commander's message - artillery guidelines - cavalry guidelines - looking '63 - reenactor resources
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Uniform

  • Headgear
    • Forage Cap
      • Finely woven dark blue or royal blue wool (not navy blue) with painted leather brim and chin strap.
      • Plain US regulation, small size buttons. Black or brown polished cotton liner.
      • Should not be worn with the sides of the brim rolled under as a modern baseball cap
      • Hat brass limited to cross sabers-unless regimental number/company letter represent the unit being portrayed in the scenario
    • Slouch & other non issue headgear - Period types only!
      • Sewn-on edge binding of silk ribbon
      • Leather or cotton duck sweat band
      • Made of fine wool felt without a `fuzzy' appearance.
      • Medium to dark gray, medium to dark brown, or black, with black preferred.
      • No modern, “hillbilly” type, or shapeless hats.
      • No hat cords or stampede strings
  • Jackets
    • Mounted Service Jacket
      • Of dark blue or royal blue wool broad-cloth or fine kersey.
      • Yellow dyed worsted wool tape piping, 2 rows of trim on standing collar.
      • All visible buttonholes hand sewn.
    • Fatigue blouse
      • Of wool flannel with a visible `wale' in the fabric, in a shade between a medium and dark blue color. A "wale" means you can see the diagonal weave. The correct blouse has a short collar and faced lapels and cuffs. Four evenly spaced US eagle buttons should fit into hand-worked buttonholes.
      • No purple “Barney” sack coats
  • Pants
    • Mounted Pattern Trousers
      • Made of sky-blue kersey-weave wool.
      • Top of the waist band should reach the wearer's navel.
      • Reinforced seat and instep strap.
      • Thin, tapering waist band.
      • Narrow, three to five button fly.
      • Yoke in back.
      • Raised back.
      • Side pockets that start below the waist-band.
      • Right-side watch pocket.
      • Facings on vented cuffs.
      • All detail work, especially buttonholes, finished by hand.
    • Foot Pattern Trousers
      • As above but without reenforced seat.
    • Shirts
    • Domet or gray flannel US Issue Shirts 
    • Civillian Pattern Shirt
      • Made of 100 percent natural materials in woven check or plaid material, or with a printed geometric pattern on them.
      • Small metal, bone, wood, shell, or mother-of-pearl buttons.
      • Fall down collar or a banded collar, with or without a detachable collar.
      • One, two or no pockets.
      • No calico or oversized wooden buttons.
  • Suspenders/Braces
    • Not an issue item, civilian pattern of period materials and attachments.
  • Footwear
    • Socks - of solid-color yarn: off-white, gray, buff, blue, or bluish-gray. No rings or bands of contrasting color. No elastic. Of wool, cotton or a wool/cotton union. No modern hunting socks.
    • Shoes - Issue brogans with pegged or sewn soles. Heel plates optional.
    • Boots - correctly constructed, below the knee, military style boot.
      • Single-piece vamp.
      • Pegged or sewn soles.

Accouterments

  • U.S. issue M1858 sword belt - Of black buff or bridle leather
    • 2 piece enlisted eagle buckle with applied silver wreath.
    • Shoulder and saber straps.
  • Cap pouch
  • Pistol Cartridge Box - For pistol cartridges - 2 sizes for .36 and .44 - no extra cylinders!
  • Holster - Black leather, butt forward, end plug, worn on right side.
  • Carbine Cartridge box - M1860 or "Sharps."
  • Carbine Sling - Of black buff or bridle leather with iron roller snap hook.
  • Haversack - US issue tarred, may be worn on saddle or person - some opt for 2 haversacks.
  • Canteen - M1858 smoothside
    • Hot dipped tin.
    • cotton strap or undyed leather strap with iron roller buckle and leather safe.
    • Should be worn on person. NO snaphooks.
    • Wool covered; with jean, or blanket material - not sky blue.
  • Blanket - Gray/brown US Issue with black stripes woven in.
  • Shelter half - Light canvas with hand sewn grommets and bone buttons. Paperbacked tin buttons accepted.
  • Gum blanket and/or poncho - with small grommets

Weaponry

  • Carbine
    • Although the units portrayed had a variety of long arms it is not possible to arm the modern cavalry reenactor with all of the types of weapons available in the period.  In the Gettysburg campaign the Sharps was one of the most common weapons, and is most available to reenactors today.  To maintain uniformity, the Sharp's is the preferred carbine but other period carbine types (except the Spencer) are acceptable.
    • Sharp's either model. The patch box does not designate a '59 or '63 - these are identified by their serial numbers - serial number beginning with C. are 1863 models, the others are '59s. Patch boxes are found, or not found on both models.
    • Pistol - One sidearm or no sidearm - No "spare" cylinders. Pistols are loaded using cartidges
    • Colt model 1860 "Army" Revolver, .44 caliber
    • Remington model 1858 .44 caliber "Army" or .36 caliber "Navy" revolver allowed for events portraying 1864-65.
    • Non issue "Private purchase" side arms must be approved.
  • Saber - (repo sabers are generally junk) Must be correctly constructed with wire wrapped, leather bound grip and peened tang. (sabers with the nut on the end will not be accepted.)
    • U.S. Model 1840 "Wristbreaker"
    • U.S. Model 1860 "light cavalry"

Horse Equipments

  • Saddle - Model 1859 McClellan - All iron hardware, including jappaned or blued iron bar buckles.
    • Coatstraps should be of correct weight with correct buckles, leather stops recommended.
    • Wool web girth and surcingle with iron roller buckles.
    • Crupper was an issued item - use at your discretion.
    • NO brass “heart” type breast straps (martingales), not an issued item.
    • Hooded wooden stirrups.
    • SaddleBags - Blackened leather, smooth or pebble grain.
      • Smaller bags with iron buckle closure.
      • Should contain a correctly reproduced or original curry comb, brush, hoofpick, and horseshoes.
  • Halter - U.S. issue of black bridle leather and iron hardware.
  • Bridle - Blackened bridle leather
    • 3 or 6 buckle.
    • All buckles should be jappaned or blued iron bar buckles.
    • NO Rosettes on browband.
    • Bit - U.S. issued iron bit
    • Link Strap - with iron wire snap hook.
    • Enlisted Reins - sewn to bit and in the center.
  • Nosebag (Optional)
    • Flat bottom; rounded bottom accepted.
    • Black or undyed leather with iron roller buckle.
  • Picket Pin and Lariat (Optional)
    • 4-strand, left-laid hemp.
    • whipped at one end.
    • Eye spliced to hand forged iron picket pin.
  • Saddle Blanket - U.S. issued blue wool with orange stripe woven in.
    • "U.S." hand stitched in center.
    • Orange stripe should be lighter shade as per originals if possible.
    • NO saddlepads - use your issue grey wool blanket or shelter half.
Horses
Generally solid colored (aside from stars, blazes, stripes, snips, socks, stockings, etc) no Paints, Appaloosas or other breeds with non-period stand-out colorings and markings.