Infantry Enlisted Man's Uniform 1843-1851
This booklet was produced and published by the Ghost Garrison, a volunteer, non-profit organization.
In 1832 Secretary of War Lewis Cass established the Clothing Bureau within
the War Department, thus formalizing the responsibility of the Quartermaster General.
The outbreak of the war with
The primary place of manufacture was the Schuykill
Arsenal in
"Dark blue is the national color". Such are the opening words of the uniform regulations of 1821. Yet during the Mexican War the fatigue suit of the foot soldier was entirely sky-blue. Dark blue cloth implied a relatively expensive, smooth, finely woven broadcloth, dyed in the cloth, while sky-blue meant a much cheaper, rougher material, often dyed in the thread and woven afterward. Dark blue, in some minds, stood for formal dress parades; whereas sky-blue meant field soldiering. Sky-blue was also much easier to procure and much less expensive. Dress regulations refer to the color as "white and light blue mixed, commonly called sky-blue mixture". The enlisted man's uniform the world over until the twentieth century was wool or wool mixed with cotton or flax. Kersey was a rough, coarse cloth woven of wool, usually ribbed, that was used extensively for regular army clothing.
Shell
or Fatigue 
The Infantry uniform was basically a sky-blue color and made of wool kersey. In the early 19th century the shell jacket was a single breasted garment which reached about an inch or two below the waist. It had a standing hooked-up collar three inches high. There were nine white pewter buttons down the front, one on each sleeve cuff and two on each side of the collar. It was also fitted with cloth shoulder straps each fasted with one button. The Infantry fatigue jacket had white binding on the collar and also on the shoulder straps. During this time period white was the color which designated Infantry. For every five years of faithful service the soldier could wear a white chevron, point up on each upper arm. War service was indicated by a narrow red edge on this chevron. Chevrons were not used to designate the ranks of sergeants and corporals.
·
Issue Trousers
or ‘Trowsers"
Army issue trousers were made of sky-blue kersey. They were worn straight and cuffless, creasing was not known. Most trousers were fitted with a fall front which was a carry over from earlier times. The fly front began to appear shortly after 1842. All trousers were equipped with suspender (brace) buttons. The back of the waistband had a four inch slit with a drawstring to permit further adjustment for waist size. The cut of the trousers brought the waistband well above the hip. Trousers for Infantry had a one inch slit at the bottom of the leg to assist in pulling them over heavy shoes. On the sky-blue trousers, a white stripe down the outside seam of each leg designated a sergeant.
Summer Duty Uniform
The 1839 regulations prescribed a new summer white undress uniform made of
cotton. The jacket and trousers were cut identical to the sky-blue woolen
fatigues. During the conflict with the Seminole Indians in
Forage
Cap
The forage cap worn by all regular troops was the one commonly associated with the Mexican War. It was a dark blue cloth cap with a soft crown which was wider than the headband. A reed was sewn into the crown welt to provide some stability to the rounded configuration. This reed was often removed by the soldier to give the cap a carefree or jaunty appearance. The cap had a leather visor and chin strap. It was fitted with a neck cape which was folded up on the outside of the headband and tied on the front. This ‘Model 1839" cap was issued until about 1855. There were several variations in this fatigue cap; the main difference being in the slope of the visor. The earlier Type I had a nearly vertical visor while in Type II the visor assumed a more horizontal placement. This later style saw very little use.
Footwear
The shoe for the Infantry was called an ankle boot or a bootee. This was a
high quarter shoe with five to six eyelets for laces. It was made of black
leather with the smooth side out. During this time period all footwear for men
had very blunt or square toe. The
Issue
Shirt 
This pull-over type of shirt had either a standing or a fold down collar. It was fastened at the neck with two or three bone buttons. The sleeves were rather full and were closed at the cuff with one button. These shirts were usually made of muslin, flannel and sometimes wool. Most of them were white or gray and they closely followed the popular civilian styles. This shirt was also called an under shirt in the 1840s but is not to be confused with what we call an undershirt today.
Neck
Stock 
Black leather neck stocks were prescribed for enlisted men in all dress regulations and a patent was taken out for a new style as late as 1858. Army medical officers spoke rather scathingly of its great inconvenience and the frequent injury it did to the men. But, the stiff leather stocks continued to be worn because Uniform Regulations called for them. They were just an object of fashion similar to the cravat and the necktie. The neck stock was worn over the standing collar of the shirt and under the jacket. Most stocks were shaped to fit the contour of the jaw and the chin.
Greatcoat
The overcoat was an item long considered necessary for regular issue to troops. For all enlisted foot soldiers the greatcoat was made of sky-blue kersey with a blanket lining which reached to the waist. It had a standing collar and a cape which fell to the elbow. The coat had a five button front and six buttons on the cape. There is a butted belt in the rear. The cape could be thrown over the head, parka fashion, during severe weather and long cuffs which could be pulled down to offer additional protection for the hands. The bottom of the greatcoat was not hemmed.
Dress
Coatee 
The dress coatee was smart and military, designed for occasions when the soldier might be viewed by the public. This dark blue woolen coat resembled the tail coat of earlier periods. It was padded across the chest, cut off in the front just below the waist and had long skirts in the rear. The standing collar was at least two inches high; regulations called for it to be as high as possible while still allowing the chin to turn freely. Both the collar and the cuffs were piped in white and the tails featured white turnbacks. The coatee was closed with a single row of white pewter buttons . It went by many nicknames, among them ‘spiketail', ‘clawhammer' and ‘tail coat'. This dress coatee remained in use until the uniform regulation changes of 1851.
Dress
Shako 
This shako first appeared in 1832 as a replacement for the massive bell crowned ‘tar bucket' shako of 1821. It featured a patent leather top, visor and chin strap. The cylindrical body was of black felt. The white plume was of ‘cut feathers' or wool and was fastened to the cap by a brass fitting called a tulip because of its shape. Cap insignia consisted of a brass eagle and a silver Infantry bugle; within the triangle formed by the bugle and its suspension cord was placed the regimental number.
Cartridge
Box 
The essentials of a military cartridge box were several. It had to be stout
enough to stand abuse and to prevent the fragile paper cartridges of the day
from being smashed. It had to be waterproof enough to shield the ammunition
from snow and rain. It had to present the cartridges in a fixed position so
that the soldier could find one in the excitement of battle with a minimum of
fumbling and without looking around. The regulation Infantry cartridge box was
made of black bridle leather and contained a wooden block that was drilled to
accept 24-26 cartridges: under the block was a tin tray to hold extra
cartridges, extra flints and cleaning cloths. Near the middle of the nineteenth
century this wooden block was replaced with two tin inserts which held twenty cartridges
in an upright position plus an additional twenty cartridges in two reserve
packages. The lid of the early style box was unadorned while a brass
Haversack
On field service every soldier was issued a haversack or ‘bread bag' in which he carried his rations and eating utensils. It was a plain white canvas envelope with a flap secured by three pewter buttons. This haversack was slung over the right shoulder and rested on the left hip.
Canteen
and Cup 
One of the most personal of all items of equipage was the canteen or water
jug. The usual issue canteen was a wooden keg shaped somewhat like a very short
barrel. The ends or heads were of solid wood while the sides were made of
staves held in position by hoops of wood or tinned iron. White oak was the
preferred material for canteen construction since it did not render an off
flavor to the water. Spaced around the side of the canteen were three loops of
leather or metal for attaching a white canvas sling. The entire canteen was
painted sky-blue and the letters
Scabbard
The scabbard for the triangular socket bayonet was made of black bridle leather with a brass tip. Originally the bayonet scabbard was carried on a shoulder strap which hung from the right shoulder and crossed the cartridge box strap in the middle of the soldiers body. In 1841 a white buff leather waist belt was issued to help secure both the cartridge box and the bayonet scabbard. Then for reasons of practicality and economy the bayonet shoulder strap was eliminated and the bayonet scabbard was attached to the waist belt by means of a sliding white buff leather frog. The bayonet scabbard was worn on the left side of the body.
Waist
Belt 
The white buff leather waist belt was one and one half inches wide and
usually had a leather loop on the left end. To the other end was attached an
oval brass plate stamped with the raised letter
Belt
Plates 
The regulation U.S. Army cartridge box suspension strap had a circular
‘Eagle" plate attached so as to be centered on the soldier's breast.
It served no function other than decoration. This ‘Eagle' plate, more
than any other single item, designated the soldier as an Infantryman. The plate
was issued for over thirty years with virtually no change in design. It had a
raised rim surrounding an eagle holding three arrows and an olive branch. It
was of thin stamped brass with a lead filled back into which were imbedded the
devices for attaching it to the belt. The waist belt was fastened in the front
of the soldier with and oval plate or buckle made of thin stamped brass that
had a soft lead backing. The face of the plate was imprinted with the letters
U.S. Cartridge boxes designed to contain the tin inserts were decorated on
their flap with a similar
Pick
and Brush 
An iron pick and a bristle brush were issued to each Infantryman for field cleaning the flintlock vent and pan of his musket. These items were suspended from the front of the cartridge box strap by a series of brass links. It was often looped over the cartridge box strap to keep it from becoming entangled. This pick and brush was first issued in 1816 and continued to be used as long as the flintlock was in service.
Knapsack
Knapsacks were issued to all Infantrymen and other soldiers who habitually served on foot. The soldier on field duty was supposed to pack on or in his knapsack a wool blanket, extra shoes, spare clothing, mess equipment and toilet articles. This ridged frame knapsack was constructed around a frame of white pine covered with black painted canvas which was tacked on. Two inner flaps, which tied in the center, closed the box. An outer flap of leather buckled at the bottom covering the exposed rear of the knapsack. Three straps on the top of the knapsack held a rolled blanket which ranged in color from red to a faded wine color. A unit number was usually painted in white on the back outer flap. The ridged frame knapsack was preferred in the early nineteenth century because even when it was empty it presented a very neat military appearance.
Musket
The
Bayonet
The socket bayonet was made without a clamping ring. It had a three inch socket and a sixteen inch triangular blade. The top face of the blade was fluted for slightly more than half of its length. The entire bayonet was finished in the bright.
Musket
Sling 
The gun sling provided an alternate method of carrying the musket, usually while on the march or on campaign. It was a russet strap one and one quarter inches wide and forty six inches long. It had one sliding loop and one fixed loop. Adjustment was made with a brass hook and a series of regularly spaced holes. Some units were apparently still being supplied with an earlier model made of white buff leather; one end being fastened with a leather thong and roller buckle providing a means of adjustment for length.
Sources of Information:
Albert N. Hardin, ‘The American bayonet, 1776-1964'; Philadelphia, PA,
1977 Frederick P. Todd, ‘American Military Equipage, 1851-1872', Vol. 1;
Providence, RI, 1974. Sidney B.Brinkerhoff,
‘Boots and Shoes of the Frontier Soldier' ;
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