civil war union navy boatswain's uniforms

Though finding original copies of these regulations is nearly impossible, more recent reprints are available online. Regarding uniform regulations and requirements, the Confederate Navy issued a circular at the start of the war outlining the look, presentation, and appearance of its uniforms. The Confederate Navy however, existed for only a few years and, as a result, publications of Confederate naval regulations are more limited. is fairly widespread, as the organization published, and continues to publish extensively. The Confederacy, though creating a naval service along with a country, reflected those decades of knowledge within their own uniform regulations, which often mimicked their Union counterparts.ĭocumentation of naval regulation for the U.S. Navy had the benefit of decades of activity to tailor their uniforms appropriately.

Uniforms sailors wore daily typically helped them in the performance of their duties, whether it was a kerchief that could be used as an impromptu tourniquet, or open-legged pantaloons that allowed for free movement across a crowded and swaying deck. In the naval service, uniforms are both a formalized sign of rank and position, as well as utilitarian.

Civil war union navy boatswain's uniforms