Larry Shields
Tuscaloosa Gray
Fri May 4 13:36:44 2001


Mr. Lowe,

I've been reading your posts on the Alabama and Mississippi Civil War message boards with interest. I saw that you posted the following item over on the Mississippi board in a discussion on "Tuscaloosa Grey":


"Another point that I didn't include in the original post is the fact that Alabama is said to be the first State to mandate the color gray for uniforms. I believe that the date that I have read is Feb. 1861. So, that lends just one more little bit of support for Tuscaloosa Gray.

I have no proof of this, but I believe that the Alabama Volunteer Corps, constituted in 1860 (not the 1850's as button "experts" claim...but that's another dispute), wore sky blue uniforms. I do not know, yet, if they were issued new gray uniforms when they were called up in March 1862. I suspect that most continued to wear the sky blue uniforms through their one-year enlistments."


Thought I might be able to help a little here. The Alabama Volunteer Corps (AVC) had some fairly well spelled out uniform regulations when first formed, but it wasn't for "sky blue". The uniform for all branches of the AVC was dark blue frock coats and gray trousers. Trim for the infantry was to be light blue, cavalry yellow, red for artillery etc. Most units of the AVC seem to have adopted a uniform of this type though there were some variations among the local units. These regs. were issued in March 1861.

In February 1861, Governor Moore prescribed a "state uniform"
for units not being called into Confederate service. This called for frock coats, pants and caps of "cadet gray" Apparently this influenced a great many newly forming units and is why we see so many early war Alabama soldiers in gray frock coats (though cut and trimmed in a bewildering variety) Of course many of these units were called into Confederate service soon after and wore their gray uniforms. While old units of the AVC continued
on in blue (for a little while).

In August 1861 Alabama Quartermaster General Duff Green called for uniforms for Alabama troops to be made as gray
jackets with 7 buttons and shoulder straps and gray pants.
Patterns for this were sent out to soldier's aid societies as well
as manufacturing firms. Alabama apparently continued to supply this type of uniform from time to time throughout the war to it's troops. Even later in 1864, Alabama contracted with a firm in Ireland to produce and import uniforms for her troops.

I have a number of sources for this stuff. Hope some of this helps.

Larry Shields