Period Clothing
More images from yesterday’s re-enactment of the American Civil War Battle of Saltville.
These history buffs and enthusiasts often travel across the country to participate in encampments and battle re-enactments. Often they don’t know what parts they will play until they arrive on site. It all depends on how many people show up. Nearly all items of clothing are hand made and personally owned. My wife, Frankie, not only participated in re-enactments, she also sewed costumes for herself and other participants. Most re-enactors own both Confederate and Union uniforms. These are just a few of the participants at this weekend’s event.
Smithy working iron.
Loading a cap and ball pistol.
Confederate Calvary
Confederate Calvary with families
Southern belles in hoop skirts
Union infantryman
Union officer drilling troops
Union commanding general
Confederate drummer boy wearing “captured” Union kepi. All that would be needed to play the part of a Union drummer would be a uniform jacket and turning the canteen which reads CSA (Confederate States of America) on one side while the Union “US” logo is stamped on the other.
Nurses behind the Union skirmish line, waiting to bring water to the troops and aid the wounded…..
….. and their Confederate counterparts. Often these “Angels of Mercy” tended to the fallen from both sides as the battle lines shifted leaving the wounded intermingled and scattered across the battle field.
There are times when more than enough “nurses and belles” show up at an encampment. If you look closely at this image you’ll see that the third soldier from the right and the fourth from the left in white shirt with the yellow cavalry band on the kepi are actually women. When my wife was doing Civil War re-enactments in college she always loved the opportunity to change into a uniform, pick up a rifle and “fight”.
For more on the equipment used during this event check out today’s post on my other page Virginia Through My Lens.
