Hi Alan:

See W. H. Tunnard's "A Southern Record: The History of the Third Regiment Louisiana Infantry" (Morningside Bookshop, 1988). Originally compiled, written, and published by Tunnard in 1866 shortly after the war was over, he pulled together details from many resources other than his own memory and notes. Just scanning through my copy in which I have highlighted various things of interest, I found several references to Company K (the Pelican Rifles) of which Tunnard was enrolled as a Sergeant and later served as the 1st Sergeant (aka Orderly Sergeant). Not re-elected in early May 1862 when the regiment was re-organized and re-enrolled to serve for three years or the duration of the war under the terms of the Confederate Conscription Act, he transferred to the regimental commissary. He eventually regained the rank of Sergeant.

See Page 23 - description of their state militia company flag adopted in 1859 when the company was first organized.

Without a careful re-reading of the previous 90 pages, I noted the first mention of an issue of gray uniforms on pages 91-92. These were supplied by the State of Louisiana and distributed to the regiment in camp at Little Rock, Arkansas in early October 1861.

See Page 92 - Tunnard wrote: >>>It was but a short time before the whole regiment received their supply of clothing, the munificent gift of Louisiana to her brave sons. This clothing was manufactured at the State Penitentiary, and was of substantial material, known as jeans, being of a grayish-blue color, with the exception of Company K, which was of a dark brown.<<<

Leading up to this, Tunnard wrote on the previous page that Company K received several boxes of clothing sent from friends and family at home on October 5, 1861. He noted that "each uniform contained either letters or pictures" leaving the impression that the "dark brown" uniforms received by Company K were made by the Baton Rouge Campaign Sewing Society and arrived in these boxes on October 5th.

In December 1861, the 3rd Louisiana received a shipment of overcoats from the State of Louisiana. No description was provided, but these were likely of jeans materials also. Jeans could be make from cotton, wool, and a combination of fibers.

Based upon my research into the 12th Louisiana Infantry, I would hazard the guess that each company of the 3rd Louisiana came to Camp Walker (at the Metairie Racetrack) with uniforms made at home, or with money from their local Police Jury to purchase uniforms from private contractors upon arrival. This was the case with the 12th Louisiana which was formed at Camp Moore from independent companies that arrived in July and August 1861 and which likewise received its first standard issue of gray uniform clothing in the fall of 1861 while stationed at Columbus, Kentucky.

I hope you get some other responses to this question! My great grandfather's first cousin John W. TEAGLE was enrolled in Company C (Winn Rifles from Winn Parish), 3rd Louisiana Infantry and died of disease at Camp Stephens on August 11, 1861. I believe that this company arrived at Camp Walker with money from the Police Jury to purchase uniforms.

Hugh Simmons