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Timothy
J. Reese "Sykes’ Regular Infantry Division, 1861-1864"
Pages
290-91 talking about re-joining the army after the draft riots
"The
brigade landed at Alexandria and marched to join the army near Culpepper after
recovering from seasickness.... ‘After three days marching we arrived at the
Culpepper camp, our shoes and pants legs covered with mud; but the strict
discipline of the regular army forced us to clean off the mud, black our shoes
and appear on dress parade with white gloves on our hands. The enforcing [of]
such stringent regulations was sometimes burdensome, but the advantage of having
officers who generally know their business, was a benefit that made it more easy
to endure.’ "
An
excerpt from a letter written by Pvt. Ira Pettit provides insight on the use of
dress gloves during the war. The "The Diary of a Dead Man" compiled by J.P. Ray
and published by Eastern National is the collection of diary entries and letters
written by Pvt. Ira Pettit of Co. B, 11th U.S. Infantry.
July 19, 1862, Fort Independence
[letter]
"After examination, we were marched to the
clothing room and fully equipped. I got another pair paints, blue like the
overcoat, a nice dress coat, and a pair of shoes. When we drill a while longer
we shall be supplied with guns, cartridge boxes and a pair of white gloves…after
supper at seven o’clock, every man puts his blue pants and dress coat, buttons
are to be kept bright and the shoes well polished…"
December 21, 1863 near Bealton Station
Virginia
"Last Spring before the battle of
Chancellorsville, a large amount of clothing was boxed up and sent to Washington
except overcoats, and marked the Co., Regt., etc., so as to be returned when
called for. I turned in my uniform coat and a half dozen pair of white gloves
which are of no account here; also a good-sized book. Last Friday night our
boxes came to hand all right each receiving his own and much other belonging to
those slain in battle which was cast lots for. Had we got it in N.Y. to save
drawing new ones it might have been quite a profit to us…."
The reference to NY refers to the unit being
assigned to stop the draft riots in ’63, where they drew new dress uniforms to
wear while in NY.
Ira’s statement that the uniform coat and white
gloves "are of no account here" when talking about how they boxed them up prior
to the battle of Chancellorsville clearly indicates that the dress uniform and
white gloves would not have been present during a campaign. This is supported by
other accounts of soldiers describing how they discarded of everything but the
bare essentials during forced marches. The entry also indicates the relation of
the white gloves to the dress uniform, which was worn in NY and was in his
possession during winter quarters in Virginia.
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