Background

The Liberty Rifles hosted this full regimental scale immersive event portraying the 10th New York Battalion as they slowly advanced on the exposed right flank of the II Corps toward the Weldon Rail Road line outside Petersburg, Virginia in June 1864.

Unit History

Lieutenant Colonel George F. Hopper, Commanding 10th NY Btn.

The 10th New York Infantry Regiment was formed in April 1861 and composed of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Troy men of very diverse backgrounds. Originally equipped as a zouave regiment, the “National Zouaves” would spend their first year of service at Fort Monroe before joining the Army of the Potomac in time to see action at the Seven Days. The regiment would suffer heavy casualties at Second Bull Run and again at Fredericksburg. In April 1863, with the majority of the regiment returning home at the expiration of their two-year enlistments, the three-year men were formed into a four company battalion. Companies A, B, C, and D of the 10th New York Battalion, commanded by Major George F. Hopper, would serve as the Provost Guard for the 3rd Division, 2nd Corps at Gettysburg, and oversaw large numbers of Confederate prisoners. By April 1864, the original three-year men who reenlisted would be bolstered by several hundred draftees and substitutes, along with two new companies of recruits. The recently promoted Lieutenant Colonel Hopper would lead the 6-company battalion, now a part of the 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, throughout the Overland Campaign, where it would again be hotly engaged and suffer terrible casualties at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor. In late June, as Grant begins his siege of Petersburg, the 10th New York Battalion, again reduced to little more than 200 men, advanced with the 2nd and 6th Corps in an attempt to cut the rail lines south of Petersburg.

The six companies of the 10th New York Battalion present in the field in June 1864, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George F. Hopper, were as follows:

  • Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant

    • Army of the Potomac – Major General George Meade

      • II Army Corps – Major General Winfield Hancock (Major General David Birney in command)

        • 2nd Division – Brigadier General John Gibbon

          • 3rd Brigade – Colonel Thomas Smyth

            • 10th New York Battalion – Lieutenant Colonel George F. Hopper

              • Company A

              • Company B

              • Company C

              • Company D

              • Company E

              • Company F

Impression Guidelines

The idea behind these impression guidelines was to recreate the known conditions of the 10th New York Infantry Battalion based upon their 2nd Quarter Returns and offer a best guess for the unknowns based upon letters and diaries from members of the unit and an understanding of how the U.S. Quartermaster and Ordnance Departments supplied troops in the field. Appearance and clothing should generally be worn—the 10th was in the middle of a hard, active campaign. 


CLOTHING

Blouse

  1. Fatigue blouse, lined or unlined. All enlistedmen outside of several specific individuals contacted separately are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO WEAR A FATIGUE BLOUSE. No altered blouses, no extra buttonholes, no shortened blouses, no tucked in blouses, no reenactor grade homemade blouses with giant stitches in white thread, NO TEAL BLOUSES, NO EXCEPTIONS.

  2. Commercial blouses and Infantry Jackets are acceptable in limited numbers.

Corps badge

  1. All participants must wear a white trefoil on their hat or on the breast of their blouse. If you didn't save your corps badge from the 1st Minnesota event, or didn't attend, replacements will be available via the Group Buy page. Members of the veteran Companies A, B, C, and D may choose to wear a silver corps badge or other commercial device.

NCO chevrons

  1. All NCOs are encouraged to wear appropriate chevrons. If you are not wearing chevrons you must wear pants stripes.

Pants

  1. Footman pants made of sky blue kersey, Schuylkill Arsenal or contract made.

NCO pants stripes

  1. NCOs are encouraged to wear appropriate pants stripes. All corporals should have a ½” stripe on their pants and all sergeants should have a 1 ½” stripe on their pants. If you are not wearing pants stripes you must wear chevrons.

Shirts

  1. U.S. Army domet flannel or wool flannel shirts are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. There is no excuse to not have a government issue shirt. You may carry a spare plain or printed cotton shirt, but “homespun” check shirts as a first option will be unacceptable.

Drawers

  1. U.S. Army canton flannel drawers.

  2. Citizens drawers.

  3. None. Being seen with modern underwear is unacceptable.

Headgear

  1. Forage cap, “Type 1” or “Type 2.” NO TEAL CAPS.

  2. Commercial cap.

  3. Low crown black citizens hats are perfectly acceptable. Modest hat brass is acceptable

Footwear

  1. U.S. Army bootees.

  2. Citizens shoes or boots.

BAGGAGE:  LIGHT MARCHING ORDER!

Knapsack

  1. Double bag knapsack. If you have a high quality reproduction, you are welcome bring it. If you do not have a high quality reproduction, do not bring a knapsack.

Blanket or Overcoat

  1. Grey or brown U.S. Army sleeping blanket may be carried in a knapsack or as a bedroll.

  2. As some soldiers of the 10th did during the campaign, you may choose to carry an overcoat as opposed to a blanket.

  3. None.

Ground cloth

  1. Rubberized or painted ground cloth.

  2. None. If you do not have a high quality reproduction, do not bring one.

Shelter Half

  1. “Type 2” or “Type 3” shelter halves are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. Heavy canvas sutler row shelter halves are unacceptable.

Haversack

  1. Painted haversack copied from any surviving original.

Canteen

  1. U.S. Army canteens of the “mid war” Philadelphia or New York styles. Corrugated Philadelphia canteens should have a stopper capped with a full tin cap and a string attachment, a cotton twill tape sling, and be covered in any of a variety of jeans or uniform cloth. “Smoothside” New York canteens should have a stopper capped with a domed tin washer and a chain attachment, a sewn cotton drill sling, and be covered in grey, brown, or blue jeans, or uniform cloth. If all you have is a “smoothside” canteen with a string attachment for the cork, you should endeavor to modify it to more closely approximate an 1862 Philadelphia canteen by replacing the cap on the cork with a small tin washer and making sure it has an appropriate sling.

Regimental Baggage

  1. Mess equipment in company marked boxes, tools, medical supplies, and officers’ baggage will be carried in the regimental wagons.


EQUIPMENT

All equipment shall be high quality reproductions in terms of construction and materials used.  

Waist belt

  1. Private’s belt with brass keeper made of bridle leather.

  2. Private’s belt with sewn keeper made of either waxed or bridle leather.

  3. Private’s belt with keeper cut off.

NCO belt

  1. The Ordnance Return for the regiment shows that no NCO belts were present in June 1864. Sergeants will wear an ordinary Private’s Belt.

Cartridge box

  1. 1861 pattern cartridge box with plate. 1864 pattern boxes are unacceptable.

Cartridge box belt

  1. Most of the members of the veteran companies (A, B, C, and D) were wearing their cartridge boxes on their waist belts, and the use of cartridge box belts is discouraged in these companies.

  2. Members of Companies E and F will wear a cartridge box belt made of waxed or bridle leather with cartridge box belt plate.

Cap box

  1. Arsenal or contract made cap box.

Scabbard

  1. 2-rivet scabbards and 7-rivet scabbards are equally acceptable.

ARMS

All arms and bayonets shall be in EXCELLENT working order, clean, functioning, and safe.

Rifle Musket

  1. Model 1855, 1861, or 1863 .58 Springfield Rifle Musket with bayonet.

  2. Enfield Rifle Musket with bayonet.

Gun sling

  1. Gun sling made of oiled leather. The regiment was nearly fully equipped with gun slings and as such slings are highly encouraged. British, canvas, and black leather gun slings are unacceptable.


Tools

We will be digging in, so if you have any of the following period tools, bring them. Otherwise, bayonets, plates, and cups will still be fully useful. The tools described here were the type issued to Infantry units, and are the only ones appropriate for this portrayal.

Check out Examination of Original Tools Excavated from Federal Camps to see photos of documented tool heads dug from Federal camps.

These are the only style tools acceptable for this portrayal.

D-Handle Spades and Flat Shovels, and Long-Handle Shovels:

  • Original or the “C. Haynes” reproduction.

  • Riveted and solid construction are both accurate.

  • Do not bring D-handle rounded shovels (not contracted nor seen in photos), D-handle coal scoops (we’re not shoveling coal), or modern gardening shovels.

Pick-Axes:

  • Forged construction preferred (rounded flange on the eye), but cast is OK (flat flange).

  • Varying lengths, about 20”-25”.

  • Do not bring small miner’s picks or mattocks.

Axes and Hatchets:

  • See this article for proper shapes of axe and hatchet heads.

  • Curved axe handles and straight hatchet handles are preferred.

  • Do not bring double bit, hewing, or broad axes.



Do not bring these types of tools.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS

Any personal items must be original or accurate reproductions of period items. “Old timey” bottles, jugs, Mason jars, or other items are prohibited. With this event being immersive in nature, cell phones, modern tobacco, or any other anachronistic items are wholly unacceptable.

We are placing high expectations for personal appearance and behavior upon the participants of this event. Modern haircuts, ponytails, modern underwear, modern socks, modern glasses, inauthentic or inappropriate kit, etc. is unacceptable. Displaying modern tattoos is unacceptable. As rations will be issued all participants are required to arrive with an empty haversack and not bring any food of their own into the event.