31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry

Uniform and Arms of the Regiment

This page discusses the Uniforms and Arms of the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry soldier. On this page are two (2) different representations of typical 31st Indiana Privates. The first, shown below, is of my Great, Great Grandfather Andrew Gosnell  and James N. Sheperd who represent the early uniforms. The second, represents what I believe to be the typical (later) uniform, beginning in 1862 through the end of the war.

 Andrew Gosnell, 1835 - 1896
31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry

Comments on the Uniform and Arms of the 31st Indiana:

Uniform: By examining the photo of James N. Sheperd, right, one can see that he and Andrew both were wearing the same Uniforms and Equipment.  The Enfield Pattern 1858 Short Rifle and Colt pistol are quite clear in this photo.  James was also in Company K of the 31st Indiana.  They most likely had their pictures taken at the same photographer.

James N. Sheperd 31st Indiana, Co. K

Andrew's and James' uniforms are typical of the early uniforms issued in the first year of the war. Consistency and practicality were not always the case in 1861, especially with the first regiments that went off to war. Early uniforms were mostly issued by the state and not by the U.S. Government in 1861, thus the many differences. Few known photos exist of 31st Indiana Civil War enlisted men in their uniforms with arms. The uniforms of the 31st Indiana changed somewhat as the war drew on. As uniforms wore out, they would have been replaced by what was available at the time.  Another photo of a 31st Indiana soldier in the author's collection shows a different uniform. This soldier was recruited in August of 1862. The recruit (private) wears a forage cap, much like Andrew's above, a 4 button sack coat, US oval belt buckle, a brass eagle badge on the cartridge box leather shoulder strap, and an Enfield cartridge box and cap pouch. The recruit is holding an Enfield Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket. I believe this to be the typical (later) uniform, beginning in the year, 1862 through the end of the war (see far right drawing).

Early Uniform Later Uniform © 2001 & 2009 Dennis Hutchinson

The above water color drawings by the author represent the early and later style 31st Indiana V.I. uniforms. Andrew's depiction [Early Uniform] based on his photo, (see description above) shows him with navy blue trousers since they appear dark in the photo. The drawing on your right [Later Uniform] was made using the photo mentioned above of another 31st Indiana Vol. soldier. The photo was taken in 1862. This drawing most likely represents the typical dress of the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry Soldier during the later years.

Did they wear Shoes or Boots? Shoes would have been the normal footwear issued by the Army to the enlisted men.  Boots could have been sent by the soldiers family to him in the field or if he had the monetary means, he could purchase boots on his own. Officers would have been more likely to have had boots than enlisted men since they were more likely to be financially able to purchase them.

Hats or Caps? Initially the men were issued Forage Caps as above, and as late as August of 1862, they were still receiving Forage Caps. However, beginning in the warmer weather of 1862, some Diaries report receiving "hats" and some mention purchasing a "hat". The "Western" soldier preferred the "hat" that would protect him from the effects of the sun and rain. Most were farmers and were used to their hats and could have had their old favorite sent to them. There are many photos of "Western" soldiers with hats, but unfortunately I do not have a photo of a 31st Indiana private wearing a "hat". There are some photos of officers having a hat and others wearing a Kepi.

From the existing photos that I do have of 31st Indiana soldiers, it is clear that a variety of , shoes or boots, caps or hat, trousers, coats and jackets existed in the Regiment.  One can not say that one particular style of anything was THE style worn by the Regiment.

Arms:
Five companies of the 31st Indiana were sent to Evansville, Indiana from Terre Haute via train on the night of September 21, 1861, to prevent the locks on the Green river in Kentucky from being destroyed.  These were companies A, C, E, I, & K.  The regiment had not yet received their arms prior to this date.  Governor O. P. Morton sent a train loaded with arms and accoutrements to Terre Haute, Indiana, which were to be loaded onto the train taking the "500 troops" to Evansville. 

In a letter published in the THE PARKE COUNTY REPUBLICAN newspaper dated October 2, 1861, Gus C. Ford of Company A, writes, "At 3 P. M. we were each given a new Enfield rifle, a pretty cante[e]n and cartridge box and thirty rounds of cartridges."  This occurred on September 22nd, 1861.

The following table lists the arms given to the 31st Indiana early in the regiment's life.  The information comes from the Indiana Armory Records.

The above table supports Gus Ford's mention of receiving the Enfield rifles.  From diaries, letters and photos, it is clear that the majority of arms were the Enfield Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket.  Many in Company K and most likely some in Company A received the shorter Enfield rifle.  This is based on the photo of Andrew Gosnell and James N. Sheperd.  Other soldiers (Company G) were disappointed in receiving converted Springfield Muskets (Co. G received their arms at a later date). These muskets were old flintlocks converted to cap locks. They expected that all would receive Enfields and made their displeasure known to Colonel Cruft. He explained to them that this was all that could be obtained at this time.¹

Another piece of support for the Enfield Rifle-Muskets and the Enfield Short Rife comes from an excerpt from a letter written in October of 1861 by a Eli S. Combs, Co. H; "...there is two kinds of guns in the regiment........the enfield rifles and rifled musket. ^{" 2}  The regiment was now well armed, the Enfields being considered the "Best" of the Muzzle loading arms of the war. These arms would have been obtained by the efforts of the Hon. Robert Dale Owen, a former Congressman, who was commissioned by Governor Oliver P. Morton to obtain Arms for Indiana troops.

Description of Arms: 3 Enfield Pattern 1858 Short-Rifle, also know as the Pattern 1856 No. 2 or Bar-on-Band: Overall length 49 inches, barrel length 33 inches, caliber 0.577 inch, rifled with 2 barrel bands.  The furniture; butt plate, trigger guard, nose guard, left side lock screw escutcheons are entirely made of iron. The bayonet is a yataghan sword type that attaches to a bar on the front barrel band ("Bar on Band").  The sling rings are located on the upper band and the rear sling ring is located to the rear of the trigger along the long tang of the trigger guard furniture. The stock comes to 1 ¼ in of the muzzle and the upper barrel band wider than the lower band and is pinned to the fore-end by a thick cross pin. The bayonet bar is on its upper right side.  The barrel has three-groove rifling with a twist of 1 in 78 inches. This is the Enfield that is seen in the photo of Andrew Gosnell and James Sheperd.

Enfield Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket: Overall length 55 inches, barrel length 39 inches, caliber 0.577 inch, rifled with 3 barrel bands.  The furniture; butt plate, trigger guard, nose guard, left side lock screw escutcheons are made of Brass. The bayonet is a socket mount with triangular cross section.  The sling rings are located on the front band and the rear is attached to the front of the trigger guard.  This was the most popular of all foreign weapons used during the war.  It was used by both the Union and Confederates. Both patterns were manufactured mainly in England.

Bayonets and Scabbards for the Above Enfields Yataghan Saber Bayonet for the Enfield Short Rifle (above) Bayonet for the Enfield Rifle-Musket (below) P1853 Musket & Bayonets from authors collection

Later in the war it appears that the regiment had many or all of its arms replaced.  Sanford Fordice of company H, mentions the following in a letter to his father and mother dated May 3, 1864;  "I must tell you we have Just Turned over all Our Enfield Rifles and drew New guns, Colts, Patent the nicest gun I ever Saw...."  Since he does not mention that it is the Colt revolving rifle, I would think that it was the Special Model contract musket designed by and first produced by Colt. See Below

Colt Special Model 1861 Rifle-Musket: Maker: Colt's Patent Firearms Co., Hartford, CT. Dates: 1861-1865, Cal. .58 rifled. The Colt Patent contract rifle was similar to the US 1861 Springfield, but its parts were not interchangeable with the Springfield.

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