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General
Uniform & Equipment Specifications THIS is
the look you should be aiming for: THIS is the look you should be aiming for.
Coats: "'Something
gray' was the one requisite of our dress and the
cost of it mattered little. Much of it was paid for
by Uncle Sam out of the money we got from him
directly and indirectly. Like gamblers we took
chances with fate. We had ups and downs; but after
our successful raids we were the best dressed, best
equipped, and best mounted Command in the
Confederate army. Preferred for 1863 Events: For events depicting the command's early career, Richmond Depot Type II shell jackets jeancloth, cassimere or satinette, in any color of gray / butternut, preferably naturally dyed. If you're REALLY on a budget and mostly do mid-War events for your non-Mosby related reenacting, this might be a sensible budget option overall. Preferred for 1864-65 Events: Richmond Depot Type III shell jacket (same tailoring as the Type II, only without epaulettes) in jeancloth, cassimere or satinette, in any color of gray / butternut, preferably naturally dyed, OR in cadet blue/gray broadcloth as per the imported Tait jackets. For reenactors on a budget, this is a good option, as it could also be worn for any late War ANV impression, whether cavalry, infantry or artillery. In the above photo, 4 out of 7 of the men depicted are wearing this kind of jacket. Good for 1863-65: Civilan sack coats, preferably in the gray-brown color range (avoid blue!), made from period appropriate fabrics such as cassimere, satinette, kersey, wool broadcloth, or linen. Other civilan type coats/overcoats such as dusters. Perhaps one or two frock coats. Other Good Options: IF your budget allows a more specialized impression that you can't really use for many other portrayals, in a group impression it would be nice to see a handful of more dandified custom tailored items, e.g. double breasted gray military frock coats, double-breasted JEB Stuart type shell jackets, and Depot-type 6 piece shells tailored from finer cloth such as wool broadcloth, melton, etc. Ideally, these should appear to be custom tailored and not just sutler row off the rack stuff. Also acceptable are single breasted frock coats with or without black collar and cuff facings, Richmond Depot II jackets (only one shown in photos, however, not surprising as this unit came into its own quite late in the War), Budget Conscious Option: If a prospective Mosby's Rangers reenactor is acquring a new jacket, is on a tight budget and intends to reenact other roles beyond the 43rd Battalion, we recommend going with the Richmond Depot shell jacket option, former as it will be more useful and accurate for other impressions beyond the 43rd. In this context, you could also get away with a Richmond Depot Type II shell (same jacket only, with epaulettes --- See Section I, General Background on Confederdate Uniforms - as that would do for mid-War impressions as well.) If funds are really limited, get an RD II, appropriate for mid-War and early Mosby, and would also "pass" plausibly for ca. 1864-1865, as some men who rode with Mosby were invalided out of other units or captured and paroled in mid-War and joined Mosby in late '64 / early '65 and might indeed have still had serviceable uniform jackets of the earlier model. These should not predominate in a group impression for 1864-65 but a few in the group are fine. Acceptable options: The better sorts of sutler-row grade wool shell jackets are acceptable as they might conceivably pass as custom tailored items which young dandies might order from their Baltimore tailor. Although they would be inappropriate for an accurate generic ANV impression, you CAN get away with wearing this kind of stuff for a Mosby's Rangers impression, provided that it doesn't dominate the group impression. Trim: Avoid, please as the overwhelming majority of photos show men without trim. Thios is particularly important if you intend to use your jacket for anything other than Mosby renacting. However, while late war pictures of ANV soldiers tend to show no trim on enlisted men's jackets, SOME pictures of Mosby's men do show trim, usually in black, sometimes in what appears to be buff. Therefore, trimmed jackets in VERY limited numbers are allowed (no bright neon yellow!) Group Impression: For the best overall unit impression, we'd prefer to see a mixture of the above types of jackets and coats, with a slight (not heavy) bias toward frock coats and Stuart jackets among the officers and a very strong bias (e.g. 60% or more of the men) toward Richmond Depot type shells among the men, with quite a lot of civilian clothing and a smattering of the other type discussed. Not all the men drew clothing from the depot system. Some had items individually tailor made, or made at home, or just wore civilian items, as the above photo shows, wth two civlian sack coats and one apparent overcoat/duster pictured. In a group impression, we'd like like to see a smattering of civilian jackets The First "Farbs"? In his Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerrilla, Ranger John Munson wrote, "There were meek and lowly privates among us, of whom it might truly be said that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these." In this book, Munson recounted the story of his visit to Richmond in the new outfit he had had made after the Greenback Raid, in which each participant got $2100 in US dollars. "I was soon possessed with the desire for finery, and forthwith sent North by a sutler for gray corduroy with which to make a full suit, as well as the necessary gold braid, buff trimmings, gilt buttons, high top boots, gauntlets, a soft hat, and three ostrich feathers to match." Munson must have been quite a sight in this get-up! Wear this to a reenactment and be prepared for guffaws. However, if you have a "farb outfit" left over from your early reenacting days, it might just work for a 43rd battalion impression. Check with us, and we'll advise. Trowsers: Preferred Options: Gray or butternut CSA military issue style trowsers, broadly matching the jacket / coat if custom made by tailor / seamstress look is what is being aimed for. (e.g. flannel, broadcloth, satinette) Otherwise, any period-correct gray or butternut (light or dark) CSA military issue style trowsers in jeancloth or civilian fabrics or any period correct civilian trowsers will do. Acceptable Options: Federal issue style sky blue kersey trowsers (limited numbers preferred in overall unit impression). Munson states that they did NOT wear Federal uniform items, however, he states this in the context of refuting claims that Mosby's men, like the Yankees' infamous "Jesse Scouts" donned the opposing side's uniform to escape detection. Munson points out that their raids were mostly at night, and it was the cover of darkness that enabled them to be mistaken, on occasion, for Federals. However, as there are documented examples of them taking blue federal waistcoats from Union supply shipments, it's logical to assume that SOME federal trowsers might have made it into the mix. Shirts: In all 93 photographs analyzed, only one patterned shirt was seen. All the other shirts were white. This tallies with the information available on the nascent mass produced clothing industry of the era, which focused on men's civilian shirts, which were usually white. Given the Rangers' access to money and finer clothing, we would expect that these were probably civilian-type shirts in white cotton, NOT the standard white Federal issue woolen shirts. Although they would have had ample opportunity to capture these, Federal soldiers regularly complained about them being scratchy and uncomfortable, and wrote home asking for cotton shirts. It would be better to have your white "boiled" shirt made from an approved period pattern. However, you can get away with a sutler row quality white shirt. As white shirts these were mostly mass produced in the era, machine stitching is actually MORE accurate than hand-sewing (although buttonholes should be hand done). IF yo'ure buying a sutler row shirt, get white cotton, NOT unbleached muslin. Remove inappropriate wooden buttons and replace with white chinas. The shirt should be worn starched. In between missions, these men lived at home or boarded with local families and could afford such luxuries as white shirts, which because of bleaching were often easier to keep clean than colored ones, althogh they dirtied faster. Although checked homespun-type and shirting striped shirts rarely appear in photographs of Mosby's men, most of these photos (unlke the one above) were studio portraits. It's reasonable to believe thatthe men might have worn more casual type shirts when on missions, and as these types of shirts were very comon in the era and would be more appropriate to a generic cavalry impression, they are allowed and encouraged. Neckties / Cravats Small narrow neckties as shown in the photographs, would, if adopted by a majority of the younger men would enhance the accuracy of the overall unit impression. (hey, we KNOW they're weird looking). They were a high fashion item, only favored by the very young and trendy, so if you're portraying someone in their late 20's or older, a standard, wider tie would be a better bet. The standard ties of the era were either of the type that were tied by hand, or "cheater" ties that were pre-tied in front and fastened with a button or hook in the back. Waistcoats: Optional, but widely worn. Most common are gray high buttoned military style waistcoats, broadly matching the coat. Second most common are civilian style waistcoats. Waistcoats were generally worn under frock coats and under double breasted Stuart jackets rather than under single breasted shells, but some of the latter is also seen. There is at least one reference to the Rangers obtaining Federal navy blue waistcoats in a raid and in one group picture in the Williamson book, two of the men are wearing what could be either federal waistcoats or civilian waistcoats, as are J.H. Alexander and Clem Edmonds in the group picture above. Boots / Shoes: Preferrred Options: Either CSA or (preferably) Federal issue type cavalry boots, or civilian store-bought type boots. Over the knee boots, calf height and mid calf boots are equally acceptable, with a bias in the overall unit impression toward mid calf boots, representing the federal issue cavalry booths that they captured in the famous "boot raid". Trowsers may be worn tucked into the boots or over the boots, althogh as the above photo shows, it was more common for them to wear their trowsers OVER their boots. This is strongly encouraged, to counteract the tendency of most reenactors to wear their boots tucked into their trowsers just to show they've got boots, not shoes. Acceptable Options: from several of the photographs, men are either wearing trowers over mid calf boots or could simply be wearing shoes. In the regular CSA cavalry, where the men did not have the access to captured Yankee goods that Mosby's men had, shoes were MUCH more common than boots, contrary to popular belief. Based on this data, any sort of period-correct military or civilian shoe is acceptable if boots are an investment you are not yet prepared to make, or if you are seeking to buy gear that will work for a CSA cavalry or infantry impression beyond that of a Mosby ranger. Hats: Most common: (1) Slouch, either with one brim curled up, or bent in some other rakish, individualistic way in gray, brown, black, butternut or tan, SOME worn with an ostrich plume, but not the majority. or (2) "Mosby" style low crowned medium brimmed hat in any of the above colors, with brim curled or not, with or without ostrich plume. Hat ornaments, such as hat cords (no neon yellow, please!) and captured insignia were also quite frequently worn, in imitation of Mosby's wearing Gen. Stoughton's captured star. Also seen: CSA standard issue kepis (good, properly made ones, please -- see Ab Settle's hat in the group picture above) in gray / butternut (NOT yellow!), a variety of civilian style hats, including bowlers / derbies, beehives, square crowned slouches, plantation style hats. These guys were individualists, and their headwear reflects it. (However, NONE were photographed in reenactor hillbilly hats. Run away! Run away!) Belt buckles and buttons: Most commonly seen in photographs are rectangular brass buckles. Insignia not capable of being made out but looks like Virginia seal, not your usual reenactor type CSA buckle. On at least one photo, a round Virginia seal belt buckle is apparent, of the sort reproduced by Hanover Brass Foundry. Buttons, we surmise, were probably branch of service buttons (I for Infantry, C for Cavalry), or Virginia buttons. By late War, the Richmond depot system did not have the resources to put the right branch of service buttons on issued shell jackets and cavalry were generally issued the same jackets as infantry, so "I" buttons are appropriate. On the officers, CSA staff eagle buttons were apparently favored by Mosby himself judging from the oil portrait at the Museum of the Confederacy. The commonly seen "CSA" buttons were less frequently used during the war overall and should not be overemphasized in the unit's impression. There is also the strong possibility that they might have used captured Union eagle buttons on Confederate gear as a sort of a lark, so a bit of this in the overall unit impression might accurately reflect the "gotcha" attitude frequently exhibited by the historic 43rd as a whole, as well as the necessity of using what was at hand (substituting Union buttons for lost ones was fairly common, as the Museum of the Confederacy's collection attests). Saddles: Preferred: CSA issued McClellans fit with the period in which the 43rd was active (1864-65). However, the 43rd Battalion had uniquely good access to US Army issued McClellans or other Federal saddles (e.g Mac-rigged Hopes from Pennsylvania, etc.). The most likely saddle used by most men of the command would have been Federal issue McClellans, based on Mosby's statement in his memoirs that they were mounted and equipped almost entirely from the enemy. Encouraged: Not every man in Mosby's command managed to acquire a Federal saddle. Those who had come to Mosby from other Confederate cavalry units were probably issued Jenifers earlier in the war, and if they'd not managed to capture a more comfortable McDwellan, might easily have ridden a Jenifer. A lot of the men in Mosbys' command were local farm boys or citizens too old for the draft, or aristocratic young Marylanders of the planter/fox hunting class, so a variety of period appropriate civilian-type saddles -- "plantations" saddles and saddles not too different from modern dressage or multi-purpose all-leather English saddles, judging from painteings of the era and before. Allowed: Clearly western army or western civilian type saddles, such as Texas-rigged Hopes or other Texican saddles woudl have been less common. A fair number of these did make it into the eastern army, but mostly through former US Army men who had served in Texas before the War,a lthogh it was becoming a popular style for general use. However, as reproduction saddles can easily cost more than your horse, we will accept any form of period-correct saddle, while working to ensure that the less common impression does not dominate the overall unit impression. Avoid: 1904 and other post CW model McClellans. So-called "officers" McClellans (seat leather covered but not padded). This is actually an Indian Wars style Mac, often sold as CW with CW era style skirts. If you've already got one of these, don't worry, it won't be that obvious when you're mounted except to the cognoscenti, but don't go out and buy one. Bridles / Other Tack: Preferred: CSA issue bridle preferred. US issued (captured) bridle acceptable and probably fairly common in the battalion. Saddlebags can be Union issue McClellan type, although Mosby himself is depicted as using Richmond Depot issue tarred canvas and leather crowsfoot pattern saddlebags, possibly dating back to his First Virginia Cavalry days. The best overall unit impression would involve a mixture of CSA and US issued tack. A pair of saddlebags used by one of Mosby's men are on display at the Gray Ghost Winery in Amissville, and are standard Federal issue. Acceptable: Any period correct tack is acceptable but other than the above items should be checked with the unit commander. An approved suppliers list will be developed at a later date once the draft uniform and equipment guidelines have been refined after comments from various experts. Arms: Pistols were the prefered weapon in Mosby's command by their latter days. Two was the common number carried, SOME men might have had four according to written accounts, and some only one. AVOID carrying more than four, as thsi is a bad charicature and farb even for a Mosby's Rangers' impression. Remeberthat the average ANV cavalry troop had about one pistol for every four men. Pistols should be either Colt Army or Colt Navy types, although a few other models are found among surviving relics of men of the command. Other weapons: Sharps Carbines (primarily for dismounted / sharpshooter work), edged weapons by individual preference. Sgt. Booker's Bowie knife is in the MOC, as is a folding dagger used by Mosby. Sabres: Although Mosby is famous for having dismissed the saber as useless against gunpowder and fit for little else than skewering meat to cook on the fire, he came to this point of view gradually over the course of his partisan work in Northern Virginia. In the earliest engagements of Mosby's command in 1863, they were armed and accoutered pretty much identically to the 1st Virginia cavalry from which the original 15 had been detailed, adding captured items from their successful raids. Mosby on more than one occasion ordered a saber charge. However, sabres were VERY common in the early days of Mosby's command (cf. the fight at Miskell's farm in which sabre-play predominated) and considerably less commonly used by the end of his command, particularly on night raids where their clanking might alert patrols. However, some men did retail their sabers throughout the War.
Uniform
& Equipment Guidelines for 43rd
Battalion Reenactors
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