What kind of uniforms did the Union Army wear?

by Jason Chavis on February 3rd, 2010

Great Answer

Professionally Researched. (What's this?)

The Union Army wore a number of different kinds of uniforms throughout the Civil War, depending on the regiment. However, certain standards applied to the majority of the Army, notably the blue coloring that has come to represent the North. While the wool outfits were hot in the Southern climate, the guidelines of the day demanded strict adherence to the uniform code.

Types

The Union Army wore three kinds of uniforms during the Civil War: campaign, parade and fatigue uniforms. The main differences were in the style of hat and decorations.

Features

The Union Army uniform comprised four distinct components: a dark blue frock coat covering a sky blue shirt, hats in either a forage or large brim style, sky blue trousers and different types of boots, depending on a soldier's job.

Significance

A major focus of the Union Army uniform, especially for officers, was the rank insignia. Various combinations of bars, oak leaf images, silver eagles and stars defined the rank of a soldier. Additional features included gold braids on sleeves, similar to Confederate officers.

Colors

Certain types of soldiers in the Union Army wore colors besides blue. Musicians often wore red to distinguish themselves, reserves were issued light blue uniforms, and cadets wore gray. The only camouflage of the era was a dark green uniform worn by sharpshooters.

Influences

The Union Army uniforms were influenced heavily by their European counterparts of the day. The overall design was British, while the coat came from Prussia and the hat from Denmark.