This volume examines what the citizen soldiery of the New England states
wore when they marched off to save the Union in 1861. An exhaustive
search of thousands of newspapers yielded a myriad of reports and
personal accounts from soldiers' letters, which together offer a
hitherto unpublished view of the stirring events during the first few
months of the Civil War. Combined with fascinating detail from numerous
diaries and regimental histories, the author is able to describe the
appearance of the Union volunteers of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New
Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and Maine. The narrative is enhanced by
photographs of original uniform items from private collections, plus
imagery of the day showing the great variety of clothing and headgear
worn. Accepted by the Company of Military Historians, this is an
essential reference for collectors, living historians, modelers, and
curators, as well as anyone with a general interest in the Civil War.