The hat sounds like either a Hardee or a slouch hat. The crossed swords designate cavalry. (Bugle is infantry, crossed cannons is artillery, small castle is engineers) The trousers that look white may actually be sky blue - the standard color for union trousers. If the jacket is rather short and tight fitting, it is probably a shell jacket - however 5 buttons would be unusual. Shell jackets for enlisted men had 12 buttons and sack coats had 4. However, many soldiers wore what they had - government issue or not. ----- Original Message ----- From: "edcrow@msn.com" <edcrow@email.msn.com> To: <IL-CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 9:50 PM Subject: Re: [IL-CIVIL-WAR] Illinois Cavalry > The picture I have of Solomon Peter Crow Co. D 14 th. Illinois Cavalry is > black and white so I can't help with colors, but he is wearing a hat that is > close to a stetson in looks but the brim dosen't look as wide as a stetson. > There are crossed swords on it. The jacket has 5 shiny buttons and is kind > of tight fitting. the colar is pointed like a mens shirt colar but a little > more space between the points. The belt is almost a thumb width and has a > large square shiny buckle. Light {white or off white?} pants ,full in the > leg and tucked into boots that come just below the knees. There is a medal > that kind of looks like a snowflake hanging from a ribbon with a bar of some > kind on top. I don't have a scanner but will be glad to send you a zerox if > you want to see it. Hope this helps. Elaine in Ohio > edcrow@msn.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Fossitt, Chris <ChrisF@communitypress.com> > To: IL-CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com <IL-CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: Thursday, May 10, 2001 2:34 PM > Subject: [IL-CIVIL-WAR] Illinois Cavalry > > > >To all; > > > >I'm researching my gggrandpa's Cavalry regiment for a painting I plan to > do. > >I'm hoping someone can answer some questions that I have.... > > > >Question #1: Can anyone tell me what the uniform for a private in Co. E, > >17th Illinois Cavalry would look like? From several photos of various > >Illinois Cavalry regts., I assume that it was a shell jacket with a high > >collar and two buttons on each side. But in most of the photos I've seen, > >there's no yellow trim on the collar and cuffs like you would expect on a > >cavalry jacket. Could the trim be another color? Would the trim be > absent? > > > >Question #2: Would a private have worn a kepi or a Hardee hat? Again, > I've > >seen several photos of soldier in Illinois Cavalry regts., and most seem to > >have worn short Hardee style hats. Was that a dress hat, or would they > wear > >the Hardee hat into battle? > > > >Question #3: I have a hand-written note from Captain Charles Parker of the > >9th US Cavalry (post-war), to my gggrandpa, Simeon Shaver, Co. E, 17th > >Illinois Cavalry. It reads... > > > >Capt. 9th Cavalry > >Fort Robinson Neb > >Charles Parker > > > >Simeon Shaver > >Private Co. E 17 Ill Cavly. > > > >"Most of the boys are calling upon me. Leo Grollmond came yesterday. > Yours > >today. Hope your attorney will get all the dates right. Poor Crotzenburg > >died first." > >C.P. > >Capt. 9th Cavly. > > > >Does anyone have a guess as to what this note is discussing? Was veterans > >legally required to go through lawyers to collect a pension? > > > > > >Thanks! > >Chris Fossitt > > > >