Civil War Uniforms (1 Viewer)

[gk5717]

The other night for about the 50th time I watched some of the movie Gettysburg. I,m sure the uniforms were authentic, so my question is why did they were those heavy wool uniforms in the middle of summer? I,m talking about the long coats, especially by the officers.
Gary

 

[Scott]

It actually gets cold at night even in the summer. Wool is a longer wearing cloth and BREATHS so that you aren't much hotter wearing it as without it. Linen and cotton cloth was used for sailor summer clothing. The Confederates used Jean Cloth, when they couldn't get wool, that looked much different from modern jeans. Jean cloth was wool and cotton together.

19th Century people also had a different idea of being dressed and undressed and men might work outside in shirt sleeves but think themselves undressed that way in company. Clothing was hard to get even in the army and it was better to wear your clothing than try to pack it away or put it down.

 

[DCN1898]

Not only does wool breath but it wears really well (Much better than cotton at the time.). You can get wet in wool and still be relatively warm. As Scott said, jean cloth looked different, it was very wool like.

 

[Scott]

I thought Jean cloth was against Deuteronomy 22:11 but that's wool and linen.