If you were a Union soldier, you may have walked off base in your sky blues.
It is even more likely that you took off your sky blue pants and grabbed a gray pair of pants from the depo. (The secondary color for the U.S. Army was gray.)
If you were in the local militia - you wore what ever your militia uniform consisted of.
About a year into the war, gray became the standardized color for Confederates. Hopefully your were issued some new pants.
By late 1863 shortages of wool started affecting importation and manufacturing of pants.
England sent lots of butternut(light Brown) trousers over.
Local manufacturers started mixing linen and cotton with the wool that they still had - producing "jeans wool" and a many varieties of cheap pants that would not keep you warm.
By the end of the war, anything wool and servicable was fair game.

We make correct Civil War pattern trousers.
They should be worn with the bottom of the waist band at your naval.

If you try to wear them with the waist band a few inches below your naval, two things will happen:

First, you will look very incorrect because men did not wear their trousers low.
Second, the crotch on your trousers will be hanging much to low and will make walking difficult.

Men often wore suspenders to keep their trouser waist band above the belly button. (See Below)

Civil War Trousers: Union verses Confederate verses Civilian

Union Trousers commonly had:

Side seam pockets.
A "V" split in the center back of the waist band, closed via a string tie for adjustability.
The back of pants are constructed with a "V" yoke over the hips.

Union Trousers
(Back view)
Union Pants

Common Colors for Union Trousers are:

Sky blue for lower ranks
Navy blue for Officer's and Early War Impressions.

Confederate Trousers commonly had:

Side seam pockets.
A "V" split in the center back of the waist band, closed via a string tie for adjustability.
The back of pants does not have a "V" yoke over the hips.

Confederate Trousers
(back view)
Confederate Pants

Common colors for Confederate Trousers are:

Gray for Confederate Issue
Butternut for Late War Impressions.

Civilian Trousers commonly had:

Side seam pockets.
A solid waist band.
The back of pants have no yoke on hips.

Civilian Trousers
(back view)
Civilian Pants

Common colors for Civilian Trousers are:

Black for Preacher's
Navy for Medical.

When ordering pants - we need actual waist measurement at belly button height, and inseam length.
Also, please note: We do not hem trousers. We cut them long for you to hem at your desired length.
Pants have pewter buttons sewn on: fly, waist, & 4 suspender buttons. (If you have leather tipped adjustable suspenders, you may need to purchase 2 more suspender buttons at 30 cents each.)

Printable Order Form & Shipping Information * Printable Measure Myself Chart
Specify Style: Union * Confederate * Civillian
Specify Wool Color: Gray * Navy * Butternut(light Brown) * Sky Blue * or Black
Provide: Actual Waist Measurement at Belly Button - (not modern pants size)
Provide: Inseam Measurement Prices for Trousers:
Waist Measurement 22" to 48" = $79.50
Waist Measuring 50"to 66" = $89.50

Pants Stripes

The common guidelines for stripes on pants:
The higher your rank, the narrower the stripe on your pants. 1 1/2", 1", 1/2", piping.
Early war and militia uniforms had branch trim. Later in the war, trim was less used.
If your coat has not trim - your pants are probably plain also.
Officer's had to pay for, and arrange to have uniforms made.
Yellow = Cavalry
Red = Artillery
Blue = Infantry
Metallic Gold/black/Metallic Gold = SurgeonWhen ordering pants stripes, please specify both the width and the color.
Single stripe sewn onto each pants leg = $9.50 * Please specify width

Mounted Pants for Cavalry and Officer's on Horseback

Mounted Trousers have a second layer of wool in the seat.
(The picture has been enhanced - the colors of the wool should be the same)

Quite often, mounted trousers had branch service stripes.
The following prices are for plain mounted pants.
If you want to add stripes,(see above) please specify color and width.

Prices for Trousers:
Waist Measurement 22" to 48" = $90.00
Waist Measuring 50"to 66" = $100.00

Instep Tabs for people wearing boots

Instep tabs are the answer to getting your pants cuff to go down into your boots.
They button onto the bottom hem of your pants, and go under the arch of your foot.
Price per pair of Instep Tabs & 8 Pewter Buttons = $9.00.

Suspenders

Because pants were worn with the waist band at or above the naval, suspenders were a very common article of clothing. During the 1860's, elastic was far too expensive to make, and was not used for suspenders. We offer two types of suspenders that were common during the Civil War.

Plain Canvas 100% Cotton Suspenders -
1 3/4" wide, designed to button onto your pants.
They have 3 button holes in the front and 2 button holes in the back for adjustability.
Your pants require 4 suspender buttons for this style.
Plain Canvas 100% Cotton Suspenders = $7.00

Adjustable Canvas Suspenders with leather reinforcements.
A sliding fastener allows for adjustability, and leather tips give your durability.
This style of suspender requires 6 buttons on your pants.
Adjustable Leather tipped Suspenders = $12.50

Underwear

Often we are asked, "Will you line my trousers in muslin, because I do not want wool against my skin?"
100% cotton button fly underwear is the correct answer.
Not only does Civil War style underwear cut back on your dry cleaning bill,
it also keeps you cool and comfortable when wearing wool pants.
Please Provide Waist measurement

Muslin Summer weight Underwear = $27.50
Canton Flannel (canvas outside/flannel inside) Winter Underwear = $39.50

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If you have run into problems with our web site,
please E-Mail us at: tws@shentel.net

CIVIL WAR TROUSERS Updated: November 2009

TROUSERS