The Young Campaigner

Choosing A Jacket For Your Confederate Impression

by William Chapman

There are a lot of options out there for Confederate jackets. It can be daunting trying to select a style that would be best for your impression. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when researching which jacket would be best for you. What would be best for the theatre of the war that you reenact? What would be best for your unit or your event? This article should help to provide a general overview of some jackets you might consider and help you choose the right one. ***Note: More information will be added to this article as it becomes available, please check back!***

Richmond Depot Jackets

Time period: 1862-1865

Area of issue: Richmond depot jackets appear commonly in Army of Northern Virginia usage. Because of the location of the depot, Richmond depot jackets were not commonly issued outside of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Patterns: RD jackets were made in three basic patterns over the course of the war. The type I was first issued in 1862 and was probably phased out of production later the same year. It is charachterized by the use of piping and shoulder straps. The type II was issued starting in 1862 until 1864. The type II is identifiable by its lack of trim and piping, use of belt loops and shoulder straps, and plain muslin lining. The type III is the plainest of the RD jackets and was issued starting roughly in 1864. Type III jackets have no shoulder straps, belt loops, or piping.

Note: There are many period immitations of RD jackets that commonly appear in photographs, original examples, etc. These are commonly classified as RD jackets because of their style, however, they were often made by tailors, etc., rather than by the actual depot.

For more information: A Survey of Confederate Central Government Quartermaster Issue Jackets Part 2 by Leslie Jensen or see p. 134-137 of the Confederate Echoes of Glory.

Commutation Jackets

Time period: 1861-1865

Area of issue: The term "commutation jacket" refers to any jacket that was made at home and either issued to the troops through the Commutation system (see below) or sent by relief societies, etc. Therefore, commutation jackets were worn in almost all theatres of the war.

Patterns: The Commutation stystem was enacted early on in the war in order to keep up with the huge demand that the depots could not always answer to. Commutation jackets are a very wide-ranging category because they were all home-made. Patterns range from very elaborate to quite simple. The best way to choose what details are most appropriate is to research the commutation jackets that were in use in your area/unit.

Notes: ***This category includes untrimmed frock coats***

Columbus Depot Jackets

Photo from Lazy Jacks Mess.

Time period: 1862-1865

Area of issue: CD jackets were commonly issued to units from Kenucky, Georgia, Mississippi, etc. They were common in the Western theatre and the Army of Tennessee.

Patterns: The Western counterpart to the RD jacket is the CD jacket. CD's are similar in style to the RD pattern, only they commonly have a pointed "tail" extending a few inches from the back and they also bear facing on the collar and cuffs that corresponds with the branch of service. Type I CD's are evidenced to have had six-button fronts and interior pockets, whereas the Type II commonly has six or seven butons and one exterior pocket.

For more information: Confederate "Columbus Depot" Jackets: The Material Evidence by Geoffrey Walden or see p. 143 of the Confederate Echoes of Glory.

Four Button Jackets

Photo from Old South Antiques

Time Period: Roughly 1863-?

Area of issue: The four button jacket's origins are foggy, but all but one of the six surviving originals can be documented to the Richmond area. Army of Northern Virginia and some limited Trans-Mississippi usage would be appropriate.

Patterns: It is not clear wether these jackets were made to a specific pattern or not, they do have some consistent details between the ones that still exist today. The defining details of the four button jacket are: four buttons (duh), a pocket on the right side, and a longer and looser body than a shell jacket. Two of the jackets that are documentable to the Richmond area have blue facings on the collar.

For more information: The Mysterious Confederate Four-Button Jacket by John Stillwagon or p. 138 of the Confederate Echoes of Glory.

Peter Tait Jackets

Time Period: 1864-1865

Area of Issue: Peter Tait Jackets were manufactured in Limerick, Ireland and run through the Federal blockade to be issued to Confederate troops. They appear in all theatres of the war.

Patterns: The Peter Tait Contract jacket is charachterized by being fully machine sewn (with the exception of the buttonholes, of course), having a five piece body, and blue or red facings on the collar. Tait jackets were often issued with the English "script I" style buttons.

For more information: See "Peter Tait: The Man, The Firm, and the Uniforms supplied to the Confederate States." by David Burt in the September/October 2008 issue of Civil War Historian Magazine.

Charleston Depot Jackets

Time Period: ?-1865

Area of Issue: The two surviving Charleston jackets are linked to South Carolina troops.

Patterns: The Charleston jacket is made of blue-gray kersey wool with an unbleached muslin lining. It has five buttons down the front, shoulder straps, and belt loops.

For more information: The Charleston Depot Jacket by Leslie Jensen (scroll down).

Jackets From Taylor's Department Depots

Time Period: 1861-1862 for some depots; 1863-1864 for others.

Area of Issue: These jackets were issued to troops serving in the Army of Tennesse and the Trans-Mississippi and Western theatres.

Patterns: For this category, I have lumped the jackets from several smaller depots in the Louisiana/Texas/Arkansas/Mississippi area. These include jackets from the Baton Rouge (a small state arsenal that was out of operation by 1862), Shreveport (established in 1863), Huntsville, and Jackson. These jackets are all fairly simple and plain in appearance with some minor variations between them. Huntsville made shell jackets from all-cotton jean cloth produced in the state penitentiary. Most of these jackets have blue facings on the collar, five or six buttons, and a breast pocket of some kind on either side.

For more information: Uniforms of the Trans-Mississippi, Part 2 by K.C. MacDonald or see p. 140 of the Confederate Echoes of Glory.

Houston Depot Jackets

Time Period: ?-1865

Area of Issue: Trans-Mississippi

Patterns: The Houston Depot jacket is characterized by being made of blue gray wool kersey (possibly), has six or seven buttons, and has a longer waist than the Richmond or Columbus depot jackets.

For more information:Evidence For Houston Depot Jackets by KC McDonald

North Carolina Shell Jackets

Time Period: 1862-1865

Area of Issue: prob. Army of Northern Virginia

Patterns: This jacket is fairly simple and follows the same basic pattern as the Richmond depot.

North Carolina Sack Coats

Time period: 1861-1862

Area of issue: North Carolina State Troops

Patterns: This coat is cut like a sack rather than a shell jacket ans it hangs loosely around the body like a Federal fatigue blouse. It is characterized by black stripes on the shoulders.

An Examination of Five Occupational Photos

The common people in 19th Century America worked hard. Often, the way thy behaved or dressed was affected by their line of work. Tradesmen were proud of their hard work as well. That is why occupational photographs were popular with working-class Americans before the Civil War. Here is an examination of four of those photos from the Library of Congress. These images are all 1850's and they all show the common man's pride for his work.

This image shows a carpenter with his various tools. He is wearing a white work shirt with a large collar, which he wears down over a cravat or kerchief. Such work shirts were commonly worn by tradesmen in 19th Century America as a rugged, practical garment. These shirts were not worn with braces and commonly fit more loosely that regular shirts. This carpenter appears to be wearing hickory or jean cloth trowsers. A small chair sits beside him (possibly some of his work) and a plane and two chizels sxit on top of it. The carpenter wears a low-crowned straw hat with a wide band around it. He has a close-cropped beard of the style that was popular fo young and middle-aged men in the 1850's and 1860's. In his hands, he holds a hammer and a small cut nail. This man makes his profession very evident in his portrait by displaying his tools.

This daguerrotype shows a traveling salesman displaying his wares. He holds two palletes filled with books, pencils, hairbrushes, and other various items (pomade?). A small japanned conical object in the center of the lower pallette is possibly a small child's trumpet. The salesman wears a paletot coat and two straps over his shoulders for carrying his peddler's trunks. Under his coat, the salesman wears a shawl-collar vest (possibly silk) with covered buttons. Around his neck is a black cravat. His hair is parted on the right side and slicked backwards. It also appears that he is wearing a pocket watch (a small chain is visible to the left of his fourth button down). This man was probably a door to door peddler such as the one in this photograph:

This peddler is quite similar to the other one. He is very well dressed in a frock coat and has a cravat on. In this photograph, his trunks can be clearly seen with the japanning being worn off. Both salesmen are displaying their "tools of the trade", but there are some major differences between them and some other tradespeople of the time period. One thing that is very noticeable is that both salesmen are fairly well dressed, which probably means that they made a little bit better living than a common tradesman (they also needed to be well dressed for their job).

This image shows a surveyor and all of his equipment. Surveyors made good money in the 19th century for their work, partially because surveying required a great deal of education as opposed to some other occupations. Behind him is a transit on a tripod. He his holding a map and a set of calipers. He wears a dark wool sack coat and an off-white shawl collar vest underneath it. A simple black cravat is around his neck. Like other occupational photos, this man is displaying his tools with pride for his line of work.

Two teamsters and their oxen standing in front of a wooden fence or barn wall appear in this image. Both of the teamsters are wearing large smocks with pockets on the front. These garments are fairly unusual. Both are wearing oilcloth mechanic's caps and high riding boots. The one on the left holds a crop in his hand. The oxen are yoked and prepared to go. This image is fairly unusual for an occupational photo. It is large and taken outdoors. Most are taken inside and show only the torso of the subject. Obviously, these two teamsters wanted to show their oxen as well as themselves.

As different from one another as all of the trades and occupations in the 19th century were, one thing that everyone was familiar with was photography. Photography allowed tradesmen to show pride in their occupation. Today, they provide a valuable resource to researchers looking for the way a person with a specific way of life would have looked.

Bullets, Clubs, and Bricks Did Fly: 19th Century Street Gangs

One thing that plagued almost every large city and town in 19th Century America was street gangs. Hordes of juvenile delinquents traveled the streets, causing mischief and sometimes even deadly violence. They bore names like the "Dead Rabbits", the "Bowery Boys", the "Baxter Street Dudes", the "Butcher Dogs", and the "Daybreak Boys". These gangs were mostly made up of poor neglected adolescents, rowdy firemen, runaway children seeking a new way of life, and homeless vagrants with little else to do. These groups of rowdy "street Arabs", as they were known, were incredibly common.

Gangs in America's cities started as early as the 1830's, when large slum areas began to be increasingly more common. Perhaps the most famous slum was Five Points in New York. Five Points was a large and notoriously brutal slum in Manhattan that had been set up on the location of a pond that had been drained in 1820. Only the low-income population remained in Five Points, so it became a haven for hoodlums, thiefs, robbers, vagrants, and prostitutes. Five Points holds the record for the highest murder rate of any slum in the world. Pigs lived in the streets, plaster crumbled, children played in the streets in their own filth, and gangs roamed the alleys. This neighborhood was the home of at least three rival gangs: The Dead Rabbits, The Roach Guards, and The Bowery Boys. In the year 1862 alone, ten percent of New York's population was arrested for involvement with these gangs.

The gang members were not only adolescent boys. Some of the ages of gang members are shocking. Some were as young as nine. Even more shocking was the fact that several New York gangs were composed of all girls. They had names like the "Forty Little Thieves" and the "Lady Locusts". In many instances, female gangs were equally as violent as male gangs. The Forty Little Thieves, like many other New York gangs, was composed almost completely of Irish imigrants.

Several of the New York gangs were involved in the draft riots, which went on from July 11 to July 16, 1863. As a protest to the draft into the Union army, they attacked the Provost Marshall's office on July 11 and set it ablaze. Fire Zouaves from the New York Fire Department were involved with the riot, as well as gang menbers of the Five Points gang called the Dead Rabbits. The same day, the mob burned the Bull's Head Hotel on Fifth Avenue simply because it would not serve alcohol. By Wednesday, July 13, 800 US troops had been sent to New York city to stop the rioting and order was restored after a bloody conflict at Gramercy Park on the previous day.

The New York draft riots were perhaps the largest example of gang violence in the 19th century. Not to mention, they were (or at least they started as) a political protest. It was not unusual for gangs to inject politics into their views. In Baltimore, a gang called the Plug Uglies sided with the Know-Nothing Party in the 1850's. The Plug Uglies were involved in several election riots in Baltimore. Most gangs during that period held a political or social stance, unlike the bank-robber gangs of the 20th century.

It seems that most of the gang violence that occurred in the 19th century was small knock-down-drag-out type fights. Two rival gangs would square off against each other and then a brawl would erupt. One song, titled "The Dead Rabbits Fight With the Bowery Boys", says:

"They had a dreadful fight, upon last Saturday night,
The papers gave the news accordin ;
Guns, pistols, clubs and sticks, hot water and old bricks,
Which drove them on the other side of Jordan"

For more research and information on nineteenth century gangs, visit the website of theThe Daybreak Boys, a living history association dedicated to recreating the Daybreak Boys gang and others in the New York area.

A Photographic Study of Union Signal Corps and Telegraph Equipment and Personnel

by William Chapman

I recently assembled a collection of photographs from the Library of Congress collection to examine the equipment and personnel of the Union and Signal Corps. Included in this article are those pictures as well as a detailed description of my findings. All of the images are clickable so you can get a closer look.

This photograph shows a Union signal detatchment gathered around a signal station on a rooftop. The signalist atop the tower holds a white flag (presumably with a contrasting red square in the center. Flags were very rarely captured in the photographic images of the period because the movement generally renders them invisible in the photo.). The third signalist from the left holds a signal torch mounted on a wooden pole and another torch rests at his foot. All but two of the men wear Union roundabouts. The officer wears a frock coat and the eighth signalist to the left wears a civillian sack coat.

This photograph shows Union signalists standing in front of a hospital near Washington D.C. They are part of the defenses of Washington. Note the flag in the yellow box. This is a rare photographic image where the flag is clear and visible. One can see that it is probably either red with a white square or black with a white square (signals used three different color combinations on ther flags: red on white, white on red, and white on black). The different color combinations were used depending on the signalist's surroundings. Notice that the ninth signalist from the left is leaning on an NCO sword (in its scabbard?) and wears a sash. Also notice that there appears to be a woman in the photograph seated under the second window on the side wall of the building. Between the back corner of the building and the first tree, another pole is visible (perhaps another signal flag).

The Union telegraphers shown in this picture are at a telegraph station near Wilcox's Landing, Va in 1864. They have erected a crude structure out of an old A tent (possibly a dining fly?) and a stack of fence rails. They have set their telegraph (in the left yellow box) up on top of a wooden box. Notice the open cart to the right of the structure. Inside the yellow box on top of it is a spool of telegraph wire. The mule that presumably pulls the cart is standing to the left of the structure.

This photograph shows a Union telegraph battery wagon near Petersburg in 1864. The batteries stored inside this vehicle would have been used to power telegraphs. Notice the gentleman inside the wagon who is either writing or operating a telegraph. A great number of wires are hanging out of the wagon as well and the main wires appear to be entering the door of the wagon at the top where the smallest yellow square is located. Note that both of the men in the photograph are in completely civilian clothing. Other portraits of Federal telegraph operators of the time also show them in civilian clothing, like this one:

This photograph gives us a good sense of how an average telegraph station was set up. Notice the supply wagons and men on top of telephone poles stringing wire. Also notice that all of the men are uniformed.

In conclusion, it can be safely said that Union signalists and telegraph operaters were equipped and uniformed vastly differently depending on their location. In the defenses of Washington and other garrisons, the signal corps was uniformed and equipped quite well; but on campaign, the eqipment and clothing was varied. It seems that signalists were generally more well uniformed than telegraph operators. In several of the photographs of telegraph stations, the only uniformed men are the teamsters who drove the supply wagons.

Social Movements of the 19th Century

The 19th Century was a time of many social movements. What is a social movement? It is a group, class, political party, society, or other loose group of people who work together for a common belief or goal. It can be beneficial to your impression today to learn about these movements and try to portray a member of one of them or someone who is effected by one. I understand that most kids under 16 were too young to be involved in many of the movements of the time, but almost all of them would have been aware of at least one of these movements. These were momentous and important things. Take the time to learn about at least one movements in order to better understand the spirit of the times.

Temperance-

The Temperance Movement was a movement against the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Temperance was one of the most widespread movements in 19th century America. It was the most popular with both men and women in the North. The Temperance movement got its start in 1826 with the founding of the American Temperance Society. By 1838, the ATS had over 1,500,000 members. By the 1830's, other societies were being formed with the same goal such as The Anti-Saloon League, The Templars of Honor And Temperance, and The Sons of Temperance. Many Protestant churches also began to advocate temperance.

This Temperance Movement illustration shows a drunkard being tormented by demons.

The Temperance movement said that alcohol was bad for the mind, the body, and society. Some even linked alcohol with the Devil. The Temperance societies started their members off young. The American Temperance Society (which changed its name in the 1840's to the Abstinence Society) had a pledge for children that read: "I do hereby pledge myself to abstain entirely and forever from the use of all intoxicating liquor as a drink."

Heavy alcohol consumption was common in the 19th century. Because of this, the idea of Temperance was looked upon as radical and extreme. In some places, the progress of the Temperance movement was met with strong and sometimes violent resistance. When Temperance activist Neil Dow got the Maine Law passed in Maine in 1851 that made alcohol illegal in the state, the people responded with riots. Despite the opposition, the Temperance Movement continued well into the 20th Century.

Abolition-

One of the most well known social movements of the nineteenth century is the abolitionist movement. Abolitionists were anti-slavery activists who were usually only active in Northern states. The Abolitionist movement began in the 18th century when Quakers began to oppose slavery, arguing that it was a moral wrong. By the 1830's, abolitionism had gained a large following of both women and men. Abolitionists were mostly white, but a growing number of free blacks began to join them.

In 1845, a former slave named Frederick Douglass published his autobiography, which told of the horrors that he experienced as a child when he was a slave. Douglass used his own experiences to argue against slavery and became a popular abolitionist speaker later in his life. Female abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe published her controversial book, Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1853, which also charachterized slavery as a great evil. There were several abolitionist newspapers in the North such as The Liberator, but they only obtained limited popularity.

Abolitionism was probably one of the most detested and least popular movements of the 19th century. It was strongly opposed by slaveholding Southerners, who saw that slavery was an important part of the economy. Abolitionism remained a relatively small movement compared to others.

Know-Nothings and Nativists-

The American Party was an American nativist political party that was opposed to immigration. They were commonly referred to as Know-Nothings by other Americans because whenever they were questioned about their activities within the party, they would reply that they knew nothing. The Know-Nothings worked to stop the immigration of several groups, including Irish Catholics, to the Uninted States. They believed that Irish Catholics and other followers of the Pope would undermine democracy. The thought was that there could not be democracy if citizens of that democracy were answering to another supreme power at the same time.

The Know-Nothing Party began to decline by the middle of the 1850's as it was divided over slavery. Many of the anti-slavery Know-Nothings turned to the Republican party because of its anti-slavery views. In the election of 1856, Millard Fillmore ran for a third term as a Know-Nothing candidate and lost to James Buchanan.

Image of Millard Fillmore and Andrew Donelson on a campaign broadside from 1856

Nativists were famous for putting up signs in their businesses when they were looking for new employees that read "N.I.N.A.", which means "No Irish Need Apply". The Know-Nothing Party lasted as a whole from 1849 to 1860, but nativism an racism towards Irishmen, Catholics, and Irish Catholics lasted much longer.

Manifest Destiny-

Manifest Destiny was a movement to expand the size of the Uninted States from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Some radical believers in Manifest Destiny not only believed in expansion from coast to coast, but in conquering the entire continent of North America.

Coast to coast Manifest Destiny was realized by James K. Polk during his presidency. Through treaties with England and the waging of the Mexican War, Polk gained all the land that is now the continental Uninted States. Manifest Destiny supporters popularized slogans such as "54 40 or Fight", which was used by Polk as his campaign slogan referring to the present day boundary between Washington state and Canada, and "Oregon or Bust", referring to the settlement of the new Oregon Territory.

Manifest Destiny was an important cause of the Civil War because it brought up the issue of the expansion of slavery. Every time a new state or territory was added to the Union, it threw off the balance of slave states to free states, so more territories would have to be added to compensate for it. Abolitionists and Republicans opposed the expansion of slavery to any new territories, while Southerners realized that the cheap public land in the West was perfect for the expansion of the Southern economy and way of life.

Secessionism-

Secessionism was the movement in America for separation of the Southern states from the Northern states. The movement was first started in 1828 during Andrew Jackson's presidency. The main issue then was the Tarriff of Abominations, a tax on goods from foreign countries that was intended to keep the South from purchasing English-made goods. John C. Calhoun responded to this by defending his home state of South Carolina with the South Carolina Exposition and Protest. The South Carolina Exposition and Protest claimed that South Carolina could nullify the tarriff within her borders because of James Madison's Nullification Theory. South Carolina refused to pay the tarriff, and as a result Jackson urged Congress to pass the Force Bill, which would give Jackson the power to send troops to South Carolina if they did not pay the tarriff. The bill was passed in 1833 and South Carolina threatened to secede from the Union. If it had not been for Henry Clay, who negotiated a compromise between South Carolina and Jackson in 1833, they might have seceded 28 years before the Civil War.

The "Nullification Crisis" in South Carolina was not the first time that the idea of secession had been brought up. During the War of 1812, New England had threatened to break away from the US because of a trade embargo that had been enacted in order to prevent the war (it didn't work).

The issues of the expansion of slavery into new territories, the economy, public land, slavery, and the development of an increasing social rift between North and South all were factors in creating a large movement of secessionists in the South. By the time James Buchanan got in office in 1857, tensions were already too great between the two regions. Buchanan did little to fix the situation, and in 1860, it became inevitable that if Lincoln got elected the South would secede. Lincoln's anti-slavery and Unionist stances were incredibly unpopular in the South. South Carolina, of course, was the first to go.

Secessionists frequently wore signs such as cockades to show their sympathies. Secession cockades were generally particular to one's state. South Carolina's cockade was woven from palmetto leaves, the symbol of South Carolina. There are several good examples of secession cockades in the Confederate "Echoes of Glory" book.

Civil War Era Childrens' Clothing Pt. 1, Ages 4 to 6: From Short Dresses to Knickerbocker Suits

The middle of the 19th century saw a change in the way children grew up. The common family structure began to move away from the disciplinarian patriarch-centered structure that was so common in the 18th century and started to move towards a more nurturing and modern family structure where both the mother and the father had equal input in raising the children. Children were included in family affairs, given chairs at the dinner table rather than benches or stools, and became generally more outspoken. Childrens' clothing changed too. In the centuries before the 1800's, very little importance was placed on the stages of a child's life. Children were children and that was that. When the change in parenting came about, people came to the realization that children actually matured in terms of age groups, rather than just suddenly becoming adults when they were old enough. The new importance placed on the stages of childhood led to new developments with childrens' clothing.

It used to be that, before the early 1800's, all children wore simple gowns until they reached the age of four. Then, girls were given more adult looking dresses and boys were "breeched", so to speak. Children who were over the age of four dressed like small adults. In the mid-1800's, a new system developed.

Just like before, all children (boys and girls) wore dresses until about the age of four. Rather than giving them adult clothes then, boys were given "knickerbocker suits" or simple smocks and loose pantaloons or trowsers. Girls wore short dresses with corded petticoats or no hoops at all. When boys reached the age of six or so, they were given adult-style clothing. Girls switched to adult clothing from their short dresses a little bit later than boys did, but it was still in the same general age group.

A girl in a fancy short dress and a young boy in an elaborate knickerbocker suit. (postwar tintype, ca. 1870's, artist unknown, Collection of William Chapman)

The dress of boys at the age of 4 to 6 generally had one thing in common, though it varied greatly it was generally composed of a medium-length tunic or jacket and a set of short pants underneath. Boys had one set of clothes for formal wear and another for informal wear. The knickerbocker suit was the most fashionable formal wear available at the time. Generally reserved for spectial occasions when more formal dress was required, the knickerbocker suit was a loose tunic, rather like a short dress, that was worn with a set of knee-length knickerbockers. The rest of the leg was covered with stockings. More often than not, knickerbocker suits were worn with feathered chapeau-style hats. As with much 19th century American clothing, knickerbocker suits had a heavy French influence. Gold braid and twill tape was commonly applied to these garments for decoration, much in the French zouave style. A military influence was very evident in the appearance of knickerbocker suits. Double breasted fronts with brass buttons and applied stripes that immitated the appearance of sword belts were common. These suits were sometimes worn with sashes. A type of formal jacket called a zouave jacket was also common. Zouave jackets bore a resemblance to those worn by many Zouave units during the Civil War.
For informal wear, many boys wore rather large regular shirts untucked like a tunic with no braces. Occasionally, you see one of these being worn with a belt. Small versions of adult trowsers were worn with these tunics. Some evidence shows that this was also the common garb of lower class boys.
Almost all men and boys in the 19th century wore their hair parted on one side.

Three girls in short dresses. The one on the left seems to have a small print fabric while the other two appear to have solid colors. All three are wearing necklaces and earrings. The girl in the middle has a ring on her forefinger. (medium unknown, ca. 1850's to 1860's, artist unknown, Collection of William Chapman)

Girls clothing was very similar throughout their childhood, but it did have some noticeable differences by age. Very young girls, once they graduated from their infant clothing, moved to knee length dresses. These were made of solid-colored or patterned fabric. Some had low necklines that hit at about the shoulder. In almost all examples, either bare legs, pantilettes or stockings are visible under the hemline of the dress.

A young girl (possibly a boy, but unlikely) in a white dress with a blue sash and a feathered hat. She wears black leather shoes and white stockings. Short pantilettes are visible at knee (black line is also visible at the top of left stocking. Garter?). (tintype, ca. mid-1860's to 1870's (probably post-Civil War), artist unknown, Collection of William Chapman)

Once girls reached the age of six or so, they moved to mid-calf or ankle length dresses. These, much like the knee-length dresses, were designed to facilitate freedom of movement. Hoops were seldom worn until the teenage and young adult years, so most girls either wore corded petticoats for formal occasions or did without. Informal dresses were often made of a light material such as cotton. The fabric used in informal dresses tended to be inexpensive, so small prints or solid colors were common. Formal dresses were much like adult dresses, only shortened at the hemline to about the ankle.
Most girls wore their hair parted down the middle.

The Basics of Authentic Drumsticks

Over the past few years, I have noticed some common errors, inauthenticities, and potential improvements that can be made by many musicians in the hobby. One such improvement that can be made is the quality of drumsticks.
Let's admit it: It just isn't easy to find a good pair of drumsticks. Most modern drumstics are too light or shaped incorrectly. Many drumsticks of the 1860's were tapered from end to end, unlike today's drumsticks, which are typically only tapered at the last 3 to 4 inches before the tip. To the contrary, a pair will often turn up that is tapered in the modern fashion. In almost every example of this style, the stick is abnormally fat at the base and has a very small tip. The larger, pseudo-modern-style sticks were typically used as "field sticks". That meant that they were generally carried in battle, in drill, and during camp duty. It seems that these were most commonly the kind of sticks used by regimental field musicians. Most band musicians carried finer "concert sticks". Concert sticks were generally lighter, thinner, and tapered from end to end. There is some evidence that many drummers (mostly in garrisons and perminent camps, not on campaign) carried two pairs of sticks; one for the field and one for dress parade and camp duty.

An original pair of dark wood sticks.

The vast majority of drumsticks in the 1860's were made out of dark wood such as cocobolo (a type of burled rosewood), ebony, or rosewood. Concert sticks were generally of finer quality than common field sticks. Some original examples of field sticks (see p. 51 of "Civil War Era Musical Instruments & Military Bands" by Garofalo and Elrod for a good picture of a collection of originals) appear extremely crude and primitive. Some field sticks were made of light colored, heavy woods such as maple.
It seems to be a common misconception that ALL period drumsticks had a series of small rings carved at the ends. Yes, rings were common, but only about two out of ten sticks had them. One thing that is almost never seen in the reenacting community is drumsticks with brass, bone, or ivory ornamentation on them (Yes, I understand that ivory is illegal, but bone isn't hard to get). Sticks with tips or ends of a different material (such as brass, bone, or ivory) were quite common.

A pair of reproduction sticks with carved rings. Unknown maker.

So, what is the solution for finding more correct drumsticks? If you are a skilled enough craftsman, you can make your own sticks. Also, Cooperman makes a good line of drumsticks but they are all light-colored wood. I use an original pair of concert sticks, which is a good option if you can find a pair in good condition.

Reenacting in a First Person Portable Model for Kids

Most kids in the reeenacing community tend to just portray themselves. That works just fine, but there are other ways of "getting in to character" that are just as good. Especially if you are doing living history, a little bit of acting can really help to drive your point home. I know that some of this might be WAY over the heads of younger kids, but I will attempt to simplify First Person Portable so that it might be more understandable and useable to kids.

First of all, let me explain what a First Person Portable Model is. Just like in literature where everything is written in 1st Person or 3rd Person (occasionally 2nd person turns up, but it isn't common), some reenactors have a system for "acting out" the role of either themselves, a fictional soldier, or a real soldier who can be documented well. Here are the basic types of living history:

First Person: The reenactor completely assumes the role of a soldier in his Company. Period speech patterns and occasionally a pseudonym are used. Absolutely NO mentions of ANYTHING in modern society are allowed. This model can greatly enhance your impression for spectators (if you are doing living history) and it can also make the experience all the more realistic for the other members of your unit. A First Person Portable Model is usually only used when the whole unit agrees that they will all use one.
Pros- Improves your impression.
More interesting for spectators.
Cons- Not easy to do if you are a bad actor.
Requires a lot of research.

Third Person: This is the most common form of living history. All that you have to do in third person is act like a modern day reenactor rather than an actual Civil War soldier.
Pros- Easy to do.
Cons- Makes your impression less interesting.

So, now that you know what First Person Portable is, if you wish to try it out, here is what you do. Get an adult (parent, gaurdian, grandparent, friend, etc.) to teach you how to research using a public library, historical society, museum, or courthouse. Look through the books and records and find somebody who it is appropriate to portray. The other option is to come up with a pseudonym for yourself and create your own reenacting persona. Just keep it realistic. Some simpler forms of First Person might be more useable for you also. Find a name of someone in your regiment who was the same age as you and just use the name as a pseudonym. You don't have to be a great actor to do that. All you have to do is retain a name rather than a personality. Everybody has some things that work for them and others that don't.

Third person is O.K. too. I am not pressuring anyone to change their old ways. I am just making some suggestions.

Good luck!

Portraying Young Spies and Scouts

Get ready to delve into the world of Civil War espionage. Both sides used kids as spies during the War Between the States quite frequently. Now, you can be a spy too.

A reproduction Confederate cypher disk by Don Markle

The first thing to do if you want to be a spy is to contact a signal corps unit like the Signal Corps of the James or Chesapeake Signals and tell them that you are intersted. They will have more than enough information for you (more than I can provide here for confidentiality reasons! This really is top secret stuff!) and they will be glad to get you started.

Most spies of that period were civilians, so you will need a really good civilian impression. Just remember, you will need to have several sets of clothes because people will start to recognize you after a while. The basic principle of modern spying in reenacting is essentially the same as it was then. Your job is to gather information from the enemy however possible. Before a tactical, information like this can really help.

The Confederates and the Federals both used newsboys to obtain valuable information from the other side. As they sold newspapers, they would make small talk with their customers (the soldiers) and find out what they needed to know. Kids are perfect for a job like that because people will tell them ANYTHING. An innocent looking little kid or a flirtatious young lady can obtain vast amounts of intelligence with ease.

Almost any childhood object can be made into a safe place to hide a message. Dolls can be hollowed out and have a message in them as well as drumsticks and eggs. Girls can also put pockets on the inside of their petticoats for messages. After all, what gentleman in his right mind would check there?

If you want to learn more about spying in the Civil War and portraying a spy in reenactments, read "Spies and Spymasters of the Civil War" by Don Markle or talk to a Signal Corps reenactor. You can get started quickly and easily. Just don't get your cover blown!