The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-12-12
The New York ClIN Prr....

Tho WoBLD continues to urge tho necessity
Of greater military energy, and compares our
kid giors handling Of the rebels, both i'll the
field and in our prisons, with the bitterness,
vindictiyeness aud ierceness displayed 10y them
towards us.
Its Washington correspondent, taking for a
text, the Regulation Uniform" writes as fol-
lows;
Tho announcement that alterations are to be
made in thc uniform prescribed by the Psdcral
army meets with the approval ,f tho 'r mott ia
mlhar with the conditions Of our oSn aud 70.
reign military sySfcma.
a commission, II is sad, selected from officers
accomplished AMI disc'eet is 10 decide, before
tho contracts for the six hundr thousand new
uniforms are given Out, on such chan ses M So II
add ,;rIcc and attractn onoss TO the reguli alton
suit, without materially Increasing its cost.
During the Last few months we have had for
the first time an opportunity TO test tho mcrits
an1 dcmerts Of tho army "soldicr clothes. -
Nearly all Of our volunteer regiments at la,
appear In them. Tho Maine and Wisconsin
men have worn out their cheap gray, and
government has given them new suits Of
regulation blue. The early Connecticut and
New jersey corps, such as enlisted for the war,
have exchanged their home purchased blues for
the same. Tho later regiments from all the
loyal states have been supplied by the military
boards Of their own s0vcrelgntics with clothing
fashioned as nearly as possible by the United
States pattern. a few ZDuaye regiments arc
the cNcnption-such as tho Fifth New York
(Dmyccs), at Baltimore, BINtors Pennsylya-
MIA Iouavcs, at POOlesyillc, Sc To these will
be added three corps TO which Government has
offered Captain GodIlot's 3 900 French Zpuaye
uniforms, TO wit the Eighth Michigan Twenty
third Pennsylvania, and Forty-fourth New
York. Thus az last we have in tho field half a
million Of men clothed in dark blue coats, pants
Of a lighter azure, caps TO match, or felt hats
comfortable as ugly, and cooked on the left side
as ii one should pin up the left ear OF an ele-
phtnt.
On the whole, the result wanted Is not ye'
reached. Our adaptation Of the Bavarian uni
lorm-l believe it more nearly resembles that
than any other Europoll type-luswtred well
enough for the few hundred marines and very
few thousand infantry Of more peaceful times.
The American army was slow, red .tapish, So
lemn institution, kept up for the sake OF re-
spectability and harrack use; and IFS very re-
sps ctable and pcacs suggesting apparel present.
ed no rude Intrusive contrasts At iUrt-yard pi-
radc or Sunday service. But having clothed I'M
mcnse legions therein, the result Is to- mOnotOn'
Gus and dispiriting. To DO sure, We have an
improvement on the heterogeneous mixtures OF
militia dresses displayed by the army Of
July Any uniform produces bettor effect
than abscrce Of all uniformity. Dark blue is
also better color, both for usH and a,trac-
iveness, than the shoddy gray late so much in
vogue. The latter was adopted 10y certain
northern states first, because fair article Of
gray satine' could he obtained; second, because
military surUs have calculated that u IN
clio he'd in gray Is not 80 good target ~ one
in red, blue, or green. But gray, though a neat
color for single company, or even for 10 IL
merit when SET of by the National Quad eros
band, is a ieaIfully Quakerish division color;
and that it will loo& meaner and dirtier after
short usage than any other Is k.oHn by all who
inspccted The Maine and Wisconsin regiments
two months after they were mustered in. Blue
wears very WE'LL shows dirt, but does no, look
dirty, aud when properly used is a most val.
uablo constituent color OF a national uniform.
Nothing can be more royalty handsome than
the combination Of the white cloth coat with the
blue doth pants on the Austrian infantry sol
dier nothing more martial and enlivening than
the blue and red contrasts Of the French army.
There is a martial significance in the very trow'
sers of french voltguer. Take the smallest
article Of dress. What life and impulse slight
change in is "Cut' will add to the Wearers mien.
There, for instance, is the French fatigue. cap,
| first lOpted by the Seventh New York Regl-
ment, aud now so extensively favOiite with
our army, officers and men. lis lines are po'i-
| tiy,ly a work Of genius. don't know who lie.
| signed II; possibly IL was tha result OF slow
yeas Of trial and alteration. There is a for
ward impe'uous, charging motion in IL straight
| projecting visor; more than all, in its ohlique
rear line-tho former being the c)n,inuatOn,as
il were of the latter--which con. orts admirably
with the resistloss dash Of the French soldier.
Put this cap on the grayest barrister, and hs
| will look like a swOIdsman and slashing gall
| liant. Contrast with il the yisor-slOpad, high
crowned fatigue cap Of our regulations. II the
latter has any meaning at all, 1t Is that Of sto-
lidity and endurance, and more suited to the
| Muscoyite than 70 the swift, ardent American.
a. III. =. L.. IL.