Impressions Constructive criticism on my impressions

Capt7thWvCoA

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Can anyone help me improve my impression I'm the one in the center.
 
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Can anyone help me improve my impression I'm the one in the center.
For that photo, as well as the others, my only "criticism" is that you look TOO CLEAN! (Not really a criticism; enough campaigning will solve that particular problem.) You've already taken care in the last photo of the only thing that stood out in the first one: the hat cord and brass. (I wouldn't really complain about those for an early-war impression though.) My only real complaint is why do all white-bearded old guys think they have to do their best to look like Robert E. Lee?
 
Union: 1st thing that jumps out at me is the canvas sling, quite appropriate for a CS impression but not for a US one. Ditch the hat brass. You can put it back on for dress occasions.

For both impressions... your tin cup. Fill it with water and boil that over an open fire until the shine is gone and you have blackened it. If it's stainless... sell it and buy a good tin one. Attaching the tin cup to the haversack closing strap is overdone. For giggles next event put it in your haversack, put a leather thong on it and attach it to your bayonet scabbard, belt, or even the canteen strap. Regimental QM sells a decent tin cup in their campaigner corner. I can't see if your canteen has a chain holding the stopper or twine. If it's chain remove it and replace it with twine. The best way to learn to wear your gear is to put it on and take a 5 mile hike cross country. If you find yourself adjusting your gear constantly you know what you need to change.

Your CS impression hat... I tell people the first thing most notice is the hat. Tim Bender has retired but I might suggest taking a look at original pics and contacting Clearwater hats to see what they might have that you like. I like the "pork pie" hats as a CS impression. Your blanket roll looks good but I would advise wearing it on your other shoulder so that it will not interfere with shoulder arms or firing your weapon.

I am a believer that less is always more. You are portraying a soldier, by mid war most US & CS soldiers were thoroughly toughened and had trimmed down in a rather dramatic fashion.

Research, research and research a little more. When you're done with that you realize you have only just started.

Good luck.
 
Well, you're tall and skinny, have good posture and are about the right age. Those are all good things!

For the CS impression, I'd take all the ornamentation off your hat. The red plaid blanket is a little showy and might have made you a target if you stand out too much.

What kind of CS jacket is that? Four button sack coats were much less common than waist-length shell jackets. Get one appropriate to the theater where you do most events ("Richmond Depot" for eastern, "Columbus Depot" for western). Your jacket also appears to have modern features such as wide shoulders and cuff buttons - it looks like a modern suit coat that's been altered.

Federal impression looks better, but if those are the same gray trousers I'd replace them with sky blue kersey ones. Replace the fabric sling on your rifle with a leather one, it marks it as a CS weapon. Take all the brass off your cap - by regulation the only device worn was a brass company letter in front. Move your corps badge to the cap instead.
 
Everyone has pretty good advice, I recognize your sack coat as one of the ones from a sutler tent, they are completely wrong and don't really resemble any Confederate depot made sack coat, and in material and pattern are really a fantasy, if one is harsh in criticism of them.

CS: My main advice would be to get a pair of jean trousers, and a jean civilian sack coat or even perhaps a paletot. While depot made items were available for Confederates, most of the soldiers preferred stuff from home whenever possible, citizen cloths, or a "Commutation System" jacket with either wood, or brass "coin" buttons, or even Union buttons with a proper "slouch hat" are a good set of cloths to have for a Confederate impression starting out as it can fit into multiple timeframes in multiple theaters. If you want to have an army uniform, like Johan Steele said research, research, and more research a good online place to start would be Adolphus Confederate uniforms.

US: Only thing I would add to everyone else's good advice, ditch the cap, wear a "slouch hat"
(I know "slouch hat" isn't the best way to generalize different varieties of brimmed hats, but there's so many styles from the period lol)

A final note I would suggest is the rifle-musket. I notice one picture with an Enfield, and one with a Richmond, both can be a little over represented in reenacting. My suggestion would be to get a M1842 from Armi Sport/Chiappa, and the options get better and better, with kits now being available from Traditions for under $800. Out of the box the M1842's are the closest to the original, and if you want it closer, Lodgewood Mfg. is the place to send it too. Better options for rifles/muskets would be percussion alterations of flintlocks, but the reproduction market for them is a bit.... varied. If you can get a M1842, you'd do good now the new reproductions of Lorenz's would be a decent choice, but they fit in better in the Western Theater, and I'm assuming your in the Eastern one, plus they cost one's first born.
 
I wouldn't rush into buying a percussion musket at this point. A good one will cost several hundred dollars, which could pay for a better hat and that jeancloth jacket (or coat) and trousers. These IMO are a lot more noticeable than a different weapon. Plus, to be technically accurate you'd need a .69 caliber cartridge box, which is bigger, heavier, and a couple hundred dollars more.

OTOH, if you've got the funds another gun is something which will never depreciate - if you take good care of it.

Don't feel like you need to rush out and buy all this stuff at once, your best first investment is some reference books. Many guys who tell you "buy once, buy right" are speaking from experience - they replaced everything two or three times before they were happy with it. Do your homework on each item before you buy it.

Also - and possibly an exception to the last paragraph - keep an eye out for bargains. Civil War reenacting is shrinking right now, and you might be able to snag "good stuff cheap" from tent and blanket sales.
 
For that photo, as well as the others, my only "criticism" is that you look TOO CLEAN! (Not really a criticism; enough campaigning will solve that particular problem.) You've already taken care in the last photo of the only thing that stood out in the first one: the hat cord and brass. (I wouldn't really complain about those for an early-war impression though.) My only real complaint is why do all white-bearded old guys think they have to do their best to look like Robert E. Lee?

Agreed, TOO CLEAN. Where are the rips, tears and field repairs. March 110 miles to Gettysburg and go into battle wearing a picture perfect uniform.

Six months before an event, take your uniform and gear out of the trunk, and wear it outside every weekend. Do yard work in it. If you want to clean your uniform, hang it up outside for several hours and give it a good brushing.

While these publications are long out of print, they are worth their weight in gold.

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Union: 1st thing that jumps out at me is the canvas sling, quite appropriate for a CS impression but not for a US one. Ditch the hat brass. You can put it back on for dress occasions.

For both impressions... your tin cup. Fill it with water and boil that over an open fire until the shine is gone and you have blackened it. If it's stainless... sell it and buy a good tin one. Attaching the tin cup to the haversack closing strap is overdone. For giggles next event put it in your haversack, put a leather thong on it and attach it to your bayonet scabbard, belt, or even the canteen strap. Regimental QM sells a decent tin cup in their campaigner corner. I can't see if your canteen has a chain holding the stopper or twine. If it's chain remove it and replace it with twine. The best way to learn to wear your gear is to put it on and take a 5 mile hike cross country. If you find yourself adjusting your gear constantly you know what you need to change.

Your CS impression hat... I tell people the first thing most notice is the hat. Tim Bender has retired but I might suggest taking a look at original pics and contacting Clearwater hats to see what they might have that you like. I like the "pork pie" hats as a CS impression. Your blanket roll looks good but I would advise wearing it on your other shoulder so that it will not interfere with shoulder arms or firing your weapon.

I am a believer that less is always more. You are portraying a soldier, by mid war most US & CS soldiers were thoroughly toughened and had trimmed down in a rather dramatic fashion.

Research, research and research a little more. When you're done with that you realize you have only just started.

Good luck.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Museum grade gear/uniforms can be had on the second hand market. Keep an eye on the 'For Sale' forum on www.authentic-campaigner.com.
 
I just personally want to thank a young man such as yourself for wanting to be involved in the hobby of Civil War Reenacting in 2018. That being said, I do not know enough to critique your impression but very much do appreciate your effort and being open to constructive criticism on this great forum! PLEASE keep doing what you're doing and influence others to do the same! :thumbsup:
 
Some excellent advice offered here. It's a pleasure to read, and kudos to the OP for asking. Nice to see you have both a Fed and Cornfed impression.

Which theatre and timescale of the war does your unit (I'm presuming you belong to a unit) mainly portray? That should guide you to which kit you need to buy. I'd add an issue shirt, a better haversack and Army contract booties to your Union impression as well as the recommendations above.

Edit: Just to add ... the necktie is a nice touch on the Confed impression, but an instant upgrade would be to wear your hat, both the slouch and the forage cap at a more 'jaunty' angle rather than just straight on. There were a lot of fashionable young men in both armies and you're a young man. :D
 
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Lol he was portraying Lee.
Yes, and WHY - where are Traveler; aides like Charles Marshall and Walter Taylor; orderly Sgt. Tucker; mounted couriers and a flagbearer; headquarters wagon, complete with Lee's pet chicken that laid him an egg every morning, etc., etc., etc.

Just one old guy with a white beard and a nice gray suit.
 
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Wrong side, I know; but when my friend and fellow reenactor Marty Brazil put together a U. S. Grant impression for the 125th at Shiloh and Champion's Hill we did our best to provide him with chief-of-staff Capt. John Rawlins (me), aide-de-camp, corporal of the guard, sentries, etc., etc.

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I agree with the advice posted so far. I think the hat recommendations are spot on for your CS slouch and also advocate for dropping the brass.

If you're on Facebook, another good resource for high quality used gear is the "Campaigner Quality Trade Blanket". I would say these days it's much more updated than the classified ads on Authentic Campaigner's site.

Also - good hats at a good price can be found on the "Goober Grabber Headwear" Facebook page (Avery Miller is the maker) and Russ Osmianski's "Caps and Kepis" page.

If you or anyone close to you is handy with a needle, you can also sew your own uniform items using a Wambaugh and White kit or blank and save hundreds. It's an economical way of getting a high quality, well-researched item. :

http://wwandcompany.com/garment-kits/

If you're doing 33rd VA, then a jean cloth Richmond Depot II should serve you pretty well as a 'generic' ANV trooper. One last vendor I can recommend for that is Ben Tart:

http://www.bnbtart.com/garments.html

I just ordered an English Army Cloth Richmond Depot II jacket from them and got it in under 4 weeks.

Hope this helps!
 
I know nothing of Federal gear. I have a bare-bones generic Federal kit and have done absolutely no research on Federal equipage. I just bought what I thought was good to attend events as a Federal. I'm bad Federal reenactor. The below is strictly about your CS Imppresion.

While I'll echo the comments of "too clean", it's really hard to get dirty at a local mainstream event when you are camped on a nice green field next to the art fair and funnel cake. If you want to make your impression look "grizzled", do as the above stated and wear it during yard work, hiking, etc. Don't worry about keeping it clean.

For the 33rd VA, that's a pretty well-known unit, and I'm not sure if there is documentation as to specifically what they were issued, but we can make a pretty valid assumption that they were issued from the Richmond Depot, so you'd be best to get the proper jacket. As to what type of cloth, that is up in the air. We understand now that the ANV was a lot more uniformed and better equipped than what was previously thought.

There really isn't a one-and-done, generic jacket for the ANV, but with a frock coat and an EAC Richmond jacket, you would be good from '61 to '65.

There are dozens of books on the subject. As easy read is Cadet Grey and Butternut Brown by Fred Adolphus. His website is a treasure trove of information as well.

http://www.adolphusconfederateuniforms.com/index.html

The Liberty Rifles has a ton of information too. I'm not a member, but they are the premiere Living History group anywhere. I'm still undecided about Warlike on the Rapidan due to scheduling...

https://www.libertyrifles.org/

To me, it's not a question of what gear to use, but how to wear it.

The easiest thing to do is to look at original images. Granted, most pictures of Confederates and corpses and prisoners, but it will still give you an idea of what a Confederate in the field would have looked like. Also, don't be afraid to look at Federal images. It may not be the same type of gear/clothing, but seeing how the original cast wore their gear and try to emulate that.

With the few Confederate images we have, some look like clean, crisp professional soldiers, while other's look like they have a load of dirty laundry strapped to their back.

Attached is one of my favorite images. I've long since forgotten who these guys are, but it shows that there is a certain flare and charm these boys have. I would ask myself "how can I look like that?" and begin to work on it.

It's really up to you about where you want your impression to go.

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… To me, it's not a question of what gear to use, but how to wear it.

The easiest thing to do is to look at original images. Granted, most pictures of Confederates and corpses and prisoners, but it will still give you an idea of what a Confederate in the field would have looked like. Also, don't be afraid to look at Federal images. It may not be the same type of gear/clothing, but seeing how the original cast wore their gear and try to emulate that.

With the few Confederate images we have, some look like clean, crisp professional soldiers, while other's look like they have a load of dirty laundry strapped to their back.

Attached is one of my favorite images. I've long since forgotten who these guys are, but it shows that there is a certain flare and charm these boys have. I would ask myself "how can I look like that?" and begin to work on it.

View attachment 207581

I echo the advise to study period images - nothing's better than to "ask" the original experts! In this case, although I don't know the particular regiment, they're obviously mid-war members of the Third Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Why? The diamond corps badge worn by the officer at far left and several of his men on their hats and caps! Corps badges weren't authorized until Dan Butterfield created them and Hooker authorized them in the spring of 1863; the Third was essentially destroyed at Gettysburg and officially ceased to exist in Spring, 1864. (The diamond was based on an earlier similar insignia created by Phil Kearny for his division alone, but I tend to think this is later.) Note also that at least two of the enlisted men are wearing slouch hats instead of forage caps.
 
"If you want to make your impression look "grizzled", do as the above stated and wear it during yard work, hiking, etc. Don't worry about keeping it clean."

And - while some might disagree - don't try to fake the aging process by attacking your clothing with a belt sander or leaving it out in the sun to fade without draping it over your body. Don't try to fake "dirt" by using movie stuff, rolling in the dust or having your buddies throw dirt on you at the event. These "shortcuts" are obvious once you know what to look for, and don't produce the "real" lived-in look.

Everything soldiers wore was new at one time, and men in "veteran" units drew new items from time to time. They were glad to get them! Let your gear "age" naturally. Just don't take it to the dry cleaners after each event...
 
I protray a soldier from the 33rd va co b and a soldier from the 141st pa
If you are the corporal in the center pic, not a bad impression. The cap is common to the AoP. Maybe ditch some of the hat brass for campaign. Nice touch with the corps badge on coat.
 
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