Is this a CIVIL WAR uniform?

[Breezie]

Hey Gang, Does this look like a Civil War uniform or not? Thanks for looking, Breezie

 

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[HUNTER12]

The tunic he is wearing is called a sack coat. C.W. coats i believe had 4 buttons, Indian war had 5. Plus hat insignia is wrong for C.W. It's a Indian war era uniform. The kepi hat is also wrong for C.W.

 

[Breezie]

The tunic he is wearing is called a sack coat. C.W. coats i believe had 4 buttons, Indian war had 5. Plus hat insignia is wrong for C.W. It's a Indian war era uniform. The kepi hat is also wrong for C.W.

The jacket & hat didn't look quite right to me to be CW. Thanks for your post Hunter and TexasTee. Breezie

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

The calvary had crossed swords on their kepis in the CW; but the five button is later for U.S. patterns.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Just speaking up with internet-verifiable confirmation of what Hunter12 said about the coat's ID, and time-period. It is what is called a "sack coat" ...a very simple version of US Army uniform clothing, issued strictly for Enlisted men's use, not for Officers. The "rule of thumb" for dating a US Army sack-coat is 4 buttons mean civil war era, and 5 buttons mean Indian Wars era. For "reliable" internet-verification, you can view several examples of Indian Wars era sack-coats at Cowan's Auctions, one of the tip-top reputable auctioneers of Historical Militaria. http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/catalog.aspx?SaleId=180&mcat=1005&cat=2036&scat=3091

 

[Breezie]

Thanks Gang, I really appreciate your help. Breezie

 

[oldfireguy]

issued strictly for Enlisted men's use, not for Officers.

True in the sense of being issued because officer's purchased their own clothing but there are many examples of 5 button sack coats that were privately purchased by officers during and after the CW. The Army being the Army also issued 4 button sack coats well into the Indian Wars period also. The hat he is wearing is the pattern 1872 Kepi which does date the photo into the IW period and it's a great photo too.