Rough Rider type uniform for Artillery?

Started by Thomas O'Hawk, August 09, 2012, 12:08:58 PM

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Thomas O'Hawk

After looking at some websites about the Rough Riders and watching the mini-series of the same name, I had a question of the 1890's military uniform that I thought I would throw out to the experts.

I have seen a lot of examples of the Rough Rider cavalry uniform with the Navy blue shirt and tan pants, and I have seen examples of the Navy blue shirt and skyblue (with red stripe) pants for artillery of the day.  The question is, was there a uniform in that time period for artillerymen that consisted of the Navy shirt (with red chevrons) and the tan britches?

Thanks in advance
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cpt dan blodgett

The standard uniform for the period was the wool navy shirt and the sky blue wool pants.  The 1884 Canvas fatigue uniform was an authorized if not standard uniform having a tan canvas duck blouse and pants, there was also a white version.  Cuffs, collar and trouser stripe were of branch colors.  There was also a khaki 1898 and 1899 uniform.  Without the Blouse in the field the proper shirt to wear with any of the uniforms would be the Navy Wool shirt with the possible exception of the white uniform which was a tropical dress vs field uniform.  Most if not all of the regulars sent to Cuba would have worn the blue uniforms.  Later in the Phillipines the 98 and 99 uniforms were the uniform of the day.  Lots of tan / khaki pants with blue shirts in photos.
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pony express

In addition to what Cpt Dan posted, the SHIRT would not have any rank markings, they were on the Blouse, or jacket. The shirt wasn't really meant to be the outer garment, but when it's 100 degrees plus who wants to wear both a wool shirt AND jacket?

Drydock

YOu can see most of the uniforms discussed here:

www.quartermastershop.com

Like any other army, troops mixed and matched in the field.  Most of what you see in pictures is simply troops in hot climates with the jacket/tunic removed.  The 1884 fatigue uniform was seen in the field clear up to 1910, with the plain trousers often worn with the 3 button placket blue shirt. The 1899 Kahki uniform and pants were worn a great deal as well, often with the jacket removed in the field.  (the more colorful 1st Issue "1898" was really only seen in Cuba and stateside, with a few officers taking theirs into the pacific later.  Look to the left here, I'm wearing an artillery "1898" Uniform, perhaps my favorite uniform of the "Little Wars" period)

 Rank on shirts started in the Phillipines around the turn of the century, with officers simply taking the pin on rank insignia off their tunics and pinning it to thier collars.  Enlisted would initialy safety pin their stripes to the shirts, though in a very short while local seamstresses in the Philipines were sewing them on.  THis practice would not make it stateside until the 1911 regulations
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Drydock

Ennyways, a good basic working artillery uniform for you would be the 1884 trousers, a blue shirt, black boots or black shoes and leggings, a tan slouch with an optional red worsted wool cord.  No stripes on the shirt, get the 1884 tunic for that.

The Quartermaster shop has this, or you can get brown duck pants and a nice blue military shirt from River Junction. (The Cotton Flannel looks good and is great in hotter weather.)  Hat and Leggings from Coon Creek Old West.  The Marine Leggings from What Price Glory work well too!
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Thomas O'Hawk

Outstanding bunch of answers!  Thanks very much.
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G.W. Strong

Here is my version of that. Notice the artillery red sergeant stripes on the trousers. I am a few years earlier so I do not have the leggings and am wearing the earlier hat with no cord.
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Thomas O'Hawk

Very nice!  I am smitten by the red stripes.  I have them on my skyblue pants but not the khaki as of yet.

I was going to get the canvas cartridge belt as standard equipment for the shoots, but I have enough gamer in me that I will have to stick with my leather dual pouch shotshell belt.

Thanks again to all for the good info.
  Artillery brings dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl!

1stSgt Fritz King


Drydock

If you go here:

http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh56/cowtownscout/2012%20DOMM/

You'll see a number of us wearing this uniform in its different variations.  FWIW stripes on the pants are fine on the 84 and 98 uniforms, but not on the 99.
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

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