In response to wearing of a barrel, it was a form of punishment for the troops. You wore a barrel with straps across your sholder's like a pair of bib-overall's, and generally there was a sign telling what offense you had committed, lieing, fighting, drinking, etc! There were other forms of punishments, riding a rail, which was basiclly sitting on a elevated log for quite a long time, got to be rather sore! Standing on a barrel, basiclly standing at attention while standing on a barrel placed on end.

Sometimes the offender wore a placard, much like the sandwich boards of old, with thier crime written on it. Bucked and Gagged, this was particularly bad, placing a stick, or rifle, while in a sitting position, with knees up, placeing the rifle just under the bend in the knees, then placing arms under the rifle, and tieing the hands. The rifle sits in the space beneath the bend in the knees, and in the crook of the arms. They also gagged you with either a rag, or a bayonet, placed in your mouth, and ties on. Very uncomfortible after any length of time! They were as many ways to punish offenses as there wear clever officers who could come up with new ideas!

The Lousianna Tigers were a rebel zouave regiment, with their pant's made out of bed ticking. Gave them a distinct look, with the white pants with thin blue lines. The jackets were brown. This Regiment fought at Gettysburg, and is a fairly well know unit. Can't help much with the individual soldier, but finding info on the unit should be fairly easy!!