This tailcoat once belonged to a Confederate veteran from Kentucky. Although it is a replica made in the 1870s, it is indicative of the type of uniforms worn by prewar militia http://www.volunteerrelics.com/ucv-gar%20Uniforms.html
Improvised bushwhacker uniform with intricate stitching. Yankee and rebel guerillas dressed identically and both incorporated captured or government issued military equipment. To avoid confusion, Yanks wore red stripes down the leg of their trousers and, as a result, Kentuckian jayhawkers were nicknamed "redlegs"
As this tintype shows, the pale blue of the Mexican War (which faded to grey with age) was still being issued in 1861, especially on the frontier where there were large stockpiles of surplus kit. The subject of this photo is a soldier from the 1st US Cavalry
Later in the war, anyone caught wearing the wrong colors could be shot as a spy. The guys at Mine Creek have a great article on the subject: The Secret War
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