From Rene Chartrand's A Most Warlike Appearance, 20-23:
'Uniform Distinctions, 1808-1810'
This uniform description is also valid for ca 1805.
'A regular US infantryman in 1808 wore the following uniform: black round hat with the brim edged with white worsted lace, a bearskin crest over the crown, and a white plume and a black cockade with a white metal eagle; dark blue coatee [short tails] with red collar and cuffs, lapels and turnbacks all edged with white piping; white waistcoat; white (in summer) or dark blue (in winter) 'overalls'; half gaiters; black shoes; stock and clasp and a white shirt. For fatigue, a linen frock and a pair of linen trousers were issued.'
'Some uniform variations must have occurred for the hats had no 'fan' cockades and it was not 'usual for the public [ie the government] to supply the bearskins for them.' The half gaiters were 'sent on white' but 'the soldiers paint and polish them themselves' which makes us believe they were black. Musicians had the same uniform but with the coatee in 'reversed' colors, red with dark blue collar, cuffs, lapels and turnbacks.'
'The uniform of the officers as of 1 July 1808, is described as follows: '…the coat blue to reach the bend of the knee; the cuffs lapelles [sic] and cape [collar] to be scarlet, the lapelle 5 inches wide at the top and 4 1/2 at the bottoms; the cape and cuffs 4 1/2 inches wide, the lining of the coat white-the vest and pantaloons white, the chapeau bras, with a white plain feather 14 inches long.Infantry officers wore silver epaulets, button and a red sash when on duty.'
'Artillery troops had essentially the same uniform as the infantry except that they had bicorne hats laced with yellow and long-tailed coats with red turnbacks, yellow lace and brass buttons. Artillery officers had gold buttons, epaulets, loace, sword hilts and belt-plates.'
