- Uniform Guidelines -

4th Regiment Army of Northern Virginia "1st North Carolina Battalion"

 

 

Example of Early War Uniforms in North Carolina

Example of Late War Uniforms in North Carolina

 (click on pictures for a closer look)

Select a year: 1861  1862  1863  1864 & 1865

 

Year: 1861

Uniform

Coat: 50% N.C. Sack coat & 50% private contract patterns, pre-war militia and others.

Pants: Same as above.

Hat: Predominately McDowell pattern forage caps. Some plug hats and other styles. Some pre-war militia and U.S.

Overcoat: None

Weapons and Accoutrements

Weapons: Almost exclusively pre-war conversion smoothbores (U.S. M1816, M1822, M1835, M1842) provided by the Militia Act of 1808 and stored at the Fayetteville, N.C. armory. Some Model 1841.

Cartridge Box: Almost exclusively pre-war .69 cal. U.S. issue or militia types. Some .54 cal.

Cap Box: Pre-war government issue

Waistebelt: Leather with pre-war militia plates, roller buckles, or other unit-specific types.

Knapsack: Hardpacks

Canteen: Pre-war, private contract types and others

Footwear: Brogans, boots, civilian and others

Note: Bayonets appropriate to firearms for all years. North Carolina produced uniforms for enlisted men were almost exclusively made of jeans cloth material for the entire war.

 

Year: 1862

Uniform

Coat: North Carolina Sack coat, North Carolina shell jacket, other private contract patterns, captured U.S., and civilian.

Pants: Same as above

Hat: McDowell pattern forage caps, slouch, plug, pre-war militia and U.S., captured U.S., civilian, etc.

Overcoat: Some N.C. issue, civilian, captured U.S.

Weapons and Accoutrements

Weapons: Many pre-war U.S. modules (converted), imports, C.S., N.C., etc.

Cartridge Box: Standard .54, .58, 69 cal. models, some imports.

Cap Box: Standard issue, some imports

Waistebelt: Black leather or prepared cloth with roller buckle, some pre-war militia and captured U.S.

Knapsack: Hard and softpack types, some imports.

Canteen: Government models, private contractors, etc.

Footwear: Standard brogans and private contractors

Note: 1862, particularly Summer and Fall, North Carolina Troops were less uniformly clothed and more "threadbare" in appearance than any other time during the war. Combination of N.C. issue, private contractors, civilian and captured U.S.

 

Year: 1863

Uniform

Coat: Predominately N.C. shell jackets, some privately contracted unit-specific patterns.

Pants: N.C. issue plain gray, some unit-specific patterns.

Hat: 80% slouch and plug hats (brims worn up) . 20% forage cap and others.

Overcoat: N.C. issue, some others

Weapons and Accoutrements

Weapons: Predominately pre-war U.S., captured U.S., imports, some N.C. issue.

Cartridge Box: Standard .54, .58, .69 cal., U.S., C.S., N.C., some imports.

Cap Box: Same as above

Waistebelt: Black leather or prepared cloth with roller buckle, some unit specific others.

Knapsack: Mostly softpack, some hardpack, some imports.

Canteen: Standard U.S., C.S. types, some wooden.

Footwear: Standard brogans, etc.

Note: The lack of uniformity of 1862 decreased in 1863. Supply and demand dovetailed at about the time of Gettysburg. North Carolina Troops ended 1863 looking much more uniform and well equipped than when the year began.

 

Year: 1864  & 1865

Uniform

Coat: N.C. shell jackets made of jean cloth material. Color: gray

Pants: N.C. issue, plain gray, jean cloth.

Note: The gray color varied somewhat from one cloth batch to another. In the field, as a result of varied conditions, usage, etc., the shade of gray varied somewhat from man to man and unit to unit.

Hat: 80% slouch or plug hat (brim worn up). 20% forage cap and others.

Overcoat: N.C. issue gray.

Weapons and Accoutrements

Weapons: 80% Enfields, U.S. M1861, M1863. 20% .69 cal. N.C. rifles, others

Cartridge Box: Standard .54, .58, .69, some imports.

Cap Box: Standard issue and some imports

Waistebelt: Black leather or prepared cloth with roller buckle.

Knapsack: Softpack and some imports.

Canteen: Standard U.S., C.S., N.C., and some others.

Footwear: Standard black and brown brogans.

Note: Leather gear was predominately black. Prepared cloth was gradually replacing leather for belts and cartridge box slings. One half or more of the soldiers used knapsacks. Soldiers were required to keep uniforms and equipment clean and repaired. As the war progressed, the use by North Carolinians of cartridge box plates, waist belts, and cartridge box sling plates declined significantly.