Ok Impression?

[archieclement]

Though most pictures I seen like that are guerrillas who had little access to barber services or troops out west were discipline was often laxer. Generally don't see long hair with eastern Union troops.

But of the pics....one is senior citizen who was more an honorary soldier.

Sue Mundy and Bill Anderson were guerrillas often behind lines and hardly standardized discipline or regulations.

And a modern actor.......also all 4 are southern. So not really seeing how the lend themselves to eastern Union regular army troops.

Think length in back wouldn't be as noticable and more easily hid put up.....It's the sides that are most noticeable.

Certainly don't think its required, as most reenactors seem to have varying lengths of how far they go to appear period.

 

[RedRover]

Though most pictures I seen like that are guerrillas who had little access to barber services or troops out west were discipline was often laxer. Generally don't see long hair with eastern Union troops.

But of the pics....one is senior citizen who was more an honorary soldier.

Sue Mundy and Bill Anderson were guerrillas often behind lines and hardly standardized discipline or regulations.
And a modern actor.......also all 4 are southern. So not really seeing how the lend themselves to eastern Union regular army troops.
Think length in back wouldn't be as noticable and more easily hid put up.....It's the sides that are most noticeable.
Certainly don't think its required, as most reenactors seem to have varying lengths of how far they go to appear period.

Right. The reenactors seem to vary.

The Missouri Guerrillas had access to haircuts like everybody else. They lived frequently among their own people. Those with the long hair were described as dandies compared to the general contemporary fashion. J.N. Edwards of Gen. Shelby's staff in his history of "Noted Guerrillas" (1877) mentions Jerome Clarke ("Sue Mundy") as foremost among them...

Missouri Guerrilla Hampton B. Watts recalled that many of them grew their long locks on purpose, as a fashion among them, not because they were roughing it...

"Behind the lines" for the Confederates was the place to be. All difficulties aside, there was no blockade, no starvation rations, no inflated currency. Missouri Guerrilla Frank James noted the tightest spot he was in was in the Confederate Army camps...

Ranger Munson noted the same of Mosby's men in Virginia behind the lines...

....

Some of these Missouri guerrillas frequently wore federal uniforms... so only their long hair stood out...

So maybe our web compatriot Manassas1861 is a Guerrilla behind the lines!


All jests aside, it is true shorter haircuts were most common all round, and particularly in the Union Army. Although I have not seen a copy for sale or available in a very long time, the "Columbia Rifles Research Compendium" by Mr. Tobey, published about 2006, which covered nearly every aspect of Union Soldiers during the war in tremendous detail, had a chapter on haircuts, shaving, etc., with composites culled from a vast number of images, and as you mention, as I recall concluded that few let the hair grow much below the ears.

The book covers everything from shoe laces on up. Used copies are very rare, but Perhaps a copy might be procured to read through interlibrary loan by those interested.


Among Confederate soldiers, the long hair was occasionally found, but only here and there. Phil Stephenson of the Washington Artillery mentions one comrade who affected the "Chevalier Bayard" fashion. Here's some Tennesseans captured at Fort Donelson, with at least one sporting the long locks (rear rank right)...

Union soldiers on Lookout Mountain, 1863/4:

On the Union side General Custer was evidently considered somewhat eccentric for adopting the chivalric mode in the age of barbers while serving Southward...

Though even his knightly locks were shorn for post-war frontier soldiering...

 

[bayonet]

You probably look a lot closer to the real thing then a fifty year old fat guy.

John

 

[archieclement]

Right. The reenactors seem to vary.

The Missouri Guerrillas had access to haircuts like everybody else. They lived frequently among their own people. Those with the long hair were described as dandies compared to the general contemporary fashion. J.N. Edwards of Gen. Shelby's staff in his history of "Noted Guerrillas" (1877) mentions Jerome Clarke ("Sue Mundy") as foremost among them...

View attachment 537016

Missouri Guerrilla Hampton B. Watts recalled that many of them grew their long locks on purpose, as a fashion among them, not because they were roughing it...

View attachment 537017


"Behind the lines" for the Confederates was the place to be. All difficulties aside, there was no blockade, no starvation rations, no inflated currency. Missouri Guerrilla Frank James noted the tightest spot he was in was in the Confederate Army camps...

View attachment 537033

Ranger Munson noted the same of Mosby's men in Virginia behind the lines...

View attachment 537020
....
View attachment 537023
View attachment 537026


Some of these Missouri guerrillas frequently wore federal uniforms... so only their long hair stood out...

View attachment 537018

So maybe our web compatriot Manassas1861 is a Guerrilla behind the lines!


All jests aside, it is true shorter haircuts were most common all round, and particularly in the Union Army. Although I have not seen a copy for sale or available in a very long time, the "Columbia Rifles Research Compendium" by Mr. Tobey, published about 2006, which covered nearly every aspect of Union Soldiers during the war in tremendous detail, had a chapter on haircuts, shaving, etc., with composites culled from a vast number of images, and as you mention, as I recall concluded that few let the hair grow much below the ears.

View attachment 537044

The book covers everything from shoe laces on up. Used copies are very rare, but Perhaps a copy might be procured to read through interlibrary loan by those interested.


Among Confederate soldiers, the long hair was occasionally found, but only here and there. Phil Stephenson of the Washington Artillery mentions one comrade who affected the "Chevalier Bayard" fashion. Here's some Tennesseans captured at Fort Donelson, with at least one sporting the long locks (rear rank right)...

View attachment 537045

Union soldiers on Lookout Mountain, 1863/4:

View attachment 537046

On the Union side General Custer was evidently considered somewhat eccentric for adopting the chivalric mode in the age of barbers while serving Southward...

View attachment 537047

Though even his knightly locks were shorn for post-war frontier soldiering...

View attachment 537048

I would certainly consider guerrillas behind lines very much roughing it compared to regular army.

Camping in open with no shelter, under constant threat of death. The only time might have shelter was when they disperse and then are also most vulnerable. No hospital or doctor, no barbers ect. I know of one account where they raided a village to get a dentist to pull a tooth, so that type of thing seems rather rare.

Also as war went on any professionals likely moved to towns for safety......because towns were garrisoned with union troops or militia. Pickings in small villages would been slim.

But unless she's attempting a guerrilla impression......really doesn't matter.

Sure a few generals such as Custer or Pickett are known to had fancy locks......but again how representive is that of average Union enlisted men?

 

[Manassas 1861]

Does anyone have a regulation blanket they might consider selling? I can only pay cash. I only have a thin gray blanket from amazon that I had to cut a black thread edge off of. Believe me, I don't want to use it, but I'll have to because it's all I got.

 

[Bill in Oregon]

Young man, your earnestness gives me great hope, and I think your impression is excellent. Thank you for posting.

 

[OhioBlue16]

Does anyone have a regulation blanket they might consider selling? I can only pay cash. I only have a thin gray blanket from amazon that I had to cut a black thread edge off of. Believe me, I don't want to use it, but I'll have to because it's all I got.

Blankets are expensive and tend to keep their value. I see you only have cash, which makes things trickier in 2025 but you could order a blanket from a place like S & S Sutler, Wambaugh and White, or South Union Mills. Perhaps you could give an adult you trust the cash and they order the item for you on a credit card?

 

[Trooper "D"]

What can I fix with my yankee impression? My unit portrays the mid-war era, I'm hoping to get a wambaugh white blouse to replace the old unlined jacket, the forage cap is also small and poor quality. I don't have much money to work with, so putting together an accurate kit is gonna take awhile.View attachment 536880

Looks great so far. Hair length is a personal choice. It works. I'd draw a bead on ya Yank.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Actually, if you just tuck your hair behind your ears, that´s a period hair style sometimes referred to as ¨southern style.¨ You see it sometimes in pictures. If anything, it was more common than the over-the-ears look we do today. A friend of mine has a portrait of an ancestor who was a Federal soldier. The man had long wavy locks. Think Led Zepplin in the 70s. Unfortunately, the moon shining on his long hair led to his being discovered during a nighttime scout and he was captured. Interned at Andersonville, he did not live to see the end of the War.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Certainly don't think its required, as most reenactors seem to have varying lengths of how far they go to appear period.

Not me with the piercings....lol
But if someone is looking up my nose to see the septum ring I'm hiding up there, we have some serious problems. My hair also has about a week left until it gets cut for Bentonville.

That's the only real thing I'd recommend to OP, get a haircut or at least tie it up and hide it in the cap as best as you can. The sides will give it away, but If you don't want to cut it all off something like this maybe?

 

[archieclement]

It would seem to conceal it mostly, it's up to you how comfortable you are trading everyday for an impression.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

It would seem to conceal it mostly, it's up to you how comfortable you are trading everyday for an impression.

Definitely a hell of a lot better than a normal haircut would. I've tried that. Shaving the back helped, but it's getting cut pretty short for now.