Questions regarding new uniform

[Lt. Col Mark Flint]

Howdy Gents, I am in the process of having my first uniform made and had a few questions.

It is a Conferederate Cavalry Uniform and is intended to be a "Dress" uniform to the extent that the Confederacy really ever had such.

It is my understanding that the confederacy never gave any medals out.  Is this correct?  Beyond the standard insignia, piping, contrasting cuffs and linings and all was there anything that was specific to an officers personal accomplishments?

Were there truly no medals, or were there some unsanctioned or at least commonly handed out types of decorations?

[Gen Lew Wallace]

Sir,

There were very few awards and decorations period as far as I have learned.  There did seem to be a few times when a unit would present their commanding officer with a token of their affection.  This could be a small pendant worn on the dress coat, but this was rare as well.  Have you ever noticed that any picture you viewed where an officer was wearing a medal was usually a big time general? 

[Big Hext Finnigan]

I suspect that then, just as now, Valor was known to those that mattered.

[US Scout]

Confederate FULL DRESS uniforms, at least in regulations and typically found mostly early in the war, were similar to that worn by the Federal Army.

There was, however, no "standard" uniform, especially in the South.  There were not only variations between the various corps (what we call branches today - infantry, artillery, cavalry, etc), but also within each State, and even within each regiment. 

What you need to do is identify the particular unit you want to recreate in FULL DRESS (as opposed to UNDRESS, which was the uniform they wore to war).  If you can identify the regiment you are interested in (or even the particular company within the regiment) you can probably find at least a description, if not a photograph of the uniform.  If you're lucky, there might even be a museum with an original that could look at.  I know the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, VA has a nce collection, most of it not on display.

For the most part, you are looking at the undress uniform but with epaulettes (brass scales for enlisted, gold for officers).  The hat would probably be a "Hardee" style hat or something similar, again depending on the Regiment.  Kepis were for undress, but later in the war, undress served just as well as full dress. 

Hope some of this helps. If you have a specific question, give me a hollar.

[Col. Riddles]

Mark, in response to your question about Confederate medals, here are two web sites that will answer your question.
http://www.2020site.org/medals/
http://www.medalofhonor.com/ConfederateHonorRoll.htm

[Grapeshot]

Up until the civil war the U.S. Military did not award medals.  When Congress authorized an army back in 1775 they wanted none of the trappings of the English Army.  They felt that Medals were more an indication of social status than acheivement.  Even the Purple Heart was a patch awarded to wounded soldiers long before it became a medal, and even that fell into disuse after the War of 1812.

Medals as we know them did not come about until after the Spanish-American War, and more so after WW1.

However......It is not without precedent that some members of reenactor groups have worn their personal medals that they earned while on active duty with Uncle Sam's Armed forces.