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EXCEEDINGLY RARE CIVIL WAR US CAVALRY TROUSERS

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This is a wonderful pair of regulation Civil War US issue enlisted cavalryman’s trousers that are incredibly rare and in great condition. They are made of sky-blue kersey with waistband and pockets in place inside, and have the key addition of a reinforcing piece of kersey sewn on the seat and inside of the legs, natural points of wear for the mounted soldier, and the presence of buttons inside the cuffs for use of an instep strap to keep them from riding up over the boot leg, which was expected to be somewhat short and worn under the pant leg- both contrary to Hollywood images and, admittedly, some soldier preference.

The fabric has strong color and shows just some light soiling and wear on the lower seat and inside thigh. Aside from a couple of pinpoint moth nips or short tracks that blend in, the only noticeable hole is on the back of the left thigh, just forward of the edge of the reinforcing piece, about 1 ½ by 1 ¼ inches, which has been very well backed with a matching piece of fabric, as has a small ¼ inch hole 3 inches below it.

The four large tinned-iron buttons for suspenders and the one fastening the waist band in front are all there and secure. Four of the five smaller buttons fastening the fly are there. Inside the cuffs two buttons are in place on each side, but the matching two on the opposite side are gone. The waistband is lined in a cotton drill that is an off white, as are the  pockets – small watch pocket on the wearer’s right and larger horizontal, slightly slanting, front pocket on each side. These are solidly in place and intact with no holes.

The buttonholes show just slight wear, indicating the trousers saw light use, as does the minor wear of the seat, though we can gauge something of their history by the addition of narrow yellow cord along the exterior seams of the legs, indicating the owner received a promotion to officer, or that an officer determined to save his privately purchased trousers and buy a cheaper government pair from the Quartermaster for wear in the field.

There are several partially visible ink stamps inside. One pocket has a rather large stamp reading “45” that might be an inspector or seamstress number. In the left front of the front of the waist band the lining shows a “3” almost certainly an army standard size marking- trousers being issued in four standard sizes, though as research reveals with some variation in actual dimensions within each official size. Opposite this, inside the right front is a lighter stamp that could also be a “3,” but looks rather like an “S,” and toward the rear of the left waistband is another ink stencil that seems pretty clearly to read “SI,” which we think is likely an “SA” with right side of the “A” missing, indicating manufacture at, or for, the Schuylkill Arsenal. Backing this up we note some construction details associated with trousers coming through that facility (usually cut and distributed to seamstresses to be returned assembled for inspection and issue.) The trousers are fitted with just four suspender buttons; the watch pocket has a welt and is set separately along the waist band above the right pocket; the waist band has a pretty straight edge, just tapering up slightly at the back (where there are two holes for a lace to adjust the fit and split reaching down 1 1/8 inch from the bottom edge of the waistband or about 2 ½ inches from the top;) and, the two-piece rear yoke, or gusset, is roughly triangular in shape on each side, with the base aligned with the rear seam, about 4 inches long from the lower edge of the waist band, with the end reaching the side seam about ½ inch wide.

Civil War trousers of any sort are notoriously difficult to acquire for the uniform collector. This is even more the case with enlisted, issue trousers, that might be in too poor condition to be permitted back in the house when a veteran returned or too useful for daily chores and work clothes in the postwar years, and subject being tossed out at the first sign of moth damage. Mounted trousers, being of far more limited production than those for foot troops, are thus something of a holy grail for the uniform collector. You will hard pressed to find another pair, let alone a better one. [sr] [ph:L]

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