Why were soldiers wearing American Revolutionary Uniforms in the American Civil War?

This simple history episode is brought to you by World of Warships.

Why were soldiers wearing American Revolutionary uniforms in the Civil War? The general perception of the American Civil War is that the Confederate Army wore a large variety of uniforms. Some soldiers wore civilian clothing or anything they had captured, and many of their uniforms were produced using local materials, resulting in a yellow-brown butternut color. Some early Confederate units wore dark blue uniforms, which caused confusion at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861.

The Union forces, on the other hand, had more uniformity, continuing to wear the professional blue uniforms that had been worn before the war by the undivided United States forces. However, there were units on both sides that had uniforms influenced by their individual heritage, fashion trends, or special requirements. One Union unit, the Sharpshooters, was a crack rifle regiment that wore distinct dark green uniforms, which helped them blend into the trees, following the European tradition of dressing elite units in green.

Many units on both sides were inspired by French and African styles, featuring red baggy trousers, short ornate jackets, and red Fez headgear. The North also had several units that wore kilts to celebrate their Scottish heritage. The Confederates had one unit that embraced their heritage to the extreme: Company A of the 31st Virginia Militia, commonly called the Continental Morgan Guard, in honor of the famous General Daniel Morgan from the American War of Independence.

This unit was formed before the Civil War in 1855 and prided itself on modeling their uniforms after those worn during the American War of Independence more than 80 years prior. Joining the unit was akin to joining a gentleman’s club; you did not simply enlist or get conscripted. Instead, you had to apply or be recommended, and then a committee would vote on your acceptance. Once accepted, it was not cheap, even for lower ranks, as the uniform was expensive and tailor-made.

Their uniforms romanticized the past glory of the American War of Independence, featuring deerskin breeches, long black boots, white ruffled shirts, luxury goat wool waistcoats with traditional double-breasted buttons, blue tunics, and white gloves. Their headgear was the traditional tricorn hat adorned with a brass badge symbolizing the date of 1776, celebrating American independence.

Their duties resembled those of a social club, as they participated in eight parades a year, often accompanied by a full marching band, always turning out in their immaculate uniforms to impress large crowds. The nearest they came to action in peacetime was in 1859 when they were nearly involved in a confrontation with anti-slavery activists led by John Brown, who took over the federal armory at Harpers Ferry in an attempt to acquire weapons for a slave revolt.

The Virginia militia, composed of local units, surrounded the armory and fired upon it, trapping Brown and his raiders inside. The Continental Morgan Guard, which arrived late, was ordered to look out for any raiders hiding in the buildings. The U.S. Marines arrived the next morning to regain control of the position from Brown. The Morgan Guard then provided security in Charleston, where John Brown would be tried.

In 1861, when the Confederate states left the American Union, the Continental Morgan Guard was called up for full-time active service and was absorbed into the Confederate Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, designated as K Company. The regiment became part of the command of the legendary Colonel Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. By the following year, the Revolutionary War-styled uniforms were replaced with more standard-issue ones, likely due to wear and tear from constant combat.

K Company served valiantly and saw frequent action throughout the war, including at the First Battle of Bull Run, Cedar Mountain, Gettysburg, and Falling Waters. During the engagement at the Spotsylvania Courthouse in 1864, the regiment suffered horrendous casualties but helped the Confederates achieve a significant victory over Grant’s Union army.

When the South was finally defeated in 1865, the Confederate forces in Virginia, including the Virginia Infantry Regiment, surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9th. A few days later, on April 12th, a formal parade of Confederate forces led by the Stonewall Brigade marched into town and surrendered their weapons to Union forces. They were all to receive pardons and allowed to return home.

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