Hi everyone. I have just got my hands on over a 100 airfix US Cavalry and I want to paint them some day, I have sorted two colours; Dark Russian blue 899: jacket Sky blue: pants 961: pants One question is the yellow stripes down their legs, now I know that officers and NCOs had them but what about trumpeters and guidon bearers, did they have strips? Privates had no stripes down their pants, as the old saing goes, you have to earn your stripes. Ian
I was recently stuck in hospital and watched day time television. There seem to be channels with almost endless old films depicting the US Cavalry in the West. Mostly in colour. Who knows if the uniforms are authentic. There are also several artists, both 19th Century and modern, who have researched and painted US Cavalry. Their names elude me but I will think hard. Mike
According to rank, apparently. https://ia802902.us.archive.org/12/items/regulationsforun1872unit/regulationsforun1872unit.pdf
I suggest getting this. ACW / osprey - men at arms US cavalry on the plains 168 - book (B704360) | eBay
Bar chats often turn to differences in uniforms: why did the so-and-so have grey or blue-grey shirts, why did so-and-so wear brown corduroy tropical trousers, why did so-and-so wear lime green coloured o-gs (overalls green)? Often battlefield anecdote prevailed over a common reality: the availability of supply. This carried across into others' army dress traditions. The reason why the US Army uniform had light blue trousers and dark blue jackets 'was because historically' the cavalry deployed in the west took off their jackets, forestalling sun bleaching, whereas trousers faded in the bright sunlight. This carried, allegedly, into asserted tradition. Good story. Yeah. Another was that US Civil War regular troops sought to differentiate themselves from militia. Plausible, maybe. "The Federal Uniform Regulation of 1858 stipulated dark blue trousers, but many regular troops were still wearing their 1855 pattern sky blue well after that. The Utah Expedition pictures for example show almost all in their sky blue pants. There has been much speculation as to why older wear was preferred and the thought was that the men simply used their most worn gear first, saving newly issued clothing for parade and subsequent duty. General Order #6 March 13, 1861 stipulated that the Army would return to sky blue and that all regimental officers and enlisted would be so attired. Only those in Ordnance would retain dark blue. Since the regulars were already issued dark blue, it is reasonable that they wore them until no longer feasible, there may be an esprit de corps element involved. What is known is that there were plenty of dark blue trousers at the arsenals as late as 1864. So there was no premeditated distinction of the Quartermaster to clad Regulars in dark blue and Volunteers in sky blue, it was simply that the Regulars already had their blue 'trowsers' and once the regulations changed (March 1861), the Quartermaster was then issuing sky blue." Afternote: some tips and fancy shirts at reenactment suppliers: Indian Wars Uniforms Archives - Civil War Sutler including adjusted shaping of M1876 Cavalry Boot and personalisation of shirt piping. Sun Tzu could well have said: "The purpose of uniform is to look different." I smiled with This is true. You also have to earn your spurs. Why does the US Cavalry wear Prince of Wales spurs?
The box art is very Hollywood. Many old books at this site in PDF format: Search results for 'US cavalry on the plains' - DOCER.TIPS
Perhaps not hard evidence but: I just watched the last few minutes of a John Ford/John Wayne film. It showed guidon bearer with corporals stripes on arm and a single stripe on the trousers. Also a bugler with two narrow stripes on trousers. Mike
I am very happy with the response to my question, you have all been great. The 1/72 airfix cavalry set is rather dated now but the amount of figures I got was equiverlent to 10 boxes, so seeing each box cost around £10 on ebay, I did well for £14. In the osprey book it shows a plate with a NCO/Trumpeter, he had yellow stripes, but all NCOs had them anyway. The US Cavalry used trumpeters as couriers like the man who was sent back with Custers last note, Trumpeter John Martin. Trumpeters were not NCOs unless they were chief trumpeters, in which xase they got the stripes. Ian
Absolutely no help to the above I'm afraid, but I was reminded how (and it is a very long time since I picked up a plastic miniature) I thought that no one had done a decent set of 1870s era US Cavalry in 1/72nd scale or thereabouts. I seem to recall being very proud of my 1/32nd Airfix US Cav as a kid, despite never having any one for them to battle against...
Hi Gary, the airfix 1/32 was a great set, wish the 1/72 was updated, I think the 1/32 set was mid 1970s, the 1/72 was early 1960s. Ian