Book of Lists: A Definitive Compendium of Marine Corps Facts, Feats, and Traditions", Da Capo Press, (1997) ((ISBN|0-938289-89-6))
*Shaw, Anthony "The Civil War catalog", Running Press, (2003) ((ISBN|0-7624-1625-4))
*Smith, Carl, Hook Adam, "Chancellorsville 1863: Jackson's Lightning Strike", Osprey Publishing, (1998) ((ISBN|1-85532-721-X))
* Troiani, Don, Coates, Earl J., McAfee, Michael J., Jensen, Leslie D., "Don Troiani's Regiments and Uniforms of the Civil War", Stackpole Books, (2002) ((ISBN|0-8117-0520-X))
*Van Doren Stern, Philip, "The Confederate Navy: A Pictorial History", Da Capo Press, (1992) pg. 181 ((ISBN|0-306-80488-3))

==External links==
*[https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?va=exact&co=lilj&sp=1&st=slideshow&q=Military+uniforms--Confederate--1860-1870.&fa=displayed%3Aanywhere&fi=subject&sg=true&op=EQUAL Photographs of Confederate soldiers in uniform] at [[Library of Congress]]
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/uniform_confed.htm Uniform and Dress of the Confederate Navy]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081105115244/http://usnlp.org/CivilWarNavalRanks/CSMC.htm Confederate Marine Corps Rank Insignia]
*[https://archive.org/details/uniformdressofar00conf Uniform and Dress of the Army of the Confederate States (1861), Adjutant and Inspector Generals Office, Richmond, September 12, 1861, Samuel Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General]
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=cXoDAAAAYAAJ&q=sash&pg=PA409 Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, 1864. War Dept, James Alexander Seddon, Secretary of War]

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[[Category:Military equipment of the Confederate States of America]]
[[Category:Military ranks of the Confederate States of America]]

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