With regard to Custer's uniforms. The general officer uniforms he wore in the field were not regulation. The braid he wore on the sleeves of his famous velveteen uniform were in fact the regulation loops and knots of a general officer. The uniforms of most officers of most ranks when they were in the field were non-regulation. R. E. Lee appears to have been constantly out of uniform. Most photos of Custer show him wearing the regulation uniform, except for bow ties and non-regulation hats.