Tennessee_Mountainman
Sergeant
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2016
- Location
- Bartlett, TN
Should I get myself a pair of gaiters, and why? I'm a western rebel, usually portray TN or MS regiments.
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I'd say their major use is to hide anachronistic footwear. Little known fact: about 10 percent of the eastern Confederate army, 3 percent of the western and 1 percent of the trans-Mississippi were time travelers, trying to fit in. Period footwear was hard to get, so they tried to cover what they had as best they could. The other soldiers saw them, tried gaiters because they were curious about the advantages, and soon realized that their positives were: protecting the shoe laces from getting encrusted in mud, keeping mud from getting inside the shoes, preventing thorns from scratching the feet; while their negatives were: they were hot, their laces or fasteners got full of mud, mud got up inside them in the cracks between the shoe; and socks and trousers protected the leg from thorns. When no one else was wearing them, because the time travelers either got better shoes or left, the real soldiers felt silly, felt no need to continue the style, and quit wearing them. The cycle repeated for each subsequent war, the depth of the mud in centimeters in Europe or inches in the US equalling the percent of soldiers who wore them.Then what's the point of having them? I could care less about looking dressy, it's war not a ball. Certainly they have some practical use, I see them worn a lot in WWII along with many other wars.
I can say Army of Tennessee at best, I switch between units, including Union. I just more commonly go with western Confederates. With the 155ths for 1862 battles coming up, I would say the time to be 1862-1865. But I think I have my answer.Without knowing more specifics about your impression, the answer is No.
When it comes to gaiters, its all about unit, time and place.
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And thank you for taking it well, as we had a bit of fun answering the question! The serious answer really is, unless you can document it to a specific regiment that you're portraying, it wasn't common in the western theater and you're better off spending your money on something else. Some reenactors used to, and maybe still do, wear them to cover inaccurate shoes. In that case, in particular, better to save up for better shoes.Thank you all who took the time to explain to a relatively new reenactor.
They keep your pant leg from pulling up and exposing your ankle and provide an extra layer of material for you ankles when you're "walking the brush."Then what's the point of having them? I could care less about looking dressy, it's war not a ball. Certainly they have some practical use, I see them worn a lot in WWII along with many other wars.
I know I used to, until I realized they only drew attention to said defect.Some reenactors used to, and maybe still do, wear them to cover inaccurate shoes.