Osprey Men-at-Arms 207 : American Civil War Armies (5) : Volunteer Militia

Before the Civil War the United States had a flourishing network of uniformed volunteer militia, which was made up of virtually the whole male population. Uniformed volunteer units were raised by individuals, usually from an area's social élite who had enough spare money and time to spend on such enthusiasms. They voted on their unit designation, their officers and non-commissioned officers, their unit rules, and their uniform. A unit could also apply to its state to be taken on to the militia muster rolls, which meant that the state would supply its weapons. The uniformed units were generally most noted for their 'fancy dress'; but the did also help to bring the country closer together - they spent a great deal of time visiting each other's towns and participating in joint drills and parades. Many future leaders learned their skills in these ranks, and volunteer militia units formed the core of many fighting units on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. Philip Katcher details the uniforms of the volunteer militia of the American Civil War accompanied by numerous photographs and illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by Ron Volstad.

Contents

• The Volunteers of 1860-65
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• Wisconsin
• The Plates