Captain George Patton personally designed the
uniforms that the Kanawha Riflemen wore. These uniforms
were similar in appearance to the Richmond Light
Infantry Blues. The frock coat was dark green with a
cape and was laced with black trim on the cuffs and
collar. It featured a nine-button front, with epaulets
of gold braid. The trousers were also dark green with a
single black stripe down the leg for enlisted men. A
wide brim slouch hat with ostrich feathers dangling down
the side with the letters "KR" on the front completed
the outfit. White Berlin gloves were worn to
Charleston’s social events. The Kanawha Riflemen were
armed with many different styles of muskets. Many had
the Belgian (Flintlock and or P-53 Enfield) Musket,
shorten barrel Neiss Rifles, the two-banded 54-caliber
Mississippi Rifle with a sword bayonet, at least one
Harper's Ferry 45-caliber musket.
On April 26, 1861, Captain George Smith Patton issued
his first company orders. They were printed in the
Kanawha Valley Star on April 30. These orders described
the equipment that each soldier of the Kanawha Riflemen
was to obtain and carry. The average soldier of the
Kanawha Riflemen was to provide his own provisions
besides his dress uniform and his fatigue uniform. He
would have to pack two shirts, four collars, two pair of
socks, two pair of under drawers, one blacking brush
with a box and that was to be shared with any two men of
the file. Two pair of white Berlin gloves, one-quart tin
cup, one white cotton haversack that contained a cased
set of knife, spoon and fork combo, with two towels and
two handkerchiefs. He was also to obtain a comb, brush
and a toothbrush. The soldier had to acquire some linen
thread, buttons, paper of pins and a thimble to be
packed into a buckskin or cloth bag and also a woolen
blanket.
In addition to the soldier’s personal items, it was
recommended that all underclothes were to be made of
woolen material including the socks. Cotton socks on the
march were subject to ware faster than wool. The shoes
had to be fitted loosely, but not allowing the heel to
come past the ankle portion of the shoe. Shoes were
stressed than rather marching in boots.
Since knapsacks were not available, soldiers had to
share a carpet sack with one another. The carpet sack
was to be delivered packed neatly with the names of two
soldiers sharing the carpet sack inscribed and then
handed to the quartermaster sergeant. The soldier was to
carry on him at all times, his knife, fork and spoon his
tin cup and his haversack.
The ladies of Charleston, Western Virginia made
several jackets (battle shirts) for the Kanawha Riflemen
made out of gray flannel cloth for the use of a fatigue
jacket. The men were given a deadline of one week to
have their measurements taken and fatigue jackets made
along with the additional supplies named above.
Upon entering the Confederate Army in June of 1861,
as Company “I” of the 1st Kanawha Riflemen Regiment,
confederate regulations stated that their uniforms were
too flashy in design. The new uniforms, as early as
records show, was a light blue frock coat and dark gray
jean wool trousers. There is one photo of this uniform,
that survives and can be seen in Terry Lowry's Book
entitled "The 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment."
By 1862, the Kanawha Riflemen was issued being issued
the proper equipment that most Confederate soldiers
would have carried. Many soldiers of the 22nd Virginia
were issued Richmond Depot Type II jackets. There are
several photos of men in uniform of the 22nd Virginia in
Williams' Brigade in 1862 and then Echol's Brigade in
1863-1864. All of the uniforms are the Richmond Depot
Type II. As the Civil War progressed, the Confederate
Army became more uniformed and this was seen in 1863
during the Gettysburg Campaign. The reason was the
depots system in Virginia was in full swing, which led
to the uniformity of the Confederate Army of Northern
Virginia, Army of Southwestern Virginia and the
Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
