Federal Issue Trousers
What’s Right, What’s Wrong and How to Know the Difference
By Ross Burkenstock
After wearing the same pair of sky blue federal trousers for eight years, I realized that mine were in need of replacement. When replacing any of your kit, whether it be uniforms or equipage, there is an abundance of information available to determine what you should look for in an authentic reproduction. I compiled the following information on federal trousers from two outstanding sources. In the summer of 1999, Paul Brown wrote an article for The Watchdog containing his observations after examining seventy-seven original pair. The Columbia Rifles’ Research Compendium contains a wealth of good information and their section on trousers was written by Cyrus J. Spencer, heavily footnoting from Mr. Brown’s article.
For purposes of this article and for our general research, three of the more common makes of trousers were:
Schuylkil Pattern. These were completely hand-sewn and made in huge quantities. These included four suspender buttons and two triangular yokes in the rear.
Harkness Pattern. Howard F. Harkness had a contract dated October 10, 1864 for 120,000 pairs of infantry trousers.1 These were machine sewn except for the buttonholes and had two large trapezoids for back gussets instead of the triangular yokes of the Schuylkil Pattern.
J.T. Martin Pattern. John T. Martin had numerous contracts for the time frame between 1862 and 1863 for a total of 785,000 pairs of infantry trousers.2 These were entirely machine-sewn, has two trapezoids for rear gussets and the rear of the waistband lacks the two eyelets for ties. These also have six suspender buttons for forked-front suspenders.
Regulations stated that the
trousers should be made of a kersey, with a diagonal weave, weighing from
twelve to fifteen ounces and dyed with indigo.
Due to the inconsistent dying results from batch to batch, colors varied
and there was indeed no “correct” shade of sky blue. Sky blues with a faint green cast is not necessarily
incorrect. In examining reproductions
one should look more into the weave (a 2/2 twill with a diagonal weave) than
the color.3
Trousers used cotton lining materials for the fly, waist linings and pockets and at least some examples had muslin for the pockets. In some cases a brown polished cotton was used for the lining and fly pieces. Both cotton and linen threads were used with linen being the most common. Color of thread was most commonly dark blue with some dark gray or black being used as well.
Approximately 90 percent of the originals examined had paper-backed tin buttons and all had larger (about 5/8 inch) buttons on the waistband and smaller (about 3/8 inch) on the fly and most had only four suspender buttons. There was no consistency in button type for the suspender buttons and many differing styles including civilian types.
Waistbands measured from 1 ½ to 2 inches at the front to ¾ to 1 inch at the back split and the front buttonhole was set somewhat lower than halfway down from the center of the waistband in front. Flys were set with four, five and sometimes six buttonholes in addition to the one in the waistband. Cuffs were faced with a separate piece of kersey and had a 1 to 1 ¼ inch vent placed in the outseam.4 Pockets were side seam on virtually every original examined and all had topstitching on the front side of the opening and bar tacks to reinforce the opening. The pockets were set below the waistband and do not meet or run into the waistband. While alterations were common and mostly in regards to length, it was a common practice to simply roll up the excess length as many period photos suggest.
The Quartermaster Department established standardized sizing and called for four sizes for most of the war:
SIZE INSEAM OUTSEAM WAIST
1 31 41.5 32
2 32 42.5 34
3 33 43.5 36
4 34 44.5 38
This sizing should be used as a general guide only as examination of originals shows a general inconsistency among contractors and individual pieces.
In examining my Jarnagin pants against the specs noted, I found several distinct errors in construction:
I invite those with more recent versions of the Jarnagin foot trousers to examine them and comment, as I’m aware that their construction changed about two years ago and a more accurate pattern and fabric type has been adopted.