The shell jacket, sack coats, frock coats and pants were supplied by the Confederate depot system. Depots in different locations had different design of uniforms. The jackets were made of wool in different shades of gray or sometimes wool in butternut. Even different regiments and companies had different uniforms. For example, the 2nd Texas Infantry were issued white coats and trousers! The Houston Depot was supplied mainly from the Huntsville State Prison and most of their uniforms were butternut. Corporal and NCO chevrons were issued to the soldiers in strips of wool tape in branch colors and the soldiers sewed them on themselves. Union corporals and NCOs had pre-sewn chevrons and the soldiers sewed those on.

The uniform and branch colors varied according to the depot location. Virginia had the more conventional appearing Confederate uniforms in very dark gray (Richmond Gray) and medium gray with conventional branch of color trim. The Columbus Georgia Depot issue was light gray with French Blue (dark blue) collar and cuffs if they had any trim at all, regardless of the branch of service. The Columbus gray cotton-wool jean cloth soon turned to a brownish gray after a few weeks of use. Columbus Depot supplied the Western Therater (Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana) The militia companies and the Trans-Mississippi uniforms such as the Texas cavalry had medium gray wool cloth or cotton-wool jean cloth with black branch of color trim. Brass emblems were seldom used on the Confederate kepi.

Good examples of reproduced uniforms can be seen at www.quartermastershop.com Most reenactors prefer a uniform that looks as if the soldier just came from the seige of Petersburg. Personally I prefer a uniform that looks as if it was fresh from the supply depot.