Olive green paint, with a black rubberized cover to protect the patients. The sides could be rolled up for ventilation.
Normally, the inside of the rubberized cover would be left in it's white canvas untreated state. This saved money,as there was no real need to treat the inside,and the natural white/unbleached color helped add some illumination inside the vehicle.
This ambulance used a driver and an assistant to help manage the patients. Since it was expected that some trips would be overnight, the patients (and crews) knapsacks were also carried, so as to have blankets and spare clothing available. In addition, under the seat were carried a large coffee pot and a small cooking pot (the army had 3-sizes issued for cooking duties) plus instant coffee, hardtack and from 1863 onward, dessicated vegetables for soup.
The instant coffee of the period was actually well-received by the soldiers, and was described as looking like axle grease. It was made with what we would refer to as "freeze-dried" coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk until it formed a thick paste. It was put up in large tins for issue with company rations, though the soldiers could purchase smaller tins through the regimental sutler, or mail-order houses.
By 1864 the federal army had a fully-organized and well-trained ambulance corps. Members wore the normal federal issue blouse or an untrimmed mounted services jacket. There were, apparently, no corporals, just sergeants for NCO's. The distinctive mark was a green band around the base of the forage cap or kepi, and sergeants had green stripes on their coats. Nothing is mentioned regrading trouser stripes, however.
The Corps was divided into trains of 40 ambulances, with two men per ambulance, under the command of a Lt, assisted by a sergeant. Each federal division had one 40=ambulance team assigned.
Most ambulances also had a flag staff of the same size as that used by general guides in the infantry, with a small red flag, either 18" square, or 18X24", both sizes seem to have been issued, but it's not exactly known why. Prior to 1863/64, it's possible that small plain yellow flags were used in a similar manner. Confederate ambulances seem also to have followed federal guidelines for both color and markings, mostly for safety reasons to prevent targeting of them by either side.
Article on the various types of ambulances produced during the war" link
Ambulances in the field:
link
Reconstructed early war ambulance with white water-resistant cover(prior to standardized olive green scheme)
completes a Confederate river ironclad.
