General Info
The Liberty Rifles and 1st Section hosted a living history program and preservation fundraiser on the Antietam battlefield representing the 4th Texas Infantry and Bedford Artillery to full scale.
Impression Guidelines: 4th Texas Infantry, September 1862
GENERAL
Appearance and clothing should generally be worn—this is after all the low point in terms of adequate supplies of clothing, shoes, equipment, etc. for troops on active service in the ANV. The 4th Texas had been clothed in late July and had put six weeks of hard campaigning on it to get the point we will be portraying. Dirty is good, but don’t go comically overboard—the Gardner images of dead Confederates on the battlefield shows uniformed soldiers, pants that are not shredded (a hole here and there notwithstanding), and generally decent shoes. The use of some amount of U.S. Army equipment to represent items picked up at Manassas is encouraged.
The Texas Depot had been established on Cary Street in Richmond in 1861 to support the needs of Texas troops serving in Virginia. While Texas-made and donated goods arrived in some quantity, by late 1861 and increasingly so into 1862, the 4th Texas was using its commutation money to purchase clothing from the Richmond Clothing Bureau to include almost all of their shoes, socks, pants, and underclothing, a mass-issue of caps in late 1861, and significant quantities of jackets in 1862. As such, a mix of plain jeans frocks and black-trimmed Richmond jackets are most appropriate to represent Texas troops in September 1862.
The flag carried by the 4th Texas at Sharpsburg.
Struck by a bullet at 2nd Manassas in August, the damaged finial was used again by the 4th Texas at Sharpsburg.
CLOTHING
All clothing must be made with proper construction techniques, correct patterns, and 100% natural fiber cloth to closely mimic original goods.
“August the 7th – we left Richmond on this campaign. In all these days we have never changed our clothes, for the reason that we have had no chance to do so—no chance to draw new clothing and clothing as all old soldiers will tell you, we could not carry any extra with us. One blanket, gun and accoutrements, haversack and canteen was all that any soldier could afford to carry. Now for nearly two months we have worn the same shirt, pants and jacket—sleeping on the ground, anywhere we could find a place, and the opportunity to lie down. Dust, mud, hot weather, rain and sunshine, we take it as it comes. Also the wading of creeks and rivers—the water often waist deep—no chance to clense ourselves from the unavoidable accumulation of filth.”
The Brown brothers of Company A in Virginia in late 1861.
Coat/Jacket:
Plain, untrimmed grey jeans frock, ideally very worn.
Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of yarn-dyed logwood jeans with black trimmed collar, cuffs, and epaulettes. Trim kits will be offered to those needing to appropriately trim an untrimmed Richmond jacket.
Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of other grey or brownish grey jeans with black trimmed collar, cuffs, and epaulettes. Trim kits will be offered to those needing to appropriately trim an untrimmed Richmond jacket.
*Participants who wish to wear citizen’s clothing must contact the organizers.
Pants:
Richmond Clothing Bureau pants made of yarn dyed logwood jeans.
Confederate military pants made of grey or brown jeans.
Sky blue kersey U.S. Army pants. These should be present in the ranks to a limited extent.
*Participants who wish to wear citizen’s clothing must contact the organizers.
Shirts:
Confederate issue shirt made of cotton osnaburg.
U.S. Army shirt taken from Manassas stores.
Plain citizen’s shirt made of wool flannel or printed cotton.
*Avoid overrepresented checked cotton “homespun” shirts if at all possible.
Headgear:
Citizen’s hat.
A few very old and busted Ellet and Weisiger/Richmond contract forage caps are acceptable.
*Headwear other than what is noted above is unacceptable. After their initial issue of caps the 4th Texas received no additional caps through September, and even made a point of writing “no caps” or “caps—0” on their receipts.
Footwear:
Confederate, U.S. Army, or citizens shoes or boots, in various states of repair, are acceptable.
BAGGAGE
LIGHT MARCHING ORDER! The, 4th Texas Infantry had the opportunity to store excess baggage at the Texas Depot in early August and was travelling very light in September 1862. Few found comfort in spare shirts or pairs of socks by the time they reached Sharpsburg. If you have a knapsack that contains a blanket, oilcloth, captured shelter half, shirt, and socks, you’re doing it wrong. If the entirety of your baggage is a panel of carpet and a captured gum blanket rolled over shoulder and a toothbrush and towel in your pocket, you’ve got the idea.
Confederate infantry in Maryland in September 1862.
Blanket:
Confederate, imported, U.S. Army, and carpet blankets are all acceptable.
*Many coverlets used by reenactors are entirely inappropriate to serve as a representation of a Southern coverlet donated to the Army, or one potentially acquired in Maryland. Take the opportunity to learn a bit about coverlet patterns by reading Safford and Bishop’s America’s Quilts and Coverlets, or contact the organizers about a coverlet you may want to bring. Old timey thrift shop grandma quilts are entirely unacceptable.
A makeshift carpet blanket used by a member of the Texas Brigade in 1862.
A bedroll made from a coverlet among the Confederate dead along the Hagerstown Pike.
A coverlet and striped blanket among the Confederate dead along the Hagerstown Pike.
Ground Cloth:
U.S. Army gum blankets or oilcloths are equally acceptable.
None.
Shelter Half:
None.
A few captured U.S. Army “Type IIA” shelter halves are acceptable, especially if you are sharing a blanket or ground cloth with a messmate.
Knapsack:
None.
U.S. Army knapsacks captured at Manassas.
Richmond/Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops / “Kibler” / “Mexican War” knapsacks and imported British knapsacks are acceptable.
*Hardpacks and other miscellaneous knapsacks are unacceptable. Wear one of the three approved options or wear a bedroll.
Haversack:
Confederate or U.S. Army haversacks are equally acceptable. Confederate bags must be plain cotton or painted cloth, copied off of an original, and be appropriate for 1862.
Canteen:
Confederate tin drum canteen or U.S. Army canteens are equally acceptable. U.S. Army canteens must be copies of early Philadelphia or New York canteens.
A Texan in Virginia in early 1862 wearing the belt plate associated with the brigade.
EQUIPMENT
All equipment shall be high quality reproductions in terms of construction and materials used.
Belt:
Leather belt with frame buckle, typically the “gutter back” version, as seen in numerous images of members of the brigade in late 1861 and 1862.
Leather belt with rectangular Texas plate (Mullinax #321 and #323), as seen in images of members of the brigade and dug at the brigade’s 1862 battlefields and campsites, is appropriate in limited numbers for a Sharpsburg impression.
Imported British belt
U.S. Army belt with sewn keeper. Belts with brass keepers are unacceptable.
*Avoid other Texas plates aside from the approved ones noted above.
Cartridge box:
Confederate cartridge box, ideally with the particularly narrow leather sling as seen in images of members of the Brigade in 1862.
Imported British cartridge box.
U.S. Army cartridge box. 1864 pattern boxes are unacceptable.
Cap box:
Confederate cap box.
Imported British cap pocket and/or Ball Bag.
U.S. Army cap box.
Scabbard:
Confederate scabbard.
Imported British frog and scabbard.
U.S. Army 2-rivet scabbard. 7 and 8 rivet scabbards are unacceptable.
Two Texans appearing as much of the brigade did when fully supplied in the first half of 1862, complete with early Richmond contract forage caps, plain jeans frocks, frame buckle belts, and Enfields with U.S.-style gun slings.
ARMS
All arms and bayonets shall be in EXCELLENT working order, clean, functioning, and safe.
Model 1855 Rifle Musket. If you have one, bring it.
Enfield Rifle Musket.
Model 1861 Rifle Musket, picked up at Manassas.
*The 4th Texas was provided with gun slings, and images of members of the brigade in 1862 show Enfields with U.S.-style slings modified with an additional hole to accommodate the distance between the sling loops. As such, gun slings are strongly encouraged, with both U.S.-style and imported British slings both being acceptable.
Impression Guidelines: Bedford Light Artillery, September 1862
Two Virginia artillerymen in 1862 wearing red trimmed Richmond jackets.
GENERAL
Appearance and clothing should generally be quite worn. The battery had been clothed in early July and had put upwards of two months of service and six weeks of hard campaigning on it. The use of some amount of U.S. Army equipment to represent items picked up at Manassas and Harpers Ferry is encouraged. Despite missing much of the campaign around Richmond as it was being reequipped, the Bedford Artillery was still severely understrength, with only three guns, an incomplete supply of caissons, and hardly enough horses to pull them.
CLOTHING
All clothing must be made with proper construction techniques, correct patterns, and 100% natural fiber cloth to closely mimic original goods.
Jacket:
Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of logwood jeans with red trimmed collar, cuffs, and epaulettes. Trim kits will be offered to those needing to appropriately trim an untrimmed Richmond jacket. Untrimmed Richmond jackets are unacceptable.
Non-descript grey jeans jacket with red trim of the pattern many members of 1st Section already have.
Plain grey jeans frock if you do not have one of the above.
Pants:
Richmond Clothing Bureau pants made of yarn dyed logwood jeans, ideally well-worn.
Confederate military pants made of grey or brown jeans, ideally well-worn.
U.S. Army pants taken from Manassas or Harpers Ferry stores.
Shirts:
Confederate issue shirt made of cotton osnaburg.
U.S. Army shirt taken from Manassas or Harpers Ferry stores.
Plain citizen’s shirt made of wool flannel or printed cotton.
*Avoid overrepresented checked cotton “homespun” shirts if at all possible.
Headgear:
“Early” Richmond artillery kepi, red with blue band and painted cloth covered pasteboard brim.
Citizen’s hat.
Footwear:
Confederate, U.S. Army, or citizens shoes or boots are all acceptable.
BAGGAGE
Mounted men will carry their baggage on their saddles. Drivers will strap their baggage to the off horses. Cannoneers will store knapsacks in a wagon. Cannoneers must carry their haversacks and canteens.
Blanket:
Confederate, imported, U.S. Army, carpet blankets, and coverlets are all acceptable.
Ground Cloth:
U.S. Army gum blankets or oilcloths are equally acceptable.
Shelter Half:
None. The Bedford Artillery were using Fly Tents in September 1862.
Knapsack:
Confederate “Richmond/Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops / “Kibler” / “Mexican War” knapsacks are strongly encouraged with imported British knapsacks and U.S. Army knapsacks also acceptable options. Bedrolls are reluctantly accepted.
Haversack:
Confederate or U.S. Army haversacks are equally acceptable. Confederate bags must be plain cotton or painted cloth, copied off of an original, and be appropriate for 1862.
Canteen:
Confederate tin drum canteen or U.S. Army canteens are equally acceptable. U.S. Army canteens must be copies of early Philadelphia or New York canteens.
ARMS AND ACCOUTREMENTS
Cannoneers will not wear belts or any other equipment. Mounted men may choose to wear sabers or not.
HORSE EQUIPMENT
Saddles:
Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops Jenifer saddles with or without valise. If you have one, bring it.
Citizen’s saddles, Texas saddles, and non-descript C.S. McClellan saddles.
U.S. Army McClellan saddle if you have no other option.
*Clarksville McClellan saddles are unacceptable.
Saddle Blankets:
Imported British blankets and domestically-made wool blankets.
Citizen’s blankets and coverlets, U.S. Army sleeping blankets, etc.
Halters:
Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops “single ring” or “five ring” halter in fair, russet, or black leather.
Citizen’s halters and halter-bridles.
U.S. Army halters if you have no other option.
Headstalls:
Southern-made headstall in fair, russet, or black leather.
Citizen’s headstalls and halter-bridles.
U.S. Army headstalls if you have no other option.
Bits:
Southern-made forged “loose ring” curb bit, typically issued with a leather curb strap.
Southern-made forged plain curb bits, copies of dragoon bits, or citizen’s curb or snaffle bits.
U.S. Army bits if you have no other option.
Nosebags:
High quality nose bags are acceptable, with one provided to each pair of horses.
Combs, brushes, etc.:
Grooming equipment will be stored with battery property under the charge of the Quartermaster Sergeant and distributed at Stable Call. Mounted men may carry their own if they so choose.
