31362
W. Britain
This soldier wears a shell jacket and trousers made from high quality British army cloth imported into the Confederacy throughout the war. He also wears a felt hat that was preferred by many men over the regulation chasseur pattern kepi. Many of the domestically produced hats were made in various shades of tan and gray, while many of the black felt hats seem to have been imported from England. In either case, the wide brim of these hats kept the sun off the wearer’s neck and shoulders giving them some respite from the summer glare. In addition, the relatively sizable brim kept away the rain substantially better than the single bill of the traditional kepi.
The American Civil War was fought from 1861 - 1865. It was perhaps one of the most defining and tragic chapters in American history pitting family and friends against one another. It was also known as one of the first ‘modern wars’ with a grim preview of what was to come in future conflicts, well documented in both text and imagery.