Background

In October 2020, the Liberty Rifles hosted a fully immersive Soldier Life Experience event in Culpeper County, Virginia. We portrayed the James City Cavalry – Company H, 5th Virginia Cavalry – during the opening days of the Bristoe Campaign and focused on the minutiae of military life – horse care, camping, drilling, cooking, marching, and picketing, etc. – a day in the life of a solider!

Unit History

The James City Cavalry was formed in May and June 1861 primarily from men from the Williamsburg area. Originally accepted into Confederate service as Company I of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry regiment, later reorganization would assign them to the 5th Virginia Cavalry Regiment as Company H in June 1862. In the autumn of 1863 the unit would be assigned to Lomax’s Brigade, Lee’s Division, of Stuart’s Cavalry Corps and field under 30 men.

Impression Guidelines

Jacket

1. Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of yarn dyed logwood jeans. If you have a jacket made of County Cloth #L1, this is a good opportunity to wear it.

2. Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of blue grey wool. If you don’t have a logwood jacket, wear a blue grey one.

3. Richmond Clothing Bureau jacket made of grey or brownish grey domestic cloth.

Earlier trimmed Richmond jackets, later “Type 3” jackets, and outer garments other than Richmond Clothing Bureau products are unacceptable.

Trousers

1. Richmond Clothing Bureau trousers made of vegetable dyed gray or brown jeans, imported royal blue kersey, or blue grey kersey/“English Army Cloth.”

2. Other military-style trousers made out of similar domestic cloth.

Avoid U.S. Army pants, citizen’s pants, or pants made of oddball fabrics.

Shirt

1. Confederate issue shirts made of cotton osnaburg are very strongly preferred.

2. Citizen's shirts. We're trying to limit the number of "homespun" check shirts, not because they're wrong, just very over represented in our opinion.  So if you have a nice cotton print shirt, or plain cotton or wool citizen's shirt, go with that over the homespun. 

Drawers

1. Richmond Clothing Bureau drawers made of cotton osnaburg.

2. Other military or citizen’s drawers.

Headgear

1. Richmond Clothing Bureau caps made of either logwood jeans or blue grey wool/“English Army Cloth” with bound oilcloth brims, oilcloth chinstraps, and oilcloth sweatbands.

2. Citizen’s “slouch” hats.

The 5th Virginia cavalry had been provided with a large number of infantry caps and it would seem as though most members of the James City Cavalry were wearing them in October 1863. Please avoid oddball hats, kepis of patterns others than the distinctive Richmond Clothing Bureau style, kepis made of materials other than those specified, and kepis with trim or colored bands or crowns, etc. Just wear a good citizen’s slouch hat if you do not have an appropriate kepi.

Typical Richmond Clothing Bureau kepis made of vegetable dyed jeans and blue grey wool with machine bound oilcloth brims.

Footwear

1. English or Confederate military shoes. Most members of the James City Cavalry wore government issue shoes.

2. Citizen’s shoes or boots

3. Federal Bootees if that is all you have

Canteen

1. Refurbished Federal canteen, typically uncovered, with a CS-made “split” leather sling.

2. Tin drum canteen on a plain webbing, sewn cotton, or leather sling.

Haversack

1. CS haversack copied from an original government-made example. This is an easy way to create some uniformity within a company. Simple cotton haversacks such as the "Henry Neal" or "Goulding" bags are great options. Please avoid haversacks made of carpet, tapestry, ticking, etc.

2. Federal bags in small numbers.
   

Blankets

1. Confederate issue and citizen’s blankets are preferred, and high quality Federal blankets are perfectly acceptable. Grandma quilts, modern surplus blankets, and poor quality reproductions are unacceptable.

Ground Cloths

1. Confederate issue painted canvas ground cloths, typically 6’ long and around 3’ wide, are preferred. U.S. Army gum blankets are acceptable if you have no other option. Painted floorcloths or other oddball waterproof covers should be avoided.

Long Arms

1. Enfield Short Rifles in any model known to have been imported to include the P-1856, P-1858, P-1860, and P-1861.

2. Muzzle loading rifles to include Mississippi Rifles, M-1855 Rifles and Southern-made copies, Austrian Rifles, and other imported rifles.
   1859 Sharps Carbines and Richmond-made Sharps Carbines.

3. Smith Carbines, Starr Carbines, Burnside Carbines, Merrill Carbines, Sharps and Hankins Carbines, Richmond muzzle loading carbines, and other Southern-made muzzle loading carbines.

4. Shotguns.

The 5th Virginia Cavalry’s returns note a great variety of long arms present in the ranks in the summer and autumn of 1863. Primarily armed with short rifles, Richmond Sharps Carbines, and a number of Sharps Carbines captured at Catlett Station the previous year, the regiment nonetheless retained a number of miscellaneous carbines and a small number of the shotguns they had been armed with for much of the previous year.

Gun Slings and Carbine Slings

1. Southern-made gun slings or carbine slings of leather or webbing with domestically-made or imported snaps.

2. Southern-made copies of the U.S. Army Carbine Sling (typically in narrower widths).

3. U.S. Army Carbine Slings if you have no other option.

Please avoid the often-seen sewn cloth and leather Confederate musket sling, as these would not be produced until the following year.

Handguns

1. Colt Navy Model 1851.

2. Colt Army Model 1860.

3. Imported revolvers to include Kerrs and Adams.

Some members of the James City Cavalry had been provided with revolvers. If you have a clean original or defarbed reproduction with a high quality holster for it, you may bring it.

All arms must be clean, oiled, and in excellent working order.

Sabers

1. British P-1853 Saber.

2. M-1840 Cavalry Saber.

3. Appropriate southern-made sabers, artillery sabers, and M-1860 sabers in limited numbers.

The majority of members of the James City Cavalry were carrying sabers in the autumn of 1863. If you have an appropriate original or defarbed reproduction you are encouraged to bring it.

Saber Belts

1. Richmond Arsenal/Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops saber belts are strongly preferred.

2. Imported British saber belts.

3. Southern-made saber belts with ANV provenance to include roller buckle and frame buckle versions.

4. U.S. Army saber belts if you have no other option.
   

Accoutrements

1. Domestically-made Confederate issue infantry cartridge box, cap box, and waist belt (if without saber), with ANV provenance is preferred. Painted cloth Richmond Arsenal/Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops belts are encouraged. Plain roller buckle and frame buckle belts are encouraged otherwise.

2. Imported British cartridge boxes, cap pouches, and belts.

3. Federal infantry accoutrements if you have no other option.

Tentage

1. The James City Cavalry had a number of Fly Tents on hand. These will be provided for participants. No other tentage is acceptable.

Horse Equipment

Saddles

1. Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops Jenifer saddles, either English or quarter strap rigged, with or without valise.

2. Southern-made contract versions of the McClellan saddle.

3. Texas saddles and citizen’s saddles.

4. U.S. Army McClellan saddles if you have no other option.

The 5th Virginia Cavalry was provided primarily with government horse equipment from the Richmond Arsenal. The regiment captured a large number of McClellan saddles at Catlett Station, and it is possible that some of them remained in the autumn of 1863. All saddles should be complete with appropriate Southern-made girths and surcingles, often seen in plain white webbing.

Saddle Blankets

1. Spanish moss blankets or pads. If you have one, bring it.

2. Imported British blankets and domestically-made wool blankets.

3. Citizen’s blankets and coverlets, U.S. Army sleeping blankets, etc. Please avoid U.S. Army cavalry saddle blankets.

Halters

1. Clarksville Ordnance Harness Shops “single ring” halter in fair, russet, or black leather.

2. Citizen’s halters.

3. U.S. Army halters if you have no other option.

Headstalls

1. Southern-made 3, 5, or 6 buckle headstall in fair, russet, or black leather.

2. Southern-made halter/bridles.

3. Citizen’s headstalls.

4. U.S. Army headstalls if you have no other option.

Bits

1. Southern-made forged “loose ring” curb bit, typically issued with a leather curb strap.

2. Southern-made forged plain curb bits, copies of dragoon bits, or citizen’s curb or snaffle bits.

3. Shay, Williamson, & Co. brass curb bits.

4. U.S. Army bits if you have no other option.

Reins

1. Cotton webbing or folded and sewn cloth reins, sewn to the bit.

2. Fair, russet, or black leather reins, sewn to the bit.

3. Leather reins, buckled to the bit.

Nose Bags

1. NONE! The 5th Virginia’s recent requisitions for nose bags had been rejected due to lack of availability. Grain sacks were issued instead. “Confederate States” marked 50 pound tax-in-kind bags should be carried.

2. Southern copies of U.S. Army Nose Bags or U.S. Army Nose Bags if absolutely necessary.