The uniforms of the republic were in the main influenced by
American uniforms of the period, and to a lesser extent by contemporary Mexican uniforms.
The Mexican uniforms, in turn, were influenced by their Spanish predecessors and to some
degree by Napoleonic fashions. The most obvious difference between Texan and American
uniforms was the buttons, of course, and the frequent use of lone star insignia. But as
Texas matured the changes increased. Seguín’s uniform is not totally in harmony with
the Texas Army regulations promulgated the following year. The 1839 regulations were
probably meant to bring into uniformity existing dress, rather than create new uniforms
per se. Seguín’s uniform is an example of why this conformity was desirable. For
instance, it was a particularity of Texas officer sashes that they be tied on the right
side, but Seguín’s sash, though not showing completely in the waistlength portrait,
appears to be tied on the left. His helmet is virtually the same leather jockey cap
of the dragoon model, prescribed by General Chambers, with its white plume. Seguín’s
helmet has an additional small tuft of red plume, which was authorized for a colonel. The
sunburst insignia has a lone star replacing the eagle of the American version of the
helmet. While Seguín’s trousers don’t show in his portrait, they would be the
same dark blue as his coat for winter, with a buff stripe (the cavalry color) down the
seams. For summer the pants would be white linen without the stripe. Cavalry officers wore
boots. Enlisted men wore bootees.
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Text and images copyright © 1998 by Bruce
Marshall. All rights reserved.
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