Barry N. Wyat
uniforms
Fri Jul 6 12:52:52 2001


Let me put Mrs. Tarrant's words about the appearance of the uniform into full text...

"Mr. Pratt presented to every member of this cavalry company a uniform, made of black broadcloth, trimmed with gold braid. No other company in the state had a uniform so handsome. When any member of this company came home on furlough he wore this uniform, and in every instance a private was ushered into the coach for officers. When death laid low a member of the Prattville Dragoons, he was clothed in this dress suit. Thus, the gift from Mr. Pratt served as a passport in the hills of gaiety, on the thoroughfares of travel, or a martial shroud when life's fitful fever ended in camp."

From this, my thoughts were that this "dress uniform" was kept by the troops, but probably stored away as such. From Mrs. Tarrant mention that "a private was ushered into the coach for officers." I read this statement as the private in question was a Prattville Dragoon Private in dress uniform being mistaken as an officer when boarding the coach. Of course she says "in every instance", so this statement could be exaggerated to make her point about the grandeur of the uniform. I don't know if she meant boarding the coach about town or when the soldier departed at the end of his furlough. However, her statement about the uniform being used as "a martial shroud when life's fitful fever ended in camp" leads me to believe the uniform was kept in the field by the troops.