The subject of uniforms is very touch
and go to say the least, due to the lack of Quartermaster
records for the Civil War period on the Confederate side.
Prior to the Civil War the Palmetto Riflemen were a militia unit recruited
mainly from the German speaking population of Charleston , South Carolina. They
wore black leather helmets with a white plume stuck into a silver socket on its
top. Trim around the edge was silver, as was the skull-and-crossbones badge. The
frock coat was dark blue, as were the trousers, with white trim for enlisted men
and silver for officer's. The Company carried a black guidon with a white
skull-and-cross bones insignia. This Companies wartime service was as Co C
Palmetto Sharpshooters. (source; REF:MEN AT ARMS SERIES 207)
At the outset of War Company "B" the Palmetto Riflemen may have had
green facings on collar and cuff's of their uniform coats, when their service
came to an end ,and they re-formed into Co "C" Palmetto Sharpshooters
they possibly had a reissue of uniform without green facings.
In 1861 private manufacture of uniforms produced several differing styles of
uniform, there is no standard colour ,facing or cut .Frock coats and hunting
shirts being quite popular, with the Palmetto Riflemen adopting a gray frock
coat with white trim for enlisted men and company
grade officers and silver for staff officers and above, this was a first issue
uniform ,issued on initial enlistment into Confederate service. The issue dates
of green facings are uncertain , but there is a reference in a letter home by
one of the men asking for a shirt with green facings dated 1861.
In 1862 the first issue becoming worn, especially by the summer South Carolina
State, issues "coats" to the most needy .By September almost all
regiments report being in a ragged condition .This is the greatest period of
deprivation the soldiers will see in the war. Greggs Brigade clothes itself from
the Yankee's stores at Harpers Ferry. The last and largest issue from South
Carolina occurred at this time with an issue of 8000 frock coats ,these are sent
to Virginia in December.
In 1863, the period we re-enact the Quartermaster clothing provisions had
improved somewhat and the image of the "Ragged Rebel" of the
Confederate Army that has for so long graced the pages of American Civil War
History ,had all but disappeared, with Confederate soldiers in some battles and
campaigns described as being better dressed than those in the Federal Army. And
a federal infantryman ,who spoke to some pickets of a South Carolina Regiment in
Tennessee in September 1863 ,describes them as "better dressed than we are,
their uniforms being apparently new.... The Carolinians uniform is bluish grey
with sky blue pants." By the spring ,South Carolina troops are on the C.S.
depot system and are receiving Richmond type 2 shell jackets, by the time of the
Gettysburg campaign .At Chickamauga a D.Augustus Dickert recalls that
Longstreets corps was uniformed with a "dark blue round jacket ,closely
fitting ,with light blue trousers." During June of this year ,the whole of
Jenkins Brigade was reviewed by General D.H.Hill dressed in 'full uniforms of
sky blue with Confederate grey caps on their arrival in the Richmond area. Later
that month there was another issue of a dark grey jacket and light blue trouser,
with 'leggings' issued a month later.
Towards the end of September ,a correspondent of the Chester Standard of South
Carolina ,reported that "Jenkins Brigade was the best clad in Confederate
service". Around the same time ,Serg't C.P.Poppenheim of the Washington
Light Infantry wrote "great many of Longstreets men are uniformed like our
Brigade that is with dark gray jackets and blue pants we look like Yankee's,
after drawing friendly fire Poppenheim declared..... now we have turned our
jackets inside out, and have a dirty white jacket and blue pants. "In the
winter of 1863/64 ,Longstreets Corp is sent 14,000 jackets from North Carolina.
Those in camp in Virginia receive a considerable quantity of clothing from home.
1864 and South Carolina troops continue to wear the Richmond type 11 jacket
although these are superseded by the type 111 in numerous issues, some regiments
receiving as many as 5 issues in 1864.Jenkin's Brigade (1st,5th,6th,2nd rifles
,sharpshooters etc) receive the type 111 by the time of the battle of the
Wilderness when they are mistaken for union troops due to the dark colour of
these jackets .By the end of the Summer all South Carolina troops including
those arriving from the coastal defenses are clad in this manner.
1865 see's the type 111 issued until January at least but quantity and quality
severely depleted , some South Carolina troops may even have been issued the
peter tait jackets. By Appomattox some soldiers are again in need of clothing
but very few if any resemble the armed tramp look that is so often visualized
and fantasized over.
This is the closest we have come so far to finding out about the type of uniform
the Palmetto Sharpshooters would possibly have worn during the period ,June
through September, which is our re-enactment season it seems almost certain we
would have worn a jacket of the Richmond 11 depot issue with a light blue
trouser there is also a reference to 3/4 of Longstreets men wearing a black
slouch hat with a 1/4 wearing the gray cap (kepi ? ).