Uniform and research help

[Peachey Carnehan]

After doing some family research, I've discovered some previously unknown (to me anyways) relatives that served in the Civil War. One is Captain Thomas McKibben, Company B, 25th Illinois Infantry, and the other is 1st Lt. John Moyer, Company E, 4th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment. First I just have to say how cool it is to find out this stuff, I'm a history dork and when you make it personal history it just makes it that much better! Second, naturally I want to use this for CAS and the GAF! With that comes a couple of questions though:

1) Since both of my relatives served in a volunteer regiment, and were mustered out in 1864 and 1866 respectively, how would one bridge this historically to create a somewhat historical service record and unit for them out west? Surely there had to be a lot of volunteers that wanted to stay on and became regulars? Ideally, I'd like to go off of Lt. Moyer just because his unit served in the east and I'm more familiar with that side of the family.

2) Just how common were frock coats for junior officers in the Civil War, and did they decrease in use and popularity out west? I ask because I've got a beautiful uniform of an Ordnance Lt. (thanks Captain Bishop!) which could be modified with different trousers, another kepi, and sewing hooks to the shoulders for interchangeable boards, and modifying the buttons with hooks instead of sewn so that they could be interchanged, but really I'm debating if thats the best route. Not to mention Captain Bishop would probably not appreciate me bastardizing the uniform to that of infantry I have to admit that I really admire the junior officer's civil war sack coat (especially the ones from the Quartermaster Shop), and I assume that this would be a uniform option besides the frock coat up until 1872, and even afterwards correct?

Basically now that I've found out this information I'd like to make an effort to be as accurate as possible with my impression (at least as much you can be in CAS anyhow), and my resources are alright on Colonel Steptoe and the War locally in 1858, the Civil War, and US Cavalry in the west, but woefully lacking for the US Infantry in the west. Any help or direction to resources that anyone could give me would be very much appreciated!

Regards,
Clayton

[Mark DuCap]

Try giving Nick Sekela at Historical Clothiers a call.  He is highly held in the hobby and would be happy to give you some advice !  Check out his website, just google nj sekela.
         Easy Mark

[US Scout]

1) Since both of my relatives served in a volunteer regiment, and were mustered out in 1864 and 1866 respectively, how would one bridge this historically to create a somewhat historical service record and unit for them out west? Surely there had to be a lot of volunteers that wanted to stay on and became regulars?

2) Just how common were frock coats for junior officers in the Civil War, and did they decrease in use and popularity out west?

It was quite common for volunteer officers to request a commission in the regular army near or at the end of the War.  This could be done by writing to the Secretary of War, or more effectively applying for said commission through their congressional representatives or perhaps a general they served under who could use their influence with the War Department.  Given the relatively junior rank of both of these men, they would probably have been offered a 2nd Lieutenant's commission. 

However, in 1866 the Army increased the number of regular infantry regiments from 19 to 42 (38-42 were Black regiments) by taking the second and third battalions of all the "new" infantry regiments and making them into a stand-alone regiment.  This was partly done as a means of absorbing all the post-war senior officers; for example 3 new cavalry regiments were authorized and Capt (and Bvt Major General) George Custer was able to become the Lt Col of the newly created 7th Cavalry.  Virtually all the new 2nd Lt billets were offered to former volunteer officers and almost all the former 2nd Lts, even if only commissioned a few months before, found themselves a 1st Lt. 

The frock coat was the regulation uniform and worn by most officers most of the time - at least when in garrison.  Until the 1872 regulations were issued, mounted officers (cavalry and horse artillery) were authorized to wear a shell jacket. 

There is a recent Osprey book "US Infantry in the Indian Wars 1865–91" that you may find useful.

US Scout
Bvt Brig Gen, GAF