By John A. Miller
Re-enacting as a Confederate soldier is one of the most
interesting and challenging impressions one can do. With so
many different uniform options, equipment accouterments, and
personal needs out there on the market, it can be very
frustrating to the green hand of the hobby. That’s why
researching your impression first is very important. No
matter what time period one decides to portray it takes
time, money and effort to put the general kit together. By
working hard, and doing several hours of research, you can
achieve your goal of historical authenticity. Civil War
re-enacting is one of those hobbies where your rewards are
what you put into it to see what you get out of it. The same
would apply for any time period.
One term that a new recruit will hear is the word Farb.
What does that mean? Farb is someone who doesn’t do their
research on the authenticness of their first hand
impression. For example a person who wears work/cowboy boots
instead of brogans, or modern day dress pants instead of
period trousers. It can also be a person who has the wrong
style jacket when the unit they are with calls for a certain
kind. Its someone who doesn’t take all the
necessary steps to be as authentic as they should. Believe
me, I’ve seen this first hand.
For example when I decided to do a first hand impression
of one of my ancestors, the first thing I did was read about
the unit’s history. I then studied photographs of the
uniforms and read all of the descriptions. After my research
was done, then I went on my search to the sutlers to find
the items I needed.
The first thing on my list was a jacket. After visiting
many sutlers, I chose the one that had the period correct
items that I needed. The sutler had several uniforms in
stock that were made of Jean-wool, kersey and satinette and
all were hand stitched. After looking at the photo, it was
determined that Richmond Depot Type Three jacket in a Cadet
Grey Color was what I needed. The sutler also noticed a type
of piping on the front of the uniform in the photo and
suggested that I buy some red tape and hand stitch it the
collar and the cuffs of the Richmond Depot Three Jacket
after I bought it. He also noticed that the soldier was
wearing a pair of Richmond Depot Jean Cloth trousers in a
light brown color and suggested I should find a pair that
would match the picture.
The next thing I needed was a kepi. The same sutler also
had a Richmond Grey kepi made of polished English Wool with
red wool trim around the band and "A" bold buttons
supporting the chin strap. I also bought a Georgia frame
buckle hand stitched to a dark brown leather belt, a vent pick
holder with the vent pick. After getting all the necessary
items to look as if I was the one in the photo, I strongly
feel that I am as historically accurate as possible and my
ancestor would have also worn the same type of uniform.
The whole uniform is hand stitched, meaning no sewing
machine was used. After ten years of re-enacting and living
histories, I can honestly say I have one of the best
impression for the average artilleryman in the Army of
Northern Virginia. I use this uniform strictly for living
history. The whole process took me about six months to put
it all together. As I mentioned, it takes time and research
to put your impression together.
When I do events where my officer status is not needed,
my men and I fall in with another unit. For my infantry
enlisted uniform, my kit includes a bluish-gray Richmond
Depot Type II jacket made of jean-cloth with Federal Eagle
buttons and is hand stitched. My trousers are a depot type
made from light brown jean-cloth material. These are machine
sewn. But I took time and redid the top stitching to make it
look as if it was hand sewn. My knapsack is handmade as well
as my haversack. My belt is made from canvas, painted black
with the English style two-piece snake buckle. My
accouterments are leather and canvas depending on the time
period of the battle I am at. I also have a Enfield Rifle.
My normal rank on the field is a Lt. Colonel. I am 2nd in
command of a battalion. My uniform is the same as my
enlisted kit, but I have two jackets I mainly wear. The
first one is a dress frock. Which I don't wear unless the I
have to go to headquarters for a meeting. The field jacket
is a simple shell jacket made from light brown jean-cloth
with black solid collar made of wool. I did the top
stitching to this jacket. Compared to many battalion and
staff officers in this hobby, I look pretty good and I do
look authentic. All I did was research my role and paid
attention to the details to get the look I was after. I did
not get to this point over night. As I mentioned it takes
time and then money. Over a decade, I can pretty much
portray whatever I want and look as authentic while doing
it.
I would like to explain a few things that the new recruit
to the hobby should do in order to help with or improve his
impression. The first rule should be this: What you pay for
is what you get and the worst part is when you buy an item
and you find out later you can’t use it because its not
authentic. That’s why I can’t stress this enough, do your
research. The best thing for the new comer to do first is to
find a unit. Each unit has guidelines or what is known as
"Authenticity Standards" of what the enlistee can and can
not wear. For an example: You don’t want to buy a frock coat
if the unit you are joining requires a Richmond Depot. And
you don’t want to buy a standard shell jacket, if the unit
guidelines state you need a Columbus Depot.
I know when you arrive in Gettysburg, you’ll be tempted
to buy the so called "Fresh Fish Package" to save a few
bucks. The set includes a sack coat, vest, trousers and a
shirt. Before you buy it just remember that many units don’t
allow sack coats. It sounds like a great deal, but double
check your unit’s guidelines before you buy.
Jackets are the first thing people see when you are
dressed in uniform. When you buy a jacket the first thing
you should do is hand sew the button holes and also your
collar where the top stitching can be seen. The next thing
is to remove the CSA buttons and replace them with Federal,
wood, Block (I, C or A) or state buttons. All of the uniforms I
have regardless of rank, have Virginia muffin buttons or
Federal Eagle buttons. I
also have copper coin buttons on one of my shell jackets.
Remember wool was not produced on a large scale after 1862.
So if you see a Richmond Depot Type 3 jacket in regular wool,
chances are its not exactly period correct. Meaning they
were not produced in regular wool on a large scale. Most of
them were made from Kersey wool in the Cadet Grey color,
satinette or jean-cloth.
Another thing you can do to improve your Richmond Depot
Type Two Jacket is simply add black or dark blue tape to the
collar and cuffs. This will give you an early to mid war
appearance. The stitching doesn't have to be prefect. As I
mentioned, I did this to my Type Three jacket just to give
it an earlier war look. Sometimes soldiers cut off the
epaulets giving the Type Two jacket the look
of what would become the Richmond Depot Type Three jacket.
Find photos of Confederate soldiers and study the photo and
ask yourself how can I look like that. Another
avenue of valuable research is the Echoes of Glory, Arms and
Equipment of the Confederacy and research your jacket and
other uniform needs first.
Waistcoats or a military vest as some call it, come in
several kinds of cloth. Pick one you think is right for you.
The next step is to hand sew the button holes and change
those CSA buttons. Look for some state seals or civilian
buttons. Wood or bone buttons look great on military
vest. The waistcoat doesn't have to be worn during the
battles in mid July or August. If your company commander
tells you that you don't need to ware is then store it in
your knapsack.
Shirts are one of your basic needs. There are many
different types of material used to make shirts. You have
cotton, linen and flannel to name a few. Your unbleached
cotton shirts are more for your military impression. Other
patterns and colors are more for your civilian type. Many
units let you decide on what kind of shirt you want. Wood or
bone buttons work great with shirts as well.
Trousers are pretty simple. You have the standard depot
or civilian. The buttons are usually made of pewter, wood or
bone. The type of trousers you have determines how they are
closed in the back. Some have two straps that are adjusted by
a single buckle, while the others have two holes with a
piece of leather or twine to tie the back closed. Most units
recommend that you buy the Depot Type trousers, not Federal
issue sky-blue wool trousers. When I started out in
this hobby a decade ago, I will admit, I was one for Federal
issue items, but Virginia as well as other southern states
had several depots that made clothing and issued and
supplied Confederate troops in great numbers. In other words
stay away from Federal issue trousers. They were not as
common on the battlefield as many people believe. There are
several good books out there describing the average
Confederate soldier.
Choosing your headgear is the next decision you will need
to make. The most common being kepis or slouch hats, but
again check with your units guidelines before you purchase
your headgear. There are many different styles out there.
For kepis the number one rule is buy a kepi that has the
front bill going from side button to side button unless you
are buying a forage kepi. A forage kepi has the bill at half
the size than the standard kepi. There are several places
that sell kepis that are incorrect for the re-enactor, but
are considered a souvenir kepi for spectators, so be extra
careful not to purchase a souvenir version.
If you buy a slouch hat, remember that you don’t want
just a regular style cowboy hat. Be sure that the slouch hat
you are buying is a period correct civilian style in the
right color. Colors range from grey, brown, tan or black.
Remember, your headgear is going to be another main feature
of your uniform that other re-enactors will see and it will
become your trademark. Everybody knew where I was on the
field by my kepi, because I was the only one with that style
and color.
Your footwear is pretty basic. You have your choice
between brogans of boots. Brogans are more acceptable for
the average infantryman impression. The popular brogan to
buy is the Jefferson brogan. There are a few English styles
out there and they should work out as well with your
impression. Boots are more for artillery, cavalry and
officer impressions. It depends on you impression what type
of boot you will need. In any case choose wisely for some
boots are made of cheap leather and will not last long out
on the field. I’ve had my artillery boots for nine years and
they are just now needing resoled.
Socks are another standard item you must have. There are
a few good sutlers that sell period correct cotton socks for
the summer months, but beware of those socks made of wool.
Many sutlers sell the same style of wool socks that are at
Wal-mart in the sporting goods department. Period correct
socks do not need to be your biggest concern, however, when
your sitting down and decide to cross you legs, you don’t
want a bright white modern day cotton sock to show through.
Many good sutlers sell period correct cotton socks and wool
socks.
The equipment you need to complete your impression is
basically simple. You need an infantry belt, buckle, cap
box, scabbard for your bayonet and a cartridge box. Leather
belts are simple too, but the buckle can be tricky. Many
units prefer the enlistee to buy a state seal or a framed
buckle rather than purchasing the standard oval CSA type.
The same goes for your cartridge and cap boxes. All my accouterments are
hand sewn. My belt is made of black painted canvas with the
English style snake buckle. My cartridge box and cap box are
also made from cloth that I painted black. I am not by any
means a seamstress, but its cool to see my accouterments
hand sewn knowing that I made them. Painted cloth items are
just another idea one might want to consider. I also have
all of the accouterments in leather as well.
Another item that is an absolute necessity is a canteen.
Most units will allow any type of canteen as long as it is
period correct. Meaning no plastic boy scout models. You
have two main standards of canteens. You have the wooden
drum, CSA tin drum or the Federal model 1858 smooth side
canteen. Smooth side canteens need to be lined on the
outside with wool or jean-cloth material. Wooden drum
canteens were often replaced in the Civil War for the
Federal canteen, until the depots in the South started to
make canteens.
A haversack is a very handy item to have. To save money,
its easy to make one. Again, I am no seamstress and I made
mine from hand. I was told instead of using tar to simply
use black acrylic latex paint or oil base paint. Many sutlers use this method
for finishing the haversack. The most common haversack is
the plain white cotton haversack. They were easily produced.
Haversacks are for carrying food. You would carry meat,
beans, apples, veggies and other food items. You should also
carry your tin plate, fork, spoon and
knife combo in your haversack.
Carry your tin cup tied to your shoulder strap of your
haversack.
Knapsacks are cool to have as well. I made mine from the
22nd Virginia standards of a signal bag made from duck cloth
that I painted black using an oil based paint. The size is
12x12x4. The knapsack is where you should keep your shelter
half, gum-blanket, two towels, two handkerchiefs, two pair
of socks an extra shirt, extra rope and under drawers. Carry
all of your non-essential items in your knapsack. Also any
small personal items should be carried in your knapsack such
as a housewife (sewing kit) and a little bible.
Your rifle is a major purchase and when you buy it, make
sure it is a three band rifle. The re-enacting officials
decided that two band muskets were unsafe to fire in close
shoulder to shoulder firing from the rear rank and a ban was
placed on them. Some of the choices of muskets you have
consist of the Richmond, Enfield, Springfield or Harper’s
Ferry models to pick from. Once you have a rifle, you’ll
need a bayonet for the gun. The best thing for the new
recruit is to buy your rifle and bayonet together, because
you need to find a bayonet that fits your rifle barrel the
best. You will have to take a half moon file or a sanding
wheel on a drill to the socket of
your bayonet and file it down until it fits your gun.
This is because the rifle barrel is a few thousands of an
inch smaller at the top of the barrel and gradually gets a
few thousands of inch bigger as you work your way back to to
the first band of the gun. Bayonets do not fit to your gun when you purchase
them. That's because when bayonets are made, the company
uses a one size bit to hone out the socket.
I am very particluar about the care of my black powder
weapons. I will conduct safety checks on all my weapons to
ensure absolute safety. When I served as a Major, I was
chosen to inspect weapons not only in my battalion, but the
division we were serving with. Things to check for are loose
screws, bands, trigger play and also trigger guard. Next,
pull the hammer back to half cock and then squeeze the
trigger. If the hammer slams forward, the gun is declared
unsafe. I also check the nipple (where the cap goes on) for
proper air ventilation by having the recipient point his gun
at a blade of grass and fire a cap off. I also conduct
ramrod checks by placing the ramrod down the barrel
listening for the smooth sound it makes when it hits the
bottom of the barrel. If I hear a thud, then the weapon
needs to be cleaned.
Cleaning your firearm is a breeze. Place a patch on the
nipple and place the hammer on the patch. Using boiling hot
soapy water, pour it down the barrel. Swish the water back
and forth and dump out. Repeat process over. Once the water
comes out clear, then take a dry clean patch and place it
down the barrel to soak up the water left behind. Hot water
evaporates quickly so rust is not a big issue. Take another
patch with oil and run it down the barrel and the barrel is
then clean. It’s that simple and that quick. Hot water
disintegrates the residue left over from the powder, vs. oil
and bore cleaner takes several minutes to clean. You can
also use peroxide and rubbing alcohol as well.
I make my own paper cartridges for my firearms from a
template that I have cut out on cardboard. The template I
use can make a standard size rifle cartridges or a smaller
one for the revolver. I place about 70 grains of powder in
each tube for my rifles, for my 50 caliber Smith Carbine I
only use 40 grains and roughly 15 grains for a revolver
load.
Some other important things to remember, if the unit you
are joining fought with the Army of Northern Virginia during
the Civil War, that army had its own set of standards of
what could be issued as far as uniforms. They were what you
called a "Uniformed Army". Even their flags had to be the
same throughout the Army. If you are joining a unit that
fought in the Army of South Western Virginia or the
Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, they had
their own standards that would not be accepted in the Army
of Northern Virginia. The same goes for the other armies in
the Confederacy.
When it comes down to it, you need to do your research in
order to improve your impression and your impression is
something that you should continually try to improve. One
flaw can be damaging to your impression and your units
reputation. Be sure to talk with the unit historian or
commander on what you can and can not have. I’ve talked to
many new recruits from other units that spent money and
couldn’t wear the item because it wasn’t historically
correct for that unit. The fault lies on the unit for not
helping the recruit and also the recruit himself for not
checking with the unit’s guidelines. Also remember that when
you are in this hobby you are representing actual soldiers
from that time period and you are educating the public about
that time period so you want to be sure your impression is
accurate.
